In the novel, The last Unicorn. we are
introduced to a character named Molly Grue.
Through chapters' five and six she goes through many changes. Molly goes from being an outwardly crude
woman to a soft, kind-hearted lady. Molly is a caring person. She is faithful to the band of men. Molly is encouraging and hopeful. These three qualities of Molly Grue will be
further discussed in the essay. These
three qualities prove to be a great help in finishing the quest.
When we first meet Molly Grue, she is a
very old, crude, and rugged woman. The
book describes Molly as being a "thin thorn of a woman" (Beagle 56),
with a "pale, bony face with fierce tawny eyes and, hair the color of dead
grass." (Beagle 56) She also has
"sharp shoulders" (Beagle 57) and "horny knuckles." (Beagle
57) From these descriptions the picture
we get is that of an old woman, who is unsophisticated, and has worked herself
to the bones. You would probably think
that Molly isn't a nice person. Molly is
a nice person, because underneath all that skin is a woman who has compassion.
Molly cooks and cares for a band of loud, crude, adventurous men, otherwise
known outlaws. Molly is extremely
faithful to these men because she could leave at any time but she didn't. She stuck with them and served their every
need. She feels so loyal to them that
even though she complains she will still do the job. Molly has been with these
men for such a long time that she has
picked up some of their bad habits, and she acts like a man. Still she changed
to fit in, and is still faithful to the men.
When Schmendrick told the band of men how he got to their camp,
"She spat on the ground." (Beagle 56)
This helps us picture the rugged type of person she is, yet Captain
Cully himself says that because of her environment, it is only natural that
Molly was "suspicious, pinched, dour, prematurely old, even a touch
tyrannical." (Beagle57) Although
Molly has few bad qualities, she is still faithful to the men and Captain Cully
says, "She's a good heart, a good heart." (Beagle 57) Even captain
Cully knows that she is serving them because she is faithful.
Molly was an important part of the
story. She was encouraging and hopeful
of others to succeed. Molly Grue was
always hopeful and jovial. Molly never
had second thoughts about what she was doing and why she was doing it. She always stayed focused to the quest and
she never had negative suggestions.
Molly Grue had encouraged Schmendrick with his problems with magic. She said, "You have all the power you
need, if you dare to look for it." (Beagle 99) She encouraged Schmendrick
to the point that he saved the unicorn from the red bull. Molly could have just called him a fool, but
she didn't. She believed in him all the
way through to the end. Molly also
encouraged Prince Lir. She told him
"Lady Amalthea is not won by great deeds." (Beagle 129) Molly
encourages Prince Lir, not to give up.
She could have said it's not my problem but she didn't. These examples show that Molly is an
encouraging person who is hopeful of everyone and wants people to succeed not
falter.
Molly had shown an even stronger quality in
her. That special quality that Molly
developed was that she was a caring individual.
She would always put someone else's problems before hers. She had cared dearly for Captain Cully and
his men. Molly had cared for the
unicorn. Molly said, "He'll drive
her to Haggard, and no one will ever see her again, no one." (Beagle ) Molly
was showing great affection towards the unicorn because she cared about
her. The unicorn had been turned into a
human being and Molly said, '"Oh, what have you done?"' (Beagle 102)
and, regardless of any danger, Molly ran out to the unicorn. Molly cared so much for the unicorn that she
didn't care what was around her. She
just had to get to the unicorn to help.
She put the unicorn's problem before her own. That is what a true person will do if they
really care. Another example of how
Molly is a caring person was when they were at the castle, and in order for
Molly to stay she had to do a lot of work.
King Haggard, "paused, seemingly waiting for Molly to protest, but
she didn't." (Beagle 124) Molly
cared so much for the unicorn that she never complained. She would do anything to help. Another example was when the group went
through the clock. Molly was wondering
what happened to Schmendrick.
"Molly, broke in--much to her own surprise--crying." (Beagle
173). Molly said "'Never mind all
that! Where's Schmendrick?" (Beagle 173) Molly truly cared for Schmendrick
to the point that she fell in love with him.
From these examples, Molly is truly a caring individual that always help
someone.
As you can see, Molly is truly a person
who is caring, faithful; and always encouraging and hopeful individual. I clearly proved with examples how each
quality was truly real. Everything from
serving the band of men, that proved she was faithful, to encouraging Prince
Lir when he was discouraged. She was
always caring for someone. All these
examples easily prove that Molly Grue is a kind, caring person who is faithful
and is encouraging. She never had discouraged anyone or even put them down. She
was always right their to help.
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