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Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 12 Apr 2018, 11:06
by Heidi Finger
I thought the plan for Natalie to hide the heifer was pure genius when when she was doing it. Her co-worker had extra pasture that needed to be kept down, her heifer needed a place to stay, perfect. The long 4 mile trek didn't seem too terrible either because she had it all planned out and had the tools she needed. The genius part of it slipped away when Alex found out the cow was gone. There was no plan to keep him from exploding.
Do you think there was another way to take care of the situation that would have prevented someone from getting pulverized by Alex?
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 12 Apr 2018, 12:34
by Libs_Books
I don't see what she could have done - maybe, if she'd won her sister over that might have helped. However, this man was already an abuser, so I think it was only a matter of time before he picked on Natalie in one of his drunken rages. If it wasn't the heifer, he would have found something else.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 13 Apr 2018, 01:35
by P0tt3ry
There didn't seem to be another way if she really wanted to keep Libby. Natalie must have known that he would explode but not anticipated that it would be so extreme. While he was abusive, he had never lost control so completely. It seemed a way for the author to communicate how bad the alcoholism was becoming. I don't think Natalie expected Shirley to betray her; Shirley was old enough to know how her father would react.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 13 Apr 2018, 08:58
by Heidi Finger
Libs_Books wrote: ↑12 Apr 2018, 12:34
I don't see what she could have done - maybe, if she'd won her sister over that might have helped. However, this man was already an abuser, so I think it was only a matter of time before he picked on Natalie in one of his drunken rages. If it wasn't the heifer, he would have found something else.
I agree, that it was only a matter of time. Shirley definitely didn't help
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 13 Apr 2018, 11:20
by folkshot
Libs_Books wrote: ↑12 Apr 2018, 12:34
I don't see what she could have done - maybe, if she'd won her sister over that might have helped. However, this man was already an abuser, so I think it was only a matter of time before he picked on Natalie in one of his drunken rages. If it wasn't the heifer, he would have found something else.
Agreed. He was a loose cannon and would have found an outlet somewhere. Better it was the heifer in that instance.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 15 Apr 2018, 17:42
by cpru68
I think Alex was always looking for an excuse to beat Natalie to a pulp to help relieve his anger issues. Alex with his hair trigger anger and alcoholism was always going to find some place of contention with her. I liked the idea of her hiding the heifer, and we see in that act a way of self preservation without involving her siblings to protect them. Natalie had to work the system she was in so she could keep all of her responsibilities balanced. She was tip toeing through life and hanging on to her most prized possession while dealing with an unstable household. That heifer was her lifeline to something normal.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 15 Apr 2018, 21:35
by Elizabeth Pass
There are always consequences for your actions. Her choices were submit or fight back. She chose to defy Alex and she knew there would be consequences for that choice. She might not have known exactly what would happen, but she knew she'd rather face that then live a life subservient to others.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 20 Apr 2018, 07:35
by Haute_Coffee
I think it was very bold and brace of her to hide Libby. She knew she would receive consequences but Libby was worth it to her.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 21 Apr 2018, 18:30
by AlexisMersino
I don't believe that Natalie could have done anything to prevent Alex from blowing up. Considering the fact that he was a raging alcoholic, I think anyone could have seen how he would take it from a mile away. I think Natalie fully expected it as well. I remember her making a statement about it even though I don't remember what it was specifically. I still think that her plan was utter genius, regardless of how Alex took it. I also found it hilarious that she planned leaving the gate open to confuse him and send him on a wild goose chase!
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 26 Apr 2018, 00:33
by holsam_87
heidifinger wrote: ↑12 Apr 2018, 11:06
I thought the plan for Natalie to hide the heifer was pure genius when she was doing it. Her co-worker had extra pasture that needed to be kept down, her heifer needed a place to stay, perfect. The long 4-mile trek didn't seem too terrible either because she had it all planned out and had the tools she needed. The genius part of it slipped away when Alex found out the cow was gone. There was no plan to keep him from exploding.
Do you think there was another way to take care of the situation that would have prevented someone from getting pulverized by Alex?
I don't think there was much else that could have been done. It was more the fact Natalie wanted to be two steps ahead of Alex and she knew of the possibility since he regularly would beat up Joey.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 29 Apr 2018, 08:15
by Alex Hughes
I think Alex was always looking for an excuse to beat Natalie to help relieve his anger issues.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 29 Apr 2018, 09:32
by Amondi Oluoch
heidifinger wrote: ↑13 Apr 2018, 08:58
Libs_Books wrote: ↑12 Apr 2018, 12:34
I don't see what she could have done - maybe, if she'd won her sister over that might have helped. However, this man was already an abuser, so I think it was only a matter of time before he picked on Natalie in one of his drunken rages. If it wasn't the heifer, he would have found something else.
I agree, that it was only a matter of time. Shirley definitely didn't help
Indeed. It would have been a matter of time before Natalie realised what an abuser she was dealing with. Alcoholism sucks.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 03 May 2018, 11:43
by Lu_rire
Libs_Books wrote: ↑12 Apr 2018, 12:34
I don't see what she could have done - maybe, if she'd won her sister over that might have helped. However, this man was already an abuser, so I think it was only a matter of time before he picked on Natalie in one of his drunken rages. If it wasn't the heifer, he would have found something else.
I agree with this, abusers can always find reasons to vent their anger at life, even if it wasn't the heifer, it was going to be something else. Alex's rage could only be postponed not forestalled, the only thing that might have changed would have been the target of his rage.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 24 May 2018, 09:19
by Helpme71
I think that Alex was going to explode, regardless of what Natalie did with Libby. Slipping the heifer away to a nearby neighbor's farm was, in my opinion, Natalie's only option to keep her precious heifer from being sold to an awful man. As much as I hated to read about Alex's abuse of Natalie, I can't really think of another way around it, with Alex being as controlling and dictator-like as he is.
Re: Preventing Alex's blow up about Libby
Posted: 24 May 2018, 09:22
by Helpme71
cpru68 wrote: ↑15 Apr 2018, 17:42
I think Alex was always looking for an excuse to beat Natalie to a pulp to help relieve his anger issues. Alex with his hair trigger anger and alcoholism was always going to find some place of contention with her. I liked the idea of her hiding the heifer, and we see in that act a way of self preservation without involving her siblings to protect them. Natalie had to work the system she was in so she could keep all of her responsibilities balanced. She was tip toeing through life and hanging on to her most prized possession while dealing with an unstable household. That heifer was her lifeline to something normal.
I agree with you entirely. Alex had issues that were going to make him explode, regardless of who it was against. Since Natalie is only his step-child and not his biological child, it only makes sense that he would target her, as the "odd one out". Alex is an abuser who would've snapped, regardless of what Natalie had done differently to resist his plans to sell Libby.