In a family there are sometimes the feelings of fighting for a parents love with other siblings. There may be sibling rivalry just because they want all attention on themselves and none for the other sibling. This seems true in both "King Lear" by William Shakespeare and in A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. King Lear's daughters Regan, Goneril, and Cordelia seemed to want all of their father's love but that wasn't necessarily the case. The same seemed to be true of Larry's three daughters, Ginny, Rose and Caroline, in A Thousand Acres. .
~Cordelia not telling her father how much she loved him. P.42 quote .
~"Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter, dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty, beyond what can be valued, rich or rare, no less than life, with grace health, beauty, honour, as much as child e"er loved or father found; a love that makes breath poor and speech unable; beyond all manner of so much I love you" p.3 Said by Goneril to Lear about how much she loves him. She really doesn't love him that much but just wants the kingdom from him. She will fight with her sisters for the kingdom not for his love.
~Caroline said, " daddy needs some things. Daddy? Mostly some socks and things. He made a list. Daddy? Have you got your list? . It's in my wallet. I got plenty. Its okay." P.271 Caroline is eager to pay for his stuff and represent him to prove she is unlike her selfish sisters. .
~The girl's mom promoted Larry's authority. P. 224.
~Larry saying to his daughters, "it's you girls that make me crazy! I gave you everything, and I get nothing n return, just some orders about doing this and being that and seeing points of few." P.182-maybe use this to show how they aren't fighting he is just stubborn and a little crazy. .