I Don't Blame Bill for his Reaction

You know, in another thread here, a few people said something to the effect of "Bill was like the others, succumbing to the small-town mindset and thinking the worst of Ruth. Shame on him and good for Ruth for not staying with him."

But think about it for a moment:

- Bill thought Ruth sincerely loved him when, in reality, she was just trying to find a quick way out of town.

- As his bride-to-be, she didn't even try to explain the rumor about her spending the night with Romer and why it was inaccurate. She just hoped he'd never find out and they'd be far away before he ever got wind of it (if he ever got wind of it).

- Had it not been for the incident at the lake and the rumor that followed, do you think Ruth would've even sought out Bill and offered herself up as a bride?

Essentially, she was toying with Bill's emotions. She knew he was in love with her. She knew he was shy and awkward with women. She knew he'd be leaving town soon. So she pretended to be in love just to escape the town and start a new life somewhere else. Not that she didn't care for Bill, but she never would have gone after him if not for the vicious rumor and her fears that her life in town was destroyed.

So, upon discovering his fiancee hadn't been upfront with him, and how she went looking for a marriage proposal just after the rumor started, I don't blame Bill for being upset, distraught, and suspicious of her when finding out about Romer at the dance. To say he was a small town simpleton caught up in the rumor like all the rest grossly underestimates Bill's character and his own feelings.

And in the end, Ruth still got her ticket out of town, and tossed Bill aside when he was no longer needed. And keep in mind he tried to apologize to her, the only person in the film who ever did so. But she never really loved him and was looking for a marriage of convenience, so it was all kind of moot. To me, Bill's distrust and disgust was NOT comparable to the other townies. He was the one person who actually had good cause to feel the way he did, and the only person who did regret his behavior.

Just wanted to say that.