I was rewatching “Rose Red” the TV movie last night when I was struck by the mother figure. She seems almost inconsequential, almost a throw away character to give you someone standing between Rachel and her father, but there is more to it.
First, she’s the first to notice what Annie has done to the neighbor’s house and she knows without having gone upstairs to see what Annie has drawn that it is Annie and no one else who made those stones fall. How is Momma aware of what’s happened practically as it happens?
Second, when Annie freezes all the pipes in the house, the freezing stops immediately short of injuring her. Is that Annie showing she still loves her mother in spite of everything?
Third, she says Annie is fine when Sissy comes home from work after Sissy has talked to Professor Reardon. How does she know she’s fine? Yes, the music is playing and that might be enough, but it seems almost as if she’s afraid to say more because she is at the dinner table with her husband.
Fourth, during the scene where Annie is wrecking the house, she doesn’t appeal to Annie to stop, but to her husband, who is arguably in the wrong.
Rachel (Sissy) says she thinks her mother is afraid of Annie. This may very well be true; however, I don’t know if I buy it. Also, if one considers heredity, Annie’s abilities had to come from somewhere. Is it possible that her powers came from her mother and that’s why Momma knows as much as she seems to about what is going on?
Just some thoughts.
Alledria is the author of a number of books, including the Fate Circle Saga and the She Becomes Death universe. Those books are available here.