Don's Dilemma: Sleeping With Sally's Teacher?

Don Draper, the protagonist of Mad Men, has a reputation for infidelity, with 19 mistresses across the show's seven seasons, not counting his three wives. One of these mistresses is Sally Draper's teacher, Suzanne Farrell. Despite knowing Don's daughter, and being aware that Don's wife, Betty, is heavily pregnant and grieving the loss of her father, Suzanne embarks on an affair with Don. This affair ends when Don's wife discovers his secret identity as Dick Whitman, and he is forced to break things off with Suzanne.

Don's relationship with Sally's teacher, Suzanne Farrell, is one of many affairs

Don Draper's relationship with Sally's teacher, Suzanne Farrell, is one of many affairs. In fact, Don had 19 mistresses throughout Mad Men's seven seasons, not counting his three wives.

Don meets Suzanne in season 3, episode 9, when he offers her a lift home after he sees her out for an early morning jog. He is charmed by her, and she is drawn to him for his innocence and free spirit. She is young, smart, strong, and morally upright, and despite those things, she falls for him.

Don and Suzanne's relationship begins when he tells her, "I want you, and I don't care. Doesn't that mean anything to someone like you?" This line is Don appealing to her sense of rebelliousness and calling attention to himself and his moral bankruptcy. Despite her hesitation, Suzanne begins an affair with Don, after admitting that she cannot stop thinking about him.

Suzanne represents someone who is a good person dragged into Don's world of lies and deceit. She is constantly nervous about being caught in public with Don, and not enjoying their time together. Things end abruptly when Don's wife, Betty, discovers his hidden records and learns that he is not who he says he is. When Don calls Suzanne to call it off, she asks him if he is okay, to which he responds, "Only you would ask about me right now."

Suzanne is aware that Don is married with children

Suzanne Farrell, Sally Draper's teacher, is aware that Don Draper is married with children. Despite this, she embarks on an affair with him.

Suzanne is a bright, thoughtful, and compassionate young woman who presents herself as morally upright. She is also a free spirit, living in the moment. Don is drawn to her innocence and her wholesome and nurturing schoolteacher personality—a personality he has not encountered before, even in his childhood.

Don and Suzanne's relationship begins when Don offers her a lift home after he sees her jogging early one morning. She is charmed by him, and he is intrigued by her. Despite knowing that Don is married with children, Suzanne cannot stop thinking about him and eventually gives in to temptation. She allows herself to be drawn into Don's world of lies and deceit, constantly nervous about being caught in public with him.

Suzanne's relationship with Don causes a rupture in his relationship with his daughter Sally, who had previously been a "daddy's girl." Sally's trust in her father is broken, and she begins to question everything he says. Don's lies and secrecy around the affair model dishonesty for Sally, and she starts to become a rebellious teen, seeking attention and affection wherever she can.

Suzanne's affair with Don is particularly cruel given her close relationship with Sally and her knowledge of the Draper family situation. She knows that Don's wife, Betty, is heavily pregnant and has recently lost her father. Despite this, she pursues a relationship with Don, making her a cruel hypocrite.

Don and Suzanne's relationship causes a very big rupture between Don and Sally

Don Draper's relationship with Sally's teacher, Suzanne Farrell, causes a significant rupture in his relationship with his daughter Sally. Sally, already struggling with her parents' divorce and her mother's new husband, is further traumatized by her father's infidelity. She begins to reject her father, questioning everything he says and does. Don's lies and deception shatter Sally's trust in him, leading to a breakdown in their relationship.

As a result of Don and Suzanne's affair, Sally becomes more rebellious and seeks attention and affection elsewhere. She feels betrayed by her father and struggles to forgive him for his transgressions. Don's actions also impact Sally's relationship with her mother, Betty. Sally, already favoring her father, finds it difficult to connect with Betty, who comes across as cold and controlling.

The consequences of Don and Suzanne's relationship are far-reaching, affecting Sally's relationships with both her parents and causing a lasting rift between father and daughter. Sally's world is turned upside down, and she is left to navigate her teenage years without the stable parental figures she once had.

Don's infidelity mirrors that of his stepmother's, which he witnessed as a child

Don Draper's infidelity mirrors that of his stepmother's, which he witnessed as a child. Draper had 19 mistresses throughout the seven seasons of "Mad Men", not counting his three wives. Despite having two children with his first wife, Betty Hofstadt, Don cheated on her numerous times. Draper's first wife eventually learned of his infidelity and divorced him. He then married his secretary, Megan Calvet, between seasons 4 and 5, but he couldn't stay faithful to her either.

Draper's infidelity mirrors that of his stepmother's, whom he witnessed having an affair as a child. This early exposure to infidelity may have normalized it for Draper, leading to his own serial cheating as an adult. Interestingly, one of Draper's mistresses was his daughter Sally's teacher, Suzanne Farrell. This affair had a significant negative impact on Sally, causing a rupture in their relationship and leading her to question her father's honesty and reliability.

Draper's stepmother's infidelity likely had a similar impact on him, causing him to question her honesty and reliability as a parental figure. This early trauma may have contributed to Draper's own serial cheating as an adult, as he struggled to form secure and trusting relationships. Ultimately, Draper's infidelity mirrors that of his stepmother's, and the cycle of dysfunction continued into the next generation, with Sally struggling to trust her father due to his affairs.

Don's relationship with Suzanne is one of his cruelest acts of betrayal

Don Draper's relationship with Sally's teacher, Suzanne Farrell, is one of his cruelest acts of betrayal. Don's string of affairs is well-known within Sterling Cooper, and his relationship with Suzanne is particularly hurtful to his wife, Betty Hofstadt, and his daughter, Sally Draper.

Suzanne is Sally's teacher and is well-acquainted with Don's family situation. She knows that Betty is heavily pregnant and has recently lost her father. Despite this, she enters into a relationship with Don, betraying the trust of her student and her student's mother. Suzanne's relationship with Don is also likely to have a negative impact on Sally's ability to trust others in the future.

Don and Suzanne's relationship is also a clash of worlds and personalities. Suzanne is free-spirited, innocent, and wholesome, in contrast to Don's morally bankrupt and elitist character. Don is drawn to Suzanne's innocence and her "someone like you" comment implies his inability to fully understand her.

The relationship between Don and Suzanne is particularly cruel as it takes advantage of Suzanne's vulnerability and isolation. She is in her late 20s, unmarried, and caring for her epileptic brother. Don recognises and exploits this vulnerability, and Suzanne gives in despite knowing the risk and potential harm to the Draper family.

Ultimately, Don's relationship with Suzanne Farrell is one of his cruelest acts of betrayal due to the hurt it causes to his wife and daughter, the clash of personalities, and the exploitation of Suzanne's vulnerability.

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