When Ruth came into the picture Mrs. Hall felt threatened and had to lay down her authority as thick as she possibly could to make sure Ruth knew her rightful place. One scene in particular came up
where Ruth and Mrs. Hall had their first encounter with each other. Mrs. Hall was belittling Ruth's upbringing and then brought up how it wouldn't be wise to allow Ruth to be control of any form of finances.
"In those cases, it will be best for you to pass it over to me to keep of course you can always have it
again, by telling me how you wish to spend it. I would advise you, too, to lay by all your handsome
clothes. As to the silk stockings you were married in, of course you will never be so extravagant as to
wear them again. I never had a pair of silk stockings in my life; they have a very silly, frivolous look."
(Fern 13)
Mrs. Hall leaves no room for discussion and also makes Ruth feel as if she was incompetent being a woman. After Mrs. Hall continues degrading Ruth it seems that Mrs. Hall wants to make an effort to try and accept her daughter in law if she were to let go of one of her physical attributes such as her hair. This action would be evidence for Mrs. Hall that she does have control over Ruth and can be more welcoming instead of shrewd. "Do you know I should like your looks better, if you didn't curl your hair?" (Fern 13)
Ruth later answers in turn that her hair curled naturally which was representation that she could never conform to Mrs. Hall's ways. There was no way to change Ruth, it wasn't part of her to be a conformist and she would naturally fight to protect what she was as an individual.