Weekly Responses: Charlotte Temple, to Chapter 17

In Susanna Rowsons novel, Charlotte Temple, every character is subjected to a quality

unlike their fellow actors. Each of their distinct characteristics come together in an art to cause
an interesting course of action. The narration found in these pages, have served as a guidance to
understand how all these parts and personalities relate to one another. One of the key
relationships noted from this reading was the interaction between Charlotte Temple and
Mademoiselle La Rue.
Since the beginning of her introductions, Mademoiselle La Rue was described as a
character invested in her own self-interest. She is a woman that seems to lack much of the virtues
found in her counterpart character, Charlotte Temple. Charlotte Temple, can be best described as
a hopeless, nave, love-struck teenager, with an inclination to anyone that shows her similar
affections like that of her parents.
La Rue acts almost like a devil perched on Charlottes shoulder. She shakes and rattles
Charlottes resolution, leading her down a deplorable path that Charlotte would have never
treaded on her own resolve. Similarly, La Rues character can be applauded for her cunning
design. Miss La Rue has not forced Charlottes actions. She quietly manipulated Charlottes
young, impressionable, eager-to-love heart. These same ingenious methods have led her from
man to man, to finally landing hands on a blind-hearted Crayton who has all the means to satisfy
her own personal gain. It is almost admirable how she manipulated the events all into her
personal reward.