Claire is shown to be a little insensitive and cold as that is the way she shows her care and concern for Catherine. But, she is not calculating. Claire views herself as the most responsible and mature in the family, thus, she always tries to take charge of the situation. She does not believe in other people's views, especially Catherine's. She treats Catherine like a little girl, instead of a young woman. This is why Catherine dislikes Claire and views her as pushy and irritating.
One reason that Claire acts this way is because she views Catherine as unstable and fragile, feeling that Catherine has "some of [Robert's] tendency...towards instability". However, Claire is not completely at fault. The way Catherine acts in Act 1, Scene 2 would, from Claire's point of view, show that she is abrasive and crazy. After all, Claire did not witness whatever happened in Scene 1, so, based on Catherine's contradictory and downright absurd answers to Claire's questions, she would think that Catherine needs professional help.
Throughout the novel, her view of Catherine does not change. In Act 2, Scene 2, even when Catherine insisted she wrote the proof, Claire still refused to believe her sister was capable of such things. In fact, she did not justify her disbelief and in Claire's opinion, Catherine's abrasiveness and possessiveness of the proof would show her instability. Claire also shows her distrust of Catherine by cutting Catherine off or plain ignoring her whenever she tried to answer Claire's questions about the proof. For example, she asks Hal to "tell [her] exactly where [he] found [the proof], to which when Catherine answers, she tells her to "hold on" and continues to press Hal for answers. It shows that Claire would rather trust a stranger rather than her sister.
Right in Act 1, Scene 2, we see Claire already taking charge and pushing her opinions on Catherine. When Claire asks "how do you take [your coffee]", despite Catherine replying, "black", Claire ignores her and tells her to "have a little milk". Soon after, she pressure Catherine, questioning her about her decision not to wear the dress she bought, not using the conditioner. Throughout the novel, she pressures Catherine to come to New York as Claire feels she needs to be taken care of.
Claire is also shown to be very efficient and pragmatic. Right in the morning, she had already planned out Robert's funeral (Act 1, Scene 2). "I thought we'd have some people over tonight." She ordered "some food. Wine, beer." and insisted that "it would be alright" when Catherine objected. Also, in Act 1, Scene 4, Claire, who was only in Chicago for a few days, was shown to have had already sold the house and was "hoping to do the paperwork this week". Also, her idea of looking after Robert was to place him in "full-time professional care", a direct contrast to Catherine, who wanted to keep Robert at home, taking care of him. In Act 2, Scene 3, she passes the proof to Hal to check its authorship, stating that "it's far by the most convienient option". She does not seem to care or to take the trouble to find the best way to deal with the proof. She simply finds the most convienient way to do things.
Also, Claire is portrayed to be a little cold, based on the way she takes action. She sold the house without consulting Catherine or thinking about Catherine's emotional attachment to the house and Robert. She does not care much about the proof either: "Take it. I don't care" (Act 2, Scene 3).
What do you think?
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