The Golden Notebook Lesson Plan

Why does Richard react as she does to Anna? Why does Anna react as she does to Marion?

Richard feels that it's Anna and Molly's life choices that led Tommy to attempt suicide, and he's feeling anger at the fact that Marion now likes spending time with Tommy, even though he no longer wants to be married to Marion and it seems that spending time with Tommy may in fact be good for her. Anna may have been effected by her interaction with Richard when she responds to Marion, but she feels that Marion's newfound politics are shallow and unsophisticated and might ultimately be harmful.

What makes the pigeon story so resonant for Anna? What relationship might it have to the other...