I do think it's a bit unfair to talk of readers and authors 'making excuses' for Lois - I don't know if you just mean in this story, Ray, or in others as well. I know you think that authors should make it plain that they disapprove of her bad behaviour, though (as I've explained before) I don't think that's the author's job. It is my role as an author to show some development on the part of the characters, however, and I try to do this in every story I write. If I post to explain or comment on my characters' motivations, I don't see myself as making excuses for them; I might try to explain where I think they're coming from, but it's up to the reader to make their own judgements as to the merits or otherwise of the characters' actions
Wendy, by making excuses I was talking about the others who posted in this thread, specifically the person who said that Lois was lonely and I pointed out that she's only been away from her husband since the start of the week, hardly a lonely, abandoned wife, therefore the comment about people making excuses for Lois's actions.
No, Lois isn't perfect - in this story or in any other. Nor, incidentally, is Clark - remember, he's been coming back day after day, in full knowledge that Lois is married. And, as he reveals in the last section, he has feelings for her and he knew that all along. Wasn't it just as much up to him to stay away?
Most assuredly! He should have stayed away but as is usually the case if he had not been getting positive signals, very positive signals, from Lois I doubt he would have returned day after day so she bears a larger portion of the responsibility here. As an old song said, if she didn't have cheating on her mind he wouldn't have been enticed to pursue her.
The one thing I will say is that I think it's highly unlikely that Lois would have had any kind of mercenary reasons. That's just not the way she is in the series, and I hope that I'm writing her in character.
I too do not believe Lois married Lex for his money. I was just pointing out that the perception by the world will be something along those lines. If nothing else, for the most part you do the best in writing S1 Lois in character, except of course along the lines we have discussed in private.
Does she fall in and out of love easily? Well, have you never found yourself in the situation of believing that you're in love with someone, only to discover that you were mistaken in your feelings? Of believing that someone loved you, only to find that they betrayed you? Staple fodder for romance novels, of course - and common in real life. Kathy's example also illustrates this. Would you have expected Lois to stay in love with Claude after what he did to her? What would you think of a woman who did continue to love a guy who'd betrayed her like that? Co-dependent, perhaps?
I have been very careful
not to include items from our private messages here, that last line is very close to something I said to another author. I'm trying not to have the same old discussion but to get further clarification on how others see S1 Lois when another point of view is brought up.
In the case of Claude, that situation really doesn't compare here. She had an affair with a man from work who treated her badly. Here she's having an emotional affair, for now, and wants a lot more and she a married woman! Does the marriage and the vows she took mean so little to her? Does it mean so little to others here? I'd like to know what the posters here think. Is Lois justified in ending her marriage to a man who, at least so far is a decent husband, who Lois chose to marry, who is a strong willed business man and not interested in the newspaper business the way she is because she has met a man who can relate to her past experiences and who has stroked her ego with his compliments.
A question for the folks as well that Wendy will hopefully answer in the next story: What grounds is Lois going to use to sue for divorce? I doubt she has any. Irreconcilable differences wouldn't wash since she's only been married two months. Adultery isn't going to work for her unless she catches Lex with a woman, heck Lex has more grounds on that one than Lois. She can't claim mental or physical cruelty, that's for sure, and I doubt a judge is going to give her a divorce because she just found out she didn't really love her husband and loves another guy instead.
I look forward to the creative solution to that little dilema.
Thanks for all the responses, I'm learning a lot.
Ray
