She didn’t paint him to be the bad guy but when you do think about how she described is exactly what he did. He made her dress like a man because he believe she wouldn’t be able to sell clothes if she was a woman and than you gonna fall in love with her and just expect her to love you the same way. And yeah he had a good business going but she done brought him to new heights and bringing him more money. In a sense she could of become successful with anybody, remember when she first met him he try to play her with her designs
Oh I didn’t see it like that. From what I read, the reason she had to dress like a man was because only men could be in the position she wanted to be in (in that society). I think what I wanted to point out was the fact that she kept saying it was “him manipulating her” rather than “both of them working to get in a better position”. Of course, he really isn’t in a position to try to get a relationship with her. While I was reading, it really seemed that the author was trying to portray that her dressing as a man was a strategic way for her to be a legitimate clothing maker rather than “Lester’s scheme to get rich”.
But it sounds so extreme when she phrases it like that?? “Taking advantage of a girl and making her dress like a man”. I thought this whole situation came to to fruition as a way to give the mc a chance in this society. She makes it seem as if this wasn’t a team effort, but rather one man forcing the mc to do something she didn’t want for her own future success. Of course she doesn’t need to justify not falling in love with Lester but like she doesn’t need to paint him as some bad guy.