Stoner

Never blamed Edith because the protagonist enabled her to be that mentally weak. Sometimes in life people want to be called out on their bullshit, but Stoner allowed her to live a life of middle class unfullfillment and she hated him for it

>>9934025
Though Stoner wonders this before death, I have to disagree. For one, Edith's disposition was well-established by the time Stoner first meets her. I can see why you see Edith as a pitiable character, and in a sense she is, but I understand that her bedridden spells of illness, forlorn weeks of weeping (which end once Stoner shows no real care), separation of Stoner from his daughter and subsequent oppression to the point where Grace gets pregnant to get away and still becomes an alcoholic are solely intentional manipulations, not a side effect of Stoner's absence of 'putting her in her place'. If you recall, Stoner directly points out that Edith hates him and after a weak denial she replies that Stoner will never leave her anyway.

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that's just how women are.

>>9934071
You could interpret her transgressions as a way of getting back at the man who she believes consigned her to a miserable existence, or at least failed to save her from it. I view both Stoner and his wife as tragic characters destined for failure and unhappiness as a result of their own weakness, bred into them by a modern environment that allows this kind of living. Difficult to assign personal blame to either one as a result

>>9934004
I wasn't nearly as bothered by Edith as much as I was by the cripples. It made me want to run up to one and beat him.

>>9934107
What you've said may be true, but I remain biased towards Stoner as he tried for years to improve his life and relationship with Edith but it was always Edith moving his office, fabricating intimacy, alienating the visiting students, etc. You've given me another perspective.

>>9934119
Lomax's personal offence to Stoner's intransigence is understandable, given that he is clearly seeing himself in Walker and wanting to see another crippled man find success. Walker on the other hand is a dyed in the wool conman, so I feel no sympathy there.