Aloma's feelings for Bell

Built up towards the middle/second half of the book is Aloma's growing infatuation with Bell Johnson, the church minister. Early on, she describes it hard to speak in front of him, "it was not just because she was afraid he would find out she was living wit Orren unmarried, but something more," (88). This growing desire for Bell Johnson, started during his first sermon, when the energy of the congregation he had aroused made her feel "an uneasy joy," (81). It is easy to argue that her feelings towards Bell were true, he was an upstanding minister who always made a point to include Aloma in  church activities. However, ultimately her feelings of infatuation towards Bell most likely stemmed out of the emotional neglect from Orren. At home for hours on end, Aloma rarely enjoyed the luxury of human interaction/conversation. Orren worked all day and was non confrontational about any of the growing problems in their relationship. Aloma even stated "Orren it wouldn't hurt you to pay me a little attention." Therefore, Aloma was set up in a position to naturally be satisfied by some positive attention from another. However, Bell's character traits coupled with this already present emotional longing is what lead to Aloma's, for lack of better word, crush on Bell. Bell was a 36 year old single minister, who very much so felt things deeply. He had the ability to draw an arousal out of others, ever present in his sermons which often left the congregation feeling moved. It is also important to point out that he was a virgin, looking for a wife. This built up a deep, sheer desire for a physical and emotional connection with someone, that he had never had in the past. While Aloma on the other hand, numbed by her constant, emotionless sex with Orren, may have not be consciously seeking out conversation from the minister, but was surprised at his ability to make her feel any emotion, beyond annoyance and neglect. Therefore, these two specific circumstances are what ultimately led to Aloma's feelings for Bell, supporting that they weren't necessarily true, raw feelings for him as a person. When everything about Aloma's lack of attention at home and Bell's raw desire for a companion are stripped away, there's a 16 year age gap, and two people who really don't know anything about each other. Often Aloma mentioned that Bell thought she was nicer or more endearing than she actually was, again signifying he really did not know much about her. In conclusion, the relationship between Bell and Aloma was a foil to her's with Orren, purposefully juxtaposing her lack of attention at home versus Bell's infatuation with Aloma. However in the end, the reason she is able to marry Orren without much thought is due to her feelings not being true. She genuinely thought Bell as a good man and is not happy with how she hurt him, present in her unease during the wedding ceremony, but I wouldn't go as far to say she truly had deep feelings for the minister.