Caroline Maddison: Difference between revisions
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==Character== | ==Character== | ||
Caroline is affectionate, self-assured and outwardly protective, but she is also self-centred and emotionally manipulative. She loves her children in her own way, yet she repeatedly assumes that her wishes should take priority over theirs. Rather than asking Luke whether he wants to spend the summer supervising his sisters, she presents the arrangement as something already decided and insists that he will enjoy it. | |||
She is particularly skilled at making unreasonable plans sound attractive. Caroline disguises the inconvenience of sending the children to Dartmoor by describing the house, the countryside and the activities they might enjoy. She also minimises their objections, treating them as childish complaints rather than legitimate concerns. Her habitual use of affectionate language makes her control seem gentle, but it does not make it any less controlling. | |||
Caroline is also somewhat superficial and self-absorbed. While discussing the children’s arrangements, she is easily distracted by Christmas decorations, attractive cars, perfume and the prospect of cocktails in St Lucia. She appears more concerned with enjoying her holiday than with understanding how her children feel about being separated from their parents and sent to an unfamiliar house. | |||
Despite this, Caroline is not deliberately cruel. She believes that the children will be safe and cared for, and she seems genuinely convinced that her plans are sensible. Her weakness is that she confuses providing for her children with understanding them. She is loving in a possessive and patronising way, and her confidence allows her to overlook risks that a more attentive parent might have noticed. | |||
A character who appears to live in a “parallel world” where she avoids problems. She is manipulative, using charm and flattery to convince Luke to take on the summer chaperone role. She is also detached from the realities of her children's lives. | A character who appears to live in a “parallel world” where she avoids problems. She is manipulative, using charm and flattery to convince Luke to take on the summer chaperone role. She is also detached from the realities of her children's lives. | ||
Revision as of 02:50, 13 August 2026
| Caroline Maddison | |
|---|---|
| Race | Earth |
| Other names | Née Drake |
| Born | 1984 |
| Age in “Snow” | 41 |
| Occupation/rank | Unknown |
| Family | Richard (husband) Luke (son) Susan (daughter) Meg (daughter) Emily (daughter) |
Caroline is the mother of the four Maddison siblings. It is her and her husband's decision to send their children to Portian House for the summer that results in the children entering Altierra.
Appearance
The novel gives no detailed physical description of Caroline, so her exact appearance is left open. She can be imagined as a well-presented, affluent middle-aged woman who takes care with her appearance. Her perfume, low-cut clothing and expensive SUV suggest someone conscious of presentation and accustomed to a comfortable lifestyle. She should appear polished, socially confident and slightly removed from the practical difficulties faced by her children.
Uses lots of perfume (Black Orchid). Wears inappropriate low-cut tops.
Character
Caroline is affectionate, self-assured and outwardly protective, but she is also self-centred and emotionally manipulative. She loves her children in her own way, yet she repeatedly assumes that her wishes should take priority over theirs. Rather than asking Luke whether he wants to spend the summer supervising his sisters, she presents the arrangement as something already decided and insists that he will enjoy it.
She is particularly skilled at making unreasonable plans sound attractive. Caroline disguises the inconvenience of sending the children to Dartmoor by describing the house, the countryside and the activities they might enjoy. She also minimises their objections, treating them as childish complaints rather than legitimate concerns. Her habitual use of affectionate language makes her control seem gentle, but it does not make it any less controlling.
Caroline is also somewhat superficial and self-absorbed. While discussing the children’s arrangements, she is easily distracted by Christmas decorations, attractive cars, perfume and the prospect of cocktails in St Lucia. She appears more concerned with enjoying her holiday than with understanding how her children feel about being separated from their parents and sent to an unfamiliar house.
Despite this, Caroline is not deliberately cruel. She believes that the children will be safe and cared for, and she seems genuinely convinced that her plans are sensible. Her weakness is that she confuses providing for her children with understanding them. She is loving in a possessive and patronising way, and her confidence allows her to overlook risks that a more attentive parent might have noticed.
A character who appears to live in a “parallel world” where she avoids problems. She is manipulative, using charm and flattery to convince Luke to take on the summer chaperone role. She is also detached from the realities of her children's lives.
Speech
- “Daddy”,
- "Darling”
- Calls Luke "Lukey"
Timeline
| Year | Age | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | - | Born |
| 000 0 | 00 | xxxx |
| 2025 | 41 | Her children entered Altierra |