Fiona was born in a noble family and received a good education. The nobility and elegance in her bones made Mary Carson afraid and ashamed. She fell in love with a politician when she was young. She fell in love with her and gave birth to her son Frank before marriage, but she was not allowed by her family. Fiona's father married Paddy, a wool shearer, and asked Paddy to take her away. Once I tasted the vast sea, I felt that the water in other places was pale; Once you have experienced the clouds in Wushan, you feel that the clouds elsewhere are eclipsed. In this loveless marriage, she and Paddy gave birth to eight sons and 1 daughter Meggie, but Fiona has always maintained an indifferent attitude towards Paddy and these nine children. Fiona is indifferent to the birth of twins or the menarche of her daughter Meggie. All her love was given to Frank, and her love with her first love crystallized. There was an irreconcilable conflict between Paddy and Frank, and Frank ran away from home. After Mary Carson died, Fiona became the hostess of Drogheda. When she decorated her home carefully, when the light of hope finally appeared on her face, bad news followed. Frank was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and her husband Paddy and her son died almost at the same time. During the long marriage, Fiona insisted on her first love, but turned a blind eye to her husband. Fiona realized her love for Paddy: "I love him, but I never have a chance to tell him again. I'm so unfortunate ... "Fiona is unfortunate. Her love with her first love didn't have a happy ending, but she was lucky. Her husband Paddy loves her deeply. He defended her with inferiority and respect, and gave her a stable family and life. Fiona bravely pursued love and gave birth to an illegitimate child before marriage, but she was helpless in the face of the teasing of fate, and her heart was quiet without any waves.
Meggie is the daughter of Fiona and Paddy. Meggie and Ralph are attracted to each other, but they are doomed to no result. Father Ralph vowed to serve God all his life and not to have a secular marriage. Faced with Marika's will, Ralph chose wealth and power almost without hesitation. Meggie is almost desperate to marry Luke who looks like Ralph. Unfortunately, Luke only loves Meggie's money. After marriage, Meggie's money was dominated by Luke, but Luke didn't give Meggie a stable family, rented a house or gave Meggie pocket money. Even, she arranged for Meggie to be a housekeeper at Muller's house, and all her salary was credited to Luke's account. Luke himself, a real miser, worked hard to cut sugar cane just for more and more numbers in his account. Luke didn't come to Meggie when their daughter Justine was born. Meggie was finally disappointed in Luke after his death. When Meggie was recuperating alone at the seaside, Ralph came to Meggie's side, and they finally broke through the religious cage. Meggie returned to Drogheda with Zhu Siting and her unborn son Dane with Ralph. Meggie devoted almost all her maternal love to Dane. When Dane grew up, he decided to become a priest and dedicate himself to God. At this time, Ralph has become the archbishop in red. Meggie gave Dane to Ralph. Dane saved people from drowning at the seaside, and Meggie told Ralph about Dane's life. After Dane's funeral, Ralph died in Meggie's arms. Meggie is unfortunate. Legally, she can't marry Ralph, and she doesn't love her husband as much as Fiona, but she is also lucky. Ralph has always loved her, and they have never been separated emotionally. Meggie pursued love and had deep feelings for Ralph. She broke through the shackles of religion and gave birth to Dane, but she could not reach an agreement.
Justine is Meggie and Luke's daughter. Justine is not as beautiful as Meggie or as elegant as Fiona, but she is a special child. Like Meggie, Justine is not the crystallization of love. Facing Meggie's preference for Dane, Zhu Siting showed special independence and aloof from an early age. There seems to be no word "marriage" in her dictionary. When Meggie asked her if she wanted to get married, she said, "No way! Cry and wipe your tears, and spend your life like a beggar? Bow to a self-righteous person who is only half as good as me? " She didn't spend her whole life pursuing and mourning a love like Meggie and Fiona. She focused on her career, but Dane was the most important part of Justine's life. Justine didn't go to Athens with Dane because of the temporary change of itinerary. Dane drowned in Athens, and Justine fell into deep pain and remorse. For seven years, she refused to have sex with Reina and even refused to return to Drogheda. With the cooperation of Meggie and Reina, Zhu Siting finally untied the knot, married Reina in an independent manner and got perfect love. Zhu Siting is different, perhaps because of this, she can break her fate, face the loss and pain brought by life calmly and start her life again. She chose Reina, accepted love and dominated her own destiny.
Rather than saying that the theme of The Thorn Birds is love and fate, it is a story of three generations of women facing love and the rise of female consciousness with different attitudes. Fiona succumbed to marriage and hid her deep love for her first love with a cold face; Meggie broke through the bondage of marriage and religion, bravely pursued love and finally lost true love; Zhu Siting did not pursue love and marriage, and finally got love with an independent and equal attitude. The thorn bird finally spread its wings and broke its fate.