What Maisie Knew Abandonment Quotes

Here, Sir Claude sends Maisie off. But notice that, taken out of context, this question also exemplifies the way all of Maisie's would-be parents treat her. Abandoning her, again, to her fate, birth parents and stepparents alike send her on her way, trusting that she'll be able to fend for herself. Luckily, this trust isn't totally misplaced—Maisie is the smartest of smart girls, as we've said. But one moral of this story is that even smart girls need adult protection, which is where the widow Mrs. Wix comes in.

Abandonment is just another word for nothing left to lose. Detaching yourself from toxic relationships can be freeing. This exchange foreshadows the fact that Maisie will be cutting herself loose from Sir Claude relatively soon.