Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Again, reading "Goodbye Lizzie Borden", the statement Lizzie made to Miss. Russell, "When it is neccessary, I should like to have Undertaker Winwood." Seems she made this statement after she had gone to her room and changed clothes and had Dr. Bowen and Miss. Russell attending her in her room. Apparently, she said it with very little emotion.

Just seems alittle out-of-the-blue, off the cuff statement, and how she said it that seems strange, given what just happened. Maybe the Doctor had given her some kind of sedetive or something?

Maybe she was just trying to keep her mind off what did happen and was trying to be ready and precieved as capable when the time came to make such decisions. People who are controlling have a need to remain in control. She at that time, other then having Dr. Bowen send for Emma, had not given any thought to Emma helping to make any of those decisions. She appears to be preparing to handle those things herself.

I kind of have pictured it that way too. Shock - upset- her dear father lying dead all bloody- and she was his favorite I guess, with giving him a ring and all? I think it's possible she felt they were that close, that she might make arrangements for him.
I was thinking about this a bit more today and trying to picture Lizzie in the milieu of mourning: it was almost a *cult of mourning* still around that time- it might have appealed to her sense of melodrama. She might have had that side to her, a melancholy side that romanticized the death.
I think of Lizzie as being stunted psychologically- stopped maturing around age 15 or so- think of a teenager- that's kind of how I view her sometimes.