“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.