Old-Fashioned Girl

What is it that makes ideas and traditions change? What makes us, as human beings, change our ideas and standards? What makes us forget "Old Fashioned things" and create new "modern things"? Is it a desire for change? Is it pride? Is it right?

In a part of "An old-Fashioned Girl" the girls are gathered around eating lunch and talking about "the perfect woman" they want her to be strong yet gentle and kind. This is what I saw Polly doing throughout the book.

The first time I saw her strength was when she went to visit Fanny and she chose to stay with her 'old fashioned ways' even though the girls around her were trying to grow up. It takes lots of courage to have high standards but it takes even more courage to stick with them.

The next time was when she decided to teach music. She started out on her own and went at it with a will and a way. Even though it got pretty hard she didn't give up, she didn't stop, she kept at it.

The next time I saw her strength was after she went to the party and she had to see through the fun and know that she should not do it again. I think this took strength because it is hard to see the fault in things that make you so happy, but you have to realize that it can't make you happy forever.

Then there were her lovers and she had to have strength in staying away, giving up Sydney, holding out on Tom and all the time staying at her work

Over all she had to endure to the end, through everything. Being old-fashioned isn't easy, and even though being poor was hard I think that was the only way for Polly to be old-fashioned.

Was she more beautiful because of it? Was she blessed for it?

Sometimes I feel like I'm being forced into being old-fashioned like Fanny was, how did she still have a good attitude about it, even when she didn't necessarily want to become old-fashioned? I think that she started focusing on other rather then herself. And that is what it means to be truly beautiful.

"Yes, give me a young woman who loves home and family, who reads and ponders the scriptures daily, who has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon. Give me a young woman who faithfully attends her church meetings, who is a seminary graduate, who has earned her Young Womanhood Recognition Award and wears it with pride! Give me a young woman who is virtuous and who has maintained her personal purity, who will not settle for less than a temple marriage, and I will give you a young woman who will perform miracles for the Lord now and throughout eternity." -Ezra Taft Benson