Karel Character Analysis

A friend of Willem’s at seminary. Meeting Karel as a teenager, Corrie immediately falls in love with him. Several years later, during celebrations for Willem’s wedding, Corrie and Karel share a brief courtship, even discussing a shared future together before Willem gently tells Corrie that Karel will never marry her because his parents are insistent that he marry a wealthy woman. Several months later, Karel introduces another woman to Corrie as his fiancée. Although Corrie feels devastated, she asks God to help her forgive Karel; eventually, she feels that she selflessly loves him and is able to pray for him and his wife sincerely. This episode helps convince Corrie that forgiveness is not only a moral imperative but a way to feel closer to Jesus.