What's the exact meaning of this sentence?

Question

I've got a bit of doubt about the meaning of the following sentence(s):

"You're ill and ought not to have traveled alone" he said.
"As if that had anything to do with it" she answered...

Does she mean that traveling alone has had nothing to do with her sickness?

As I read the whole story I want to mention that it's a conversation between a mother and her son. Bellow I add more of the context.

'When did you get ill?' he asked.
'It began yesterday,' she answered.
'You ought not to have traveled alone' he said.
'As if that had anything to do with it' she answered quickly. 'Now go and have your dinner. They're waiting for you.'

Answer 1

I don't think so. It seems that she was ALREADY sick before she travelled. I believe she is referring to his concerns for her, that he wanted her accompanied and that this desire did not come from her being sick. But without more of the paragraph to give a context, it is impossible to be 100% sure, and even then, unless his motives are revealed somewhere in the work of literature, we may never know - sometimes authors will leave it up to us to guess or decide.

Answer 2

I agree with the other poster--it is difficult to interpret the meaning without any kind of context.

But my guess is this--NOT that traveling alone had any thing to do with her becoming sick--BUT that being sick is certainly not the reason that she should not have traveled alone. IE: It is generally unsafe for women to travel alone, whether they are sick or healthy is somewhat beside the point.

Answer 3

in the given context, i think that she means that the real reason why he is saying that she sohouldn't have been travelling alone is not the illness.

Answer 4

I'm not quite clear as to what the "it" is, but i think your right if she is talking about her sickness. She said that traveling alone didn't make her sick.

Answer 5

It would help if you had added a bit of the context surrounding those 2 sentences.

Answer 6

he is concern that she is not capable of traveling alone, specifically he is doubting her state of mind. she respond by saying she is fine and is implying that he knows the real reason why she travelled alone.

Answer 7

The "as if" should, traditionally, be preceded by an ellipsis, the three dots? ...
That means that reference to HIS statement is understood - like this -
"(You mention traveling alone) as if that had anything to do with it."
As if - as though - same thing.

Answer 8

She could have meant the traveling or she could have meant being alone. You'd need to hear more to find out.
-MM

Answer 9

she used
as if
this is used to say that both of them has got another reason for not travelling alone
matter of sickness is denied