Consider Wyeth's wife Betsy. What is her role in the story and how does she interact with Christina?

Consider Wyeth's wife Betsy. What is her role in the story and how does she interact with Christina?

I think Betsy rounded out both Andrew and Christina. She gave them both the parts they were missing in their personalities. She was such a pure soul and accepting of both Andrew's and Christina's faults. I am sure it must have been difficult for her at times.

She is fond of Christina, I think, but not overly close. She is a friendly neighbor who does not impose herself into the professional relationship between artist and his world--he paints, not at home, but at Christina's. That relationship, with Christina as model and her brother, Al, also, is separate and apart from Betsy and Andy's marriage and Betsy and Christina's tea and toast friendship.

Betsy seemed to be a point of contact or a liaison for Andy. Betsy facilitated communication for Andy and gave him emotional support to be creative in his own way.

I felt Betsy was a ray of sunshine in the story. She was so accepting of Christine and not affected by her disability. Betsy and Christine weren't overly close, but there was a friendship there. Betsy wasn't threatened by Andy and Christine's friendship either.

Betsy's role in the story was to connect her husband and Christina. This gave her husband a private space to paint and Christina someone to interact with in her home since Christina rarely left her home. She was very accepting of Christina and her disability and her husband's needs. I thought Christina and Betsy were friends.

I am coming into this conversation late because I forgot it was starting, so I have been reading what everyone thought. I agree the most with louisee. Betsy had to be in the story because she was the connection Christina and her husband.

I think Betsy knew that Christina would be a quiet person and would let Andy work without disturbing him. It would also help both of them to have a presence in each other's lives. Betsy also knew if Christina fell or was injured, Andy would be there to help her.

I felt that Betsy had great compassion and love for those whom she held dear. She shows that love transcends all barriers.