Rosalind asks herself, "must everything in life be a march forward and upward?" How would you answer her question? Do you feel her move to Birkbeck from King's was a step up or a step back?

Rosalind considers returning to the labo but knows it would be a step backwards. She asks herself, "But must everything in life be a march forward and upward?"

How would you answer her question? Do you feel her move to Birkbeck from King's was a step up or a step back?

I think it was a step toward survival. She couldn’t continue where she was mostly because she was distracted and she couldn’t have that. She began to realize her value and began to use it toward her own agenda and advantage.

I think it was a necessary step. It would be very difficult to work in an atmosphere where your several of your coworkers are not only not supporting you, but are antagonistic toward you. In England she was recognized for the brilliant researcher she was.

It definitely was necessary for her survival. That makes it a step forward and out of that ghastly situation at Kings.

We all need to feel appreciated and supported and I think that is what she was seeking.

Yes, her changes in jobs were no different than they are today. Sometimes changes are necessary in our lives, whether they are upward or not.

I agree with the above comments.

I think it was a step forward. The move allowed her to pursue her goal in a supportive environment. What often appears as a step “backward” professionally, usually becomes a step forward emotionally.

Yes, the move to Birkbeck from King's was a necessary step up. To answer the first part of the thread question, no, everything in life does not need to be a step upward. We reveal our greatest strength and show of creativity and adaptability during hard times.

No I do not think it was a step up. She worked in the basement and had to use an umbrella when it rained. Her equipment was not equal to kings college and when you do lab research it is all about the equipment. Plus she worked for someone who had community leanings which made it very difficult to get funding.Even though it was a step away from the people.. she left valuable research behind.

All Rosalind's moves were taken to get to achieve her goals. When she felt distracted or impeded by something or someone, she moved to an environment that offered her the ability to move forward.

I think it was a step sideways. When she went to Birkbeck, she was able to continue doing research, and possibly saved her sanity in the process. She may not have had state of the art equipment there like she did at King's, but she did achieve a level of success and found colleagues willing to work with her and give her the respect she deserved.

In terms of the prominence of the institutions, it was a step back. But she wasn't being respected at King's, so it was the wrong place for her to be. At Birkbeck, she found a more collegial, collaborative environment that was a better fit for her. In that sense, it was a move forward.