The Lesson_____________________________

But Laurey is disturbed by what has taken place.
Her earlier premonition. that something bad
might interfere with their lives, has come true.

"I don't see why this had to happen.
Just when everything was so fine,"
she says to Aunt Eller.

"Don't let your mind run on it,"
Aunt Eller tells her.

"I cant forget it. I tell ya, I never will,"
says Laurey.

"Don't try, honey," advises Aunt Eller.
"You got to get used to havin
all kinds of things happenin to ya.
You've got to look at all the good on one side
and all the bad on the other side and say
'Well, alright then to both of them.'

"Lots of things happen to a woman --
sickness or being poor and hungry, even
being left alone in your old age;
being afeared to die. And you can stand it.
There's one way -- you gotta be hearty.
You gotta be."

This is what both Laurey and Jud could not do --
they couldn't be "hearty" and accept the bad with the good.
As a result, they were both stuck in resentment and fear.
Laurey was stuck because the man she loved
wasn't all good and a perfect fulfillment of her dreams.
But, more importantly, she was afraid of being vulnerable
and of being hurt by change,
especially by the change that leads to adult sexuality and love.
She was afraid to leave the pleasures of childhood behind
because of the bad that might come with the good of adulthood.
And Jud was stuck because he felt the world had rejected him,
which led him to reject the world.

With this lesson from Aunt Eller,
Laurey's growing up is complete.
She has seen where the fear of life can lead,
and is now ready for adulthood.

___________________________________________

Curly, who is handsome and brave, is in love with	Laurey, who played hard to get but ultimately fell into his arms.	Jud, the hired hand who tried to challenge Curly for Laurey, dies in a fight with him.