Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe/Chapter 60
In Valdosta, Georgia on September 18, 1928, Ruth reflects on her marriage. She had returned to marry Frank and tried to put Idgie out of her mind. She would pray to God that he would take the thoughts out of her mind. On their honeymoon Frank had raped & beat her on & she bled for three days and hated sex after that. She feels like he is punishing her with forced sex. She blames herself because she thinks Frank can feel her love for Idgie. She thinks she deserves the abuse. While on her deathbed, Ruth's mother tells her daughter that Frank is the devil and she must leave him. Her mother dies later that day and Ruth sends a page from the Book of Ruth to from the Bible to Idgie.
Analysis
[edit | edit source]The details of Ruth's abusive marriage are seen in this chapter. Ruth mistakenly blames herself for the abuse. She thinks Frank is punishing her with forced sex because he can feel the love she has for Idgie. After her mother died there is no longer anything keeping Ruth from leaving & as her mother makes her promise to leave Frank & reaches out to her true love, Idgie. She knows that Idgie loves her, does not hate her for leaving, will not turn her away & will come to save her from Frank.