Cultural Post:

I cannot imagine breaking into someone's house, as Diego does on a regular basis now in the novel. Sure, we have burglary, and kidnapping, but to break in and steal a bottle of wine to sedate a party of 19 or so guardsmen, that seems a little extreme. Also, another difference is the executions. We do have the death penalty, but we don't kill someone for being a traitor to the government, or for being poor. In the novel, Juliana and Isabel (her sister)'s father is about to be killed for being allied with the French. Anyway, the methods of social lack of grace seem so radical in Spain and France rather than here. There is the time difference as well, which I know plays into affect when considering social nicities and the like, but just the abruptness of it all is stunning to me.


Ramble:

If I were somehow yanked back in time, I wonder what my life would be like? I know that I would be part of the bourgoise, and would have to put up with petticoats and miniature umbrellas and the like. However, I would be meek, and always following the rules because no one would have pushed me to be strong and independent. I know that as much as I want to say that I would be the one who let the ribbons out of my hair rebelliously on windy days, I would make sure that I had a bonnet on instead, or something of the like and be the epitomy of.... lady. I shudder to think that my parents would have arranged a marriage for me, and that I would be unhappily smiling and going into it because he was 'noble, and had money and was hansome'. God, what a horrible life. I'm so glad that I was born in this century and am able to say that. I am free and I can do things that other girls could never do, write for example, which I'm off to do after I post this, fall in love, which I will decide about on my own, and basically be seen and heard like any person. I'm so glad that I was born in this time, in this country. I'm so glad I'm free.