In her restrictive and ignorant home environment, Mary was unhappy. She was 'simple' and 'didn't have much to say' - introverted, thoughtful. She leaves, because she suspected that there was something to life that she couldn't learn about in her home town.
So, she leaves on a journey of discovery. She's afraid that she might learn something that will shatter her preconceived notions about the world, but she persists, because this is something she has to do.
However, once she gets accustomed to things she starts to enjoy her journey, and she learns things that perhaps she wasn't supposed to - things which do, in fact, go completely against the teachings of her community. The mountain. And the realization that everything she'd ever been taught was a lie was painful for her, but eventually she the freedom of this knowledge, and it helps her to grow as a person.
This enlightenment gives her an insight into others - just by looking into their eyes, she can see what they're thinking. Perhaps not specifically, but more than before - probably in this place, which isn't her home, people actually do have more independent thought. At home, everyone has dead, emotionless eyes - no thought, no dissent, nothing of interest.
But there's still the gnawing desire to return home and share her enlightenment... her journey has changed her. She doesn't have that same empty gaze, and the look of wisdom frightens people. What she has to say, once again speaking against the teachings of the community, isn't welcomed by anyone, so they shun her and move away nervously. Her family, however, wants her to come back to the town, so they urge her to cast off what she has learned of the outside world and embrace their ways again.
Of course, this isn't possible for Mary; now that she's seen what life really is, how can she return to her ignorant ways? And so she cries with the realization that she can never belong here again - they won't welcome her back as long as she acknowledges an opposing world view, and she obviously can't just cast aside what she's discovered. She no longer has a place she truly belongs.
I don't see the prostitution angle at all.
user_lainon September 15, 2005 Link
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