Emma's reaction to seeing her father's body

[shakiboo]

Hello, I have been reading your posts for a couple of years now, and don't recall hearing anything about Emma's reaction to seeing her Father's body, Lizzie on the other hand has been criticized repeatedly for being almost emotionly cold, to make a long question short, they were both raised in the same house with the same do's and don'ts, as to how and what is exceptable behavior, could it be that never having to deal with such a thing before Lizzie was just completely at a loss as to How she should react and fell back on what she had been taught (or shown) and at the same time coming undone on the inside? would that explain her confusion, and why Dr. Bowen gave her something to calm her down even though she didn't appear to need anything????? Sorry if this is confusing, I'm new and not sure quite how to put what I want to say down.

[Kat]

Hi!

Well, Lizzie found a murder victim who was her father. That would shock anyone, I guess. They say people react to shock and grief differently.

Emma, of course, came home much later in the day. She might have been warned of a murder or murders- we don't know what was in the telegram, or who picked her up at the train. So she may or may not have known about 2 murders when she walked in the door around supper time.

Emma herself says she only asked 2 questions of Bridget: Did you see the person who brought the note?
and
Will you stay?
Then she sent for tea and toast from Mrs. Dr. Bowen, for Lizzie.
So it kind of seems that neither Borden girl actually freaked or fell apart or swooned or anything...that we know of- so it's a good question.

However, they each were no strangers to death.
Within Emma's lifetime there were quite a few deaths:
Her grandmother Phebe, 1853
Her aunt Phebe Ann, 1855
Her sister Alice, 1858
Her mother Sarah, 1863.
Her cousin George Harrington, 1867.

These deaths were all while the extended family lived at Ferry Street.

Lizzie would have been around for those last 2 plus:
Their grandfather Abraham, 1882
Their step-grandmother BeBe, 1883
And Andrew and Abby Borden, of course, 1892.

[snokkums]

I think they were both kind of shocked, at least Emma might have been. As for lizzie, I don't think she realized what she had done or the implications of what she had done. I don't think that she thought that the police would point the finger at her. But she was never one for showing emotions. I remember reading somewhere that Lizzie wasn't one to show her emotions very easily.

[shakiboo]

I guess I'm like alot of other people who bounce back and forth between she did it, she didn't do it.....but if on that day she was going about her normal, probably boring, habitual day, which more then likely included trying to avoid Abby as much as possible, could it be possible she really didn't know or care where abby was? And if there was a note wouldn't she be just as inclined to shrug it off and not even question Abby about it? Her treatment of Abby and her Father sounds alot like many self-centered teens today who talk about how they hate their parents and think they are just "mean old things" but they don't really mean those things that they say it's the drama of it all. yes I know she was 32 but a very immature 32, almost childish in her behavior. She never really clarified the "when she thought she heard her come in" what if it was as she was heading out to the barn, she wouldn't have stopped to go greet her or acknowlede she heard her come in, she would have just ignored it and kept right on going.........is that plausable???

[Kat]

I understand what you mean. When you use the *teen* reference especially. The kind of things they say *I hate you* type things. They are impulsive and moody and I do think Lizzie was kind of stuck in that phase.
She claims not to know where anyone was- not Abbie or Bridget. Lizzie says *I know where I was.*
She ignores her Uncle Morse. She sounded like she was sulking Wednesday to not come down to say hello to him.

[Ms. Jo]

Didn't I read somewhere that Emma's first words to Lizzie, was, "Lizzie ,did you kill father?". I am guessing that maybe Emma knew that Lizzie could be capable of more than what others could only guess, if the situation arose.

[Kat]

I think that was in the TV movie- The Legend of Lizzie Borden.
A great movie that one- for all its faults.

[doug65oh]

I can hear Katherine Helmond speaking the line now actually in my head, and Elizabeth Montgomery's reply:

Lizzie, did you kill father?
No, Emma, I did not.

Great actresses both - but whenever I read the transcripts, the voices that run thru my head are these two, who sound nothing at all like Lizzie and Emma would have or should have sounded!