In Defense of Penny

[FilthyGorilla]

Much of the discussion around Penny seems to revolve around ignorance vs. intent with her 2 event with George. Yes, Penny's actions are ableist but it doesn't seem that she does it because she looks down at George. Instead she does it with the intent of trying to help, but she's ignorant of the fact that some people would much prefer to do things themselves even if their life situation makes those things considerably more difficult. Seeing as this is a game, which is specifically scripted and not a real-time IRL interaction, I wish that Penny and George had a more in-depth discussion of ableism and how to first talk with someone who may be having difficulty instead of just diving into action. There is an opportunity for understanding which should be explored, especially since George clearly has the capacity to adjust his opinions on Alex and a male farmer getting married. He should be able to explain the nuances of his life situation to Penny so both of them can grow into more completely realized people.

Absolutely, I do think the point brought up in the original post was pretty true and the judgement cast on Penny because of that is largely unwarranted, though I similarly think that the hate she gets for it isn't necessarily real or true to the mentioned extent either.

I think both perspectives from the characters that we see through the game are pretty valuable insights into the ways the character changes, while we aren't really privy to the more nuanced interactions that cutscenes show us in our everyday lives with the villagers, you can absolutely assume permanent lessons were learned and each party has some better understanding of the other. Saying Penny doesn't have character growth is perhaps hiding the genuine few changes in her actions that we do get a glimpse of, even if quite brief.

Ah, that 2 heart event. It is Penny's, isn't it? It's something where they both come away with a lesson learned: Penny, that you don't just take over for people, and George, that there is a difference between an act of Naivete and Malice. My PC's have tended toward correcting Penny without being a jerk.

This 100%, you do get an understanding in the shifts of treatment of each to the other and as general wisdom. It's a shame it's a bit unreasonable because I would love to see cutscenes with the villagers in similar everyday situations where we can see their reflections on their actions and their changes in behaviour with higher hearts.

 

[PoppyForPenny]

Penny hates rabbit feet, yes, but she loves poppies, which are hated by everyone else. I don't know why, but that is sweet and endearing to me.

 

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Penny hates rabbit feet, yes, but she loves poppies, which are hated by everyone else. I don't know why, but that is sweet and endearing to me.

Perhaps Penny's absent father was a casualty of the war that Kent returns from in Year 2?

 

[FilthyGorilla]

Perhaps Penny's absent father was a casualty of the war that Kent returns from in Year 2?

It's a good possibility, we really don't know the extent of the war in scale nor time. Kent is the only one we hear much about from the war and he's a fair bit older when there are a lot of youth in the town which may indicate drafting was years ago or just hasn't been prevalent in the more secluded areas of the ferngill republic for a while.

 

[Ereo]

When I was a little girl, my
father abandoned us because he said he felt 'trapped'. We haven't seen him since. I'm sorry to make things uncomfortable for you... It's just that this time of year makes me think of it for some reason. Anyway... How's the farming life going?

that doesn’t sound like he was going to war (although this might just be what Pam told her, maybe Penny was too little to remember herself).

And as for Pam’s job as a bus driver, Penny tells you it’s been years since the bus broke. The bus from the city must be an other line.