Thursday, September 2, 2010

Week 3 Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

     I really enjoyed reading "A New England Nun" written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.  The whole story brought a feeling of peace and quiet from beginning to end.  I think Louisa is a nun-like figure because in the end that is what she chooses to live like.  After 14 years of living alone the man she was supposed to marry 14 years ago is back to marry her.  I think during her 14 years of living alone she has become quite accustomed to her peaceful and quiet life.  She gets to spend her days as she wishes.  She spends her days sewing at her leisure, picking currants for tea, enjoying her things in her home.  She dines on her China daily, something her neighbors never do.  She has always been a caregiver to her canary and deceased brothers dog Caesar, similar to a nun who is always caring for others.   I can see she is dreading the change she is going to have to go through in marrying Joe Dagget.  First she has to move to his house that he has been altering for some time.  The thought of caring for such a large home troubles her.  She will also have to care for his old mother.  She feels like she is having to leave her life as she has known it behind.  
     After she discovers Joe and Lily speaking while on her walk she knows he has fallen for another woman.  I think she finds this as her chance to break free and keep her peaceful and quiet life she has had the past 14 years.   She hears with her own ears how he is never going to break her heart after she waited for 14 years.  And she hears Lily planning on running away.  She really could have married him and lived the life she was dreading,but used this chance as a way out to remain living her nun-like life.  I think most woman would have busted them both and made them feel horrible for sneaking around after she sat being loyal all those years.  But she was content to live life her way even though she was alone.  But at least she was happy.  

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