We do what we have to, to protect ourselves

Ok so I know we already discussed the end of Moll Flanders and discussed this topic very thoroughly. However I just wanted to say that I was thinking about Moll Flanders last night and thinking about the situations in which we are willing to excuse things we would normally find wrong. So of course I came up with a connection with another book. I realize I do this like everyday but i enjoy it when books make me think of others. So in this case I though of The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The man is willing to murder, to kill without hesitation in order to protect his little boy. We do not question that. Of course protecting his son takes priority, but do we give Moll the same lenience? Now Moll isnt the type to be bullied but the way her society is set up, where a woman is only worth something if she gets married, what else is she supposed to do? I have no doubt that her decision to prostitute herself, then turn to stealing, is completely hers. She is the boss of her own story. However with the circumstances around her she does what she has to do to protect herself. Do we not all do that to a certain extent? I have made many decisions in my life that have been for me, in order to protect myself, and others can do not matter. Now Moll might take this to an extreme but I see her point.