Discuss the combination in Tess' character of passiveness and assertiveness

It is impossible to label Tess as an entirely passive or assertive character as she frequently fluctuates from one to the other. She is constantly battling against her oppression as a female and trying to understand new experiences which are the major causes of her inconsistency. She has a sense of duty regarding family and often acclaims the role responsible head of the household when the father is anything but and the mother is bawdy, …

…assertive when she realises that she has no other choice, whether it is for her own well being or due to a lack of action from others. She has had no stable role models to guide her or inform her as to how to act in the world thus making every decision she makes a lesson in life. It is these unfortunate circumstances that lead to her to her erratic methods of coping with situations.