The Folly of Being Lolly Willowes

Sylvia Townsend Warner shows her skill in the deep understanding of human nature in the creation of Lolly. In the first third of the book, the reader understands that Lolly will have to overcome her family's expectations and those of society to find her true self. Warner's knowledge of human nature and their behaviors reveal that a woman raised in such extraordinary circumstances would turn out to be nothing less that extraordinary, which isn't desired by society during this period in history. Warner clearly details why someone like Lolly would have difficulty fitting into society and would not be marriage material.

Until her father dies, Laura had leads a relatively unsupervised existence. Neither of her parents or caregivers insured that she was educated. Her mother being 'invalidish' and generally unavailable, could not have posed has a suitable role model for Lolly. "Everard was a lover of womankind: he greatly desire a daughter, and when he got one she was all the dearer for coming when he had almost given up hope of her." (Warner, 15) Being so prized by her father permitted her the privilege of experiencing certain freedoms that not many other women of that period enjoyed, but some of those privileges were detrimental.

Laura was not raised in the typical fashion for wealthy women born in the late 1800's, in rural England. Laura was taught to throw and catch by her much older brothers. She was often included in their role-playing games, although she generally played the damsel-in-distress role. Laura learned early that there were different options in life for men, than women. Laura lived in relative freedom on the grounds of her family home until her father's death. What she didn't not learn were the much needed social graces of the privileged class.

The conversations at the tea parties and balls in which Lolly had little to contribute had given others the impression that she was not very bright. Her tendency to remain quiet at gatherings and a physical appearance that made her look older than she was also contributed to her spinster status. At a time where very fair-skinned women were valued, Laura coloring was not so agreeable. "Laura was of a middle height, thin, and rather pointed. Her skin was brown, inclining to sallowness; it seemed browner still by contrast with her eyes, which were that shade of gray...(that) seems only a much diluted black." (Warner, 25) Only Lolly's father and her brothers would have considered her pretty. She was never taught to feign interest in subjects that truly did not matter or how to catch the attention of a young man. Unskilled in such social graces in a very proper and antiquated England would have been social annihilation.