“He looked round, and saw a girl racing after him, waving a white handkerchief.
Oak stood still—and the runner drew nearer. It was Bathsheba Everdene. Gabriel’s colour deepened: hers was already deep, not, as it appeared from emotion, but from running.” (p.30)


Historically, white handkerchiefs have been used in place of a white flag to indicate surrender or a flag of truce. And a man like Gabriel with a clear stand could have interpretted her running and waving a handkerchief as a sign of persuation and could easily believe that she was willing to say yes to his proposal.

In old times, handkerchieves had a special place in romantic relationships, especially in nonverbal communication. They are usually waved in greetings or in farewell. Being a small, private and feminine object, it reminds honesty, innocence and purity of the beloved. In Turkish tradition, droping a hankerchief, while passing by a gentlemen was a sign of interest or admiration in the past. In literature, it has special meanings. In Otello, for instance it signifies “love”. Because it belongs to the loved one and carries her smell, touches her face and hands, holds the trace of her tears and deals with her deepest sentiments, it gains special value.

In their interaction with the opposite sex, the people could easily believe in the things they want to believe in. Yet the reality could be the reverse. The emotions and dynamics prevailing in the inner selves could be totaly different. Here the author warns us, especially the men I think, not to judge just by seeing. It could be misleading or deceptive. You can misinterpret the social clues in your interaction with the females, because of your emotions. They are not as straightforward, simple and candid as you are. They are complicated. Women could be tricky and skilled in masking their emotions and genuine feelings. However Gabriel doesn’t hesitate to show his emotions frankly. But the girl though gained physical proximity by runing, kept her distance emotionally. She said: “If I had wanted you I shouldn’t have run after you like this. It would have been the forwardest thing.” The girl’s aunt also lied that many people were after her niece. And how these contrast with the Gabriel’s unassertive, modest manners! “I am only a everyday sort of man and my only chance was in being the first comer” he utters…

Here the excitement of the girl was probably due to the conflict perceived at the psychic level between the id and the superego. Being in a confused state or mood, she was not ready to confront her feelings yet. It can be estimated that her ego was not yet so strong to keep a balance between the id and the superego and she felt the pressing influence of the superego over the id. In order to solve her inner conflict, she was striving to correct the misinformation that her aunt conveyed and clear up the bad image that had fallen upon her.

"Rays of male vision seem to have a tickling effect upon virgin faces in rural districts; she brushed hers with her hand, as if Gabriel had been irritating its pink surface by actual touch" (p.19)

In rural areas, due to the limited interaction or communication between sexes, for man the easiest way to show their interest or liking is by gazing. Steady, attentive looks could be a sign of interest, perhaps an indication of lust, therefore, may carry erotic meaning, pertaining to physical desires, like touching or kissing. We can say that there was something passionate or carnal in Gabriel’s looks, that the girl perceived right away.

The effect of staring is felt on the face, in the first stage of interaction. The rosy color of the face implies its sensitive nature. The face is the background where the five senses are active and ready to analize the impression of the eyes. Although senses like seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting are specific for the face, sense of touch is not restricted with the face. But here, interestingly, the girl interprets his stare with the sense of touch, besides sense of sight! We can say “the desire for touching” which can be estimated to be pressing or strong is transmitted within the look and arouses the sense of touch in the girl. The desire for touching usually stem from compassion or from sensuality. In an affectionate look you don’t carry the desire to possess, hold or dominate, but a lustful look is highly irritating due to its dominating nature.

A metaphoric explanation could be: Like the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, the virgins will be hunted by the unseen arrows thrown from the eyes of the staring males at last. The pink faces are turned into a target board, a ground that the assertive looks are received. The pinkish, rosy color brings to mind freshness, liveliness, excitement, embarrassment, maybe fear. Also the pink face which is attributed to virgins carries purity, innocence and beauty in itself.

"He heard what seemed to be the flitting of a dead leaf upon the breeze and looked. She had gone away." (p.21)

The metaphoric expression such as “flitting of a dead leaf upon the breeze” may evoke thoughts about weakness, avoidance, submission or alteration and so on…Gabriel without seeing the girl going away, just by hearing her departure, had enough time to use his imagination. In this critical moment, the imagination spontaneously interferes and presents a relevant and meaningful picture of the incident. Metaphoric elements taken from the nature stand out in this mental description. Change is natural in nature. Something disappears but never fades away totally. It transforms into something else with a different appearance. Actually there is no place for despair and hopelessness. Nature must have an apparent influence on Gabriels psychic world and sustains and strengthens the integrity of his mental life.

“There was a bright air and manner about her now, by which she seemed to imply that the desirability of her existence could not be questioned; and this rather saucy assumption failed in being offensive because a beholder felt it to be, upon the whole, true.” (p.18)

The narcissistic trait the girl has, I mean “vanity”, stems from the conviction that she has a beautiful face and charming appearance. This notion is not unfounded or groundless. It is also reinforced by external stimuli. Her narcissistic self image is strengthened by attention and feedback she gets from outside. Perhaps the feedback she receives from others gives her the assurance and opportunity to display her beauty as an undeniable reality. The joyful manners indicate her courage to imply it to the eyes of many. To imply something can sometimes be offensive. Because by subjective perception we decide one is desirable or not. Otherwise you intervene that subjectivity and impose something against free judgement.

"Being a man not without a frequent consciousness that there was some charm in this life he led, he stood stil after looking at the sky as a useful instrument, and regarded it in an appreciative spirit, as a work of art superlatively beautiful." (p,13)

When we look at the sky, a new consciousness arises within ourselves. We feel relax to appreciate everything positively in life. With its charming, blue color and broad dimention, as a work of art, it releases us from the restrictions and borders of life, speaks to our souls silently and influentially, evokes feelings of hope, beauty and satisfaction in our hearts. Gabriel as a man of nature, makes use of this benevolent act the sky performs in his soul.

"Gabriel, perhaps a little piqued by the comely traveller’s indifference, glanced back to where he had witnessed her performance over the hedge and said “vanity” (p.7)

In order to eliminate the conflict between the girl and the gate-keeper, he gave two pence from his pocket. At the surface, we can think that he is a peace-loving, even tempered man. (Maybe he is, but!). Here, he wanted to gain something in return. He had the intention to learn something very valuable for him. Maybe this is the first time Gabriel is questioning the masculine impact he awakens on the opposite sex. He was trying to assess his impressiveness from the eyes of the charming girl. But he was demoralized by the girl’s apathic response: namely, disinterest. His peacemaking was not convincing! Probably the girl sensed the real intention behind the so called generous manner, by the caged canary! That’s why she was indifferent towards him.

"The adjustment of the farmer's hazy conceptions of her charms to the portrait of herself she now presented him with was less a diminution than a difference." (p.18)

Though he smartened her up in his mind, he is ready to realize the gap between her actual features and the embellished mental image he ascribed to her in his mind. This gives also some clues about his character as a prudent and moderate man. His imagination or fantasies are not at an extreme level. He wants to know her. He is eager to modify his opinions, thoughts according to her actual reality. In that adjustment, there is no dissappointment but a diminution. There is no downfall in his imagination, but a decrease at a measurable level.

"It was with some surprise that she saw Gabriels face rising like the moon behind the hedge” (p. 18)

I guess that the girl was affected from Gabriel at the first sight. But she is not aware of that yet. She perceives it as a state of surprise at the level of consciousness. Beceause it is not a natural barrier, the hedge, as a hand made enclosure may signify external or internal conditions that restrict the girl (perhaps as a defense mechanism) in several aspects, limiting her freedom. Gabriel face is seen like the moon. Probably he will unexpectedly illuminate her gloomy state and loosen the ties that restrict her. With the rising moon, a new state of mind, a new conviction, optimism, peace will emerge.

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"The handsome girl waited for some time idly in her place, and the only sound heard in the stillness was the hopping of the canary up and down the perches of its prison." (p.4)

As mentioned before, “the caged canary” here signifies the vulnerable sides and sensible perceptions in us that serve as a defense mechanism for our complex. Even if we are idle, quiet, inactive and away from worries, we feel their presence, deep within ourselves. They strengthen our psychic self-defense. They never subside and cease to be alert, unless “id” or other negative forces gain control of our psychic world. If the cat grabs and takes hold of the canary, those sensivite sides that alert us from danger will be of no use and will be totally muted.