What is it about Lucy Blake's story that haunts Constance so? Why do you think she helps her?

What is it about Lucy Blake's story that haunts Constance so? Why do you think she helps her when interfering with Henry Kaufman has already brought a threat to her family?

I think Lucy's plight, having her child taken from her, haunts Constance because she experiences a version of it in her own life; even though she does have Fleurette living with her, she can't fully claim her as her own child. And as a mother, of course, she connects with the agony of fearing any harm might come to one's child.

Constance sympathizes with Lucy's situation because of what she had gone through years ago. She wanted to do whatever she could to reunite Lucy and her son.

The fact that she, too, had a child out of wedlock which she cannot acknowledge as her daughter; her natural maternal instinct that causes her to worry about the safety of Lucy's child and, when Lucy herself disappears, her worry for her. But, above all that, Constance sees the treatment of Lucy and her child, the burning of Lucy's tenement, as being related to Kaufman and his sister. She is sure it is one more example of their arrogance and lack of accountability for their actions and she wants that the change. It is frustrating to her that Lucy will not talk to Heath so that he can bring the rich family to justice for this infraction as well.

Her own history and her innate sense of right and wrong make her totally sympathetic to Lucy. Also her own experience of how truly evil Kaufman and gang are make her very concerned for the child's and Lucy's well being. She sees Lucy as a victim with little recourse as she was and now refuses to be. All of her mother's fears and isolationism do not work for her and she is determined to help Lucy and her child just as she intends to help her sisters and herself to live the life they choose. A bit of 'women's empowerment' though that movement was a long way in the future.

Constance had to hide the fact that Fleurette is actually her child. It's comparable to losing your child and Constance can empathize with Lucy.

I believe she has two reasons. One is that Lucy has also been hurt by Henry Kaufman. Two, that there is a child out there somewhere that has been taken from its mother. She can relate to Lucy on both points.

Emotional déjà vu? Although the perpetrator in her own child-bearing experience was not as brutal (by her unemotional re-telling of it) as Lucy's horrible experience, she could relate to the shame and possibility of having the child taken out of her life. Plus wanting to find Lucy's child just to know he's safe from the harm of an unknown fate.

I think that haunts her so much because she was forced to "give up" her child and raise her as her sister. She knew that kind of loss and it disturbed her.

I agree with the previous comments. Constance remembered what it felt like to be without the support of Fleurette's father and then to face the idea of having Fleurette taken away from her and she felt compassion for Lucy Blake.

I think Constance thought back to her own circumstances and all that she experienced and knew what it was like. Being the kind of person that she was, she knew that she had to assist Lucy.

Lucy Blake's story is so similar to Constance's, yet Constance had the unwavering support of her siblings and mother - even though her mother was hardly a likable influence. I believe Constance sees her own early plight in Lucy, but also envies Lucy because she is able to openly acknowledge her son.

Constance sees herself in Lucy Blake's dilemma. Constance was able to keep her child therefore she made sure Lucy was able to recover her child.

They share an antagonist and a history. Beyond that, I think Constance felt abandoned by her Mother, and would do anything to keep mothers and children together.

I think Constance truly identifies with Lucy Blake because of her own experience of bearing a child out of wedlock and not initially having the support of her family. The fact that she cannot acknowledge Flaurette as her own child makes her compassionate to Lucy's baby being taken away from her. She feels such a strong sense of right and an innate need for justice that she is heedless to her own danger from Henry. Also that's just who she is.

Constance's reaction to the plight of Lucy Blake was expected AFTER we were informed of her being an unwed mother who lost her child. Lucy's dilemma is so much worse--her child is still out there and the power fighting her, Henry Kaufman, is so much more evil that anything Constance had to overcome. No wonder she was so steadfast in her willingness to get involved.

I agree with others that Constance felt a connection with Lucy's situation because of her own experience with not being able to "mother" her child, and the fact that Henry Kaufman was involved. However, I also believe that Constance was a compassionate woman, with a strong sense of social justice and fairness, that she likely would have helped Lucy in any case.

I think Lucy and Constance both being unwed mothers was a big push to her helping her. Having the babies father's rejecting them by not marrying them or acknowledging the child was a bond for her also. Constance almost lost her child completely but was saved at the last minute but still was never allowed to be her mother.
Lucy physically lost her child which was intolerable for Constance. She could not let Henry Kaufman get away with it because it went against her moral being and was so unfair.

Constance identifies with Lucy on multiple levels, the most obvious being their experience being unwed mothers and the social stigma attached to that. Although Norma's clever solution to the problem of Fleurette protects Constance from exposure to public shame, Norma, Francis, and their mother still manage to show their disapproval in subtle ways. And like Lucy, Constance knows what it means to have her child's safety and welfare threatened. As a mother who loves her daughter and fears what Kaufman might do to her, her heart goes out to Lucy when he takes her son. They are also both victims of the same misogynistic bully and she knows what it is like to be helpless in the face of his unchecked power. Finally, as women, particularly women with meager financial resources, they both experience the injustice of living in a world ruled by men. They have fewer job opportunities than men as Constance discovers when she goes looking for work, and cannot even trust the law to defend them against a male adversary. Constance trusts Sheriff Heath because she knows he is a good man, but she respects and honors Lucy's wish that he not be told about Bobby's abduction because she knows Lucy is right to fear his inability to protect her.

Edie, I agree with you (again). I also felt there was an unspoken feeling that fighting for Lucy was fighting for her own rights as an unwed mother. Clearly without Norma coming to her rescue she could have lost her child too.

Good point, BestMartin. Constance may be compelled to be Lucy's "Norma"--the tenacious rescuer who not only found her, but devised a viable plan for letting her have Fleurette grow up at home.

I agree that her own history and present relationship with Fleurette influenced her desire to help Lucy. Knowing what she did about Mr Kaufman certainly also influenced her as well.