Note: All of the views and opinions below are taken from the perspective of the society in the novel; they may not reflect the author's own ideas.
When Gertrude was first introduced to the reader, she is did not respect herself which she showed when wailing at Kumalo's feet and she could not take of her child. She had depended on Kumalo to help her and lead into making the right choices, but before he came, she had the resources to and opted not to act with a moral compass or with any consideration of her family or her own respectability. One example of this was that she did not send Kumalo any letters.
As the novel progresses, Gertrude finds herself in Mrs. Lithebe's house and on her way to Kumalo's home where she has resources to be healthy, well-taken care of, and she has the resources and new knowledge on how to become a respectable woman. in this part of her life, she still flirts, otherwise known as "laughing carelessly" but she considers and might have even chosen by the end of book II, to become a nun, a highly mature and respectable woman. This consideration is very mature and shows her growth because she now is considering and/or chosen on her own to become the most respectable woman that she can become. Her choice to leave her son with Kumalo's new daughter, is wise and respectable because she thought about it using logical reasons that considered the child and the other people involved.
I totally agree! I believe that Mrs. Lithebe has been one of the greatest people to come into Gertrude's life. She helped her become a responsible woman, as sophie said, and without her help the outcome of her life could have been much different. She was on a bad path, but Mrs. Lithebe helped her get back on track to become the respectable woman she is now.
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