Hi Everyone,
Please check out my video on the new story for this week, Mary Wilkins Freeman’s “A New England Nun” (1891). You’ll see in the video that I pose some questions for us to post about here. Please comment (reply to this post) with your responses on Character, Setting, and the story title. I also ask for you to post favorite quotes from the story, and why you like them; how we can compare and contrast this story with gender roles in “Daisy Miller”; what you think of Louisa’s book pile, linen seams, tea service, needlework, and work basket; and what happens when Joe Dagget arrives at Louisa’s home.
You don’t have to answer all of these questions by any means– tackle a couple that interest you. To review, your tasks for this week:
1. Watch my video below
2. Post about the story
3. Read through your classmates’ responses and then respond to an observation here
4. Remember to fill in the Google Doc contact form (see my earlier post)
5. Remember to check out the UPDATED syllabus at the top of this page.
6. BE SAFE. I MISS YOU ALL
Mary Wilkins Freeman’s “A New England Nun” (1891)
Personal opinions and analysis: I liked this story a lot better than “Daisy Miller” for a couple of reasons (I’m comparing the two stories because of their similarity in genres). First of all, I didn’t feel like it was unnecessarily drawn out. The details of the environment around Louisa – the landscape, the house, her possessions – all serve a point not only to show off the “local color” of where Lousia lives but also her meticulousness of the life she’s created for herself. The description of the setting was very good. I found myself easily picturing the scenery and I’m sure that if someone from that time was reading this story it would have resulted in an instant connection with the reality of the story. Second of all, unlike the previous story, I found all the characters in this story very likable. I related to Louisa a lot. Her independence and love for the little things around her, enjoying things in her own way in her own time was a characteristic I found both admirable and relatable. It was very clear that she and Dagget were not a very harmonious match after 14 years of growing on their own, Dagget was an honorable man. Even Lily, who could have easily tried to persuade Dagget to leave Louisa out of their love for each other did not. I found that very respectable. Both Louisa and Dagget ended their arrangement on good terms; Louisa did not embarrass him or, in modern terms, “put him on blast”, but Dagget continued to have very high respect and admiration of her after they parted ways. I liked that. It makes you think if honor and respect was a cultural value of this time and place, or maybe if it was just these 3 people specifically. They all seem to have opinions of their own, standards of their own, voices of their own, unlike the characters in “Daisy Miller” like Winterbourne. Even Lily, who was only given a small moment of dialogue compared to the rest of the story, seemed to have more of a stance, opinion, and standard than Winterbourne did in the entirety of “Daisy Miller”.
Analysis on characters: I found Caesar the dog to be a very interesting metaphor for Louisa and the life she had set up for herself. Caesar has been chained up for the better part of 14 years since he bit a man. The story describes him to be old and almost lethargic, but at the same time huge enough that people in the town still feared him. Yet, we do not know if Caesar actually deserves to be chained or not. Dagget says he would like to free the dog once he and Louisa are married, but Louisa disapproves of that and would much rather just keep him chained. The interesting thing is, the dog seems content regardless. Maybe Dagget is right; maybe the dog could be let out, but the dog doesn’t seem to have a problem with where he is now. This seems to parallel Louisa’s life and her choices. Dagget seems to be rather carefree and adventurous. Louisa is a lot more to herself, meticulous, detailed, content to do things in her own way within the patterns she’s set up for herself these last 14 years. She’s so content with this structure that some might find confining or old school but at the end of the day, she is content. There is a line in the last paragraph of the story that goes: “If Louisa Ellis had sold her birthright she did not know it, the taste of the pottage was so delicious, and had been her sole satisfaction for so long. Serenity and placid narrowness had become to her as the birthright itself.” Louisa is acknowledging the opportunity she had to marry someone, the opportunity of a different life, perhaps a more generally desired life (since spinsters weren’t exactly the ideal future for every woman especially when she did not have her own family). However, the narrowness that others might see as a “chain” in her life actually brought her a great sense of peace and happiness. She was devoted to this life and this serenity like a nun is devoted to her faith and nothing else. The word “uncloistered” (mentioned in the very last line of the story) means “to release from confinement”. Ironic, but in this choice, she’s made for herself, Louisa is free.
I didn’t think of Ceaser as a metaphor for Louisa herself but that is an interesting way to look at it. Also Louisa being free is something I agree with because, in my post I mentioned the ending was bittersweet. There was obviously some pain Joe’s departure from Louisa and you can tell the two may miss each other. You can tell because they seemed like they wanted to cherish what may be their last moment together when it took Joe longer than usual to leave Louisa’s home. But despite this sad separation, Louisa was still able to find happiness in what she had. I also find Joe to be a very respectable man since he was ready to stand by Louisa after their 14 year wait to be married, despite Lily’s clear desire for him.
Garnet,
You’ve done a wonderful job here comparing and contrasting “Daisy Miller” and “A New England Nun.” You astutely point to the differences between characters such as Winterbourne (weak! easily influenced!) and Dagget and Louisa. Notions of honor and respect in James’s story seem guided by society, whereas Wilkins Freeman has different ideas concerning standards of behavior, integrity, and our inner compasses.
Especially smart commentary on Caesar and the idea of confinement as choice, confinement as liberation.
Final point: you brought up “local color” in your post. Great observation. Wilkins Freeman, in her time, was known as a “regionalist,” or “local colorist,” who painted New England life. Later, literary critics noticed that women writers–who were regularly attacked and dismissed by male writers– were often portrayed as focusing on the local, in a way to diminish their work. Today, in 2020, I think we can have a more nuanced approach– the local doesn’t have to be unimportant. It can be just as significant as the global, or grand scale, as it investigates humanity.
Excellent work.
Garnet, I also love your idea of Louisa- Caesar parallel! To add to your point, I think it is this routine that is keeping Louisa sane in this solitary lifestyle, whether she realizes that or not. Similarly, Caesar’s chain, Louisa believes, is what’s keeping Caesar from acting aggressive and wild. Louisa chooses to keep the chain and not take any risks, the same way she decided to keep to her solitary lifestyle that resembles that of nun’s; the idea of marriage posed a threat in her solitude in many ways and she decides she prefers (although rather passively) her solitary lifestyle to marriage.Â
But what lingers in my mind is the fact that Joe was the first lover she’s had, and for an obvious reason, she was unsure of what love meant. Who am I to say this, but just from my perspective reading their interactions, I want to assume what they had wasn’t love– it wasn’t until when the story mentioned the marriage date that I even realized they were engaged. I felt sad because it seemed the dull relationship she had with Joe defined what love was for her, and she decided she preferred her own company.Â
Would she have made different life decisions had she been able to experience the kind of passionate love Joe and Lily had for each other? Would she still have chosen to live the life of nun? Or did she merely choose it because that’s the only kind of life she knows of? I find myself keep wishing her decision came after she had unlocked different ways of life.
Heeyoun,
Very interesting observation here– you write, “I think it is this routine that is keeping Louisa sane in this solitary lifestyle, whether she realizes that or not.”
In our current era, we are establishing new domestic routines in an effort to gain control over the little we can.
What are some routines folks have been following, in our novel reality? I have been going on two walks a day; I have set a daily teatime (3:30ish); and I have been tuning in rather religiously to Governor Cuomo’s press conferences.
The story is told in a way that fleshes out the characters and the setting very much to properly illustrate, why certain things are the way they are and why the characters do the things they do. The story does a fine job of showing what kind of person that Louisa is. She follows a daily routine and does things in ways that can be considered sweet, and dainty. She has specific aprons for specific actions and occasions. She would move slowly and with grace in her actions. So much so that her finishing a full plate of food after taking such minuscule bites would seem surprising. Joe Dagget might seem an imposing man from his description but he was very soft and polite. He is also a very dedicated and faithful man. He adamantly told Lily Dyer that he “ain’t going back on a woman that’s waited for me fourteen years, an’ break her heart.” The story also does a good job of making the ending bittersweet as Dagget leaves but still promises that he’ll be there for Louisa, and Louisa still manages to find happiness in what she has in her home without him
Hi Jared,
I really like what you’re saying here about Louisa’s daily routine; I appreciate your adjective, “earthy.” Her pleasures are simple but strong, like her appetite, which is unabashed.
I also like how you’re pointing to the ending– there’s a nice synergy between Joe and Louisa that wasn’t there prior, when Joe’s appearance at Louisa’s house brings interruption and disorder. Ultimately it is Louisa who frees everyone from the arrangement that became uncomfortable for everyone.
Good work!
The story was almost a little painful to read, as I was able to feel for every character in this story. All these characters have in them admirable qualities: the incredible amount of focus and patience Louisa had, the integrity Lily had both for her love towards Joe and Joe’s respect for Louisa, the responsibility and loyalty Joe had for Louisa. In a situation where they could’ve been selfish, chasing after their own feelings, everyone was considerate of one another.
As much as I admire their qualities, I also wonder if honesty was lacking in these characters. I wonder at which point being honest with one’s feelings becomes a selfish act. If Louisa hadn’t stumbled upon Joe and Lily’s conversation, all three of them would have carried on living the life that was surely respectable, but perhaps not content. Louisa would have had to sacrifice her solitude, Joa and Lily had to sacrifice their romance. I’m also laughing as I’m writing this because my reaction to this story just shows how much of a millennial I am– with this “yolo” mindset; in a life you only live once, why not live the kind of life you want to, chasing after your feelings?
My favorite quote was: “That night she and Joe parted more tenderly than they had done for a long time.” In that quote alone, I was able to imagine this silence that no one dared to break, cherishing their last moment as a couple… except I was probably romanticizing it too much in my head. Given they had spent the vast majority of their time separated without any interaction, I doubt there will be much to be yearned for. Still, time is a powerful element in any kind of relationship and farewells can never be so simple.Â
Heeyoun,
What a thoughtful and reflective response. I especially appreciate your awareness of what you characterize as a “YOLO”/ “millennial” perspective, prioritizing living life to the fullest. I hope that many different generations prize this, but I concur that past generations did not necessarily have the same freedom to pursue these ideals, given social and gender expectations.
I wonder if the parting quote you point to underscores the tenderness that results from honesty, as challenging as it is. I don’t think you’re romanticizing excessively; Louisa and Joe are able to be more tender because they’ve been more honest with one another.
This story made me feel happy yet sorry for her . I cant imagine waiting fourteen years for someone and then eventually not marrying them. Especially knowing it was your first love . Louisa Ellis is a person who seemed to have everything planned out , the routine she has going on is so precise and if something goes out of plan she gets anxious. This story was so detailed . I could picture myself in every scene, from Louisa Ellis house to the harvest fields. I really liked that. It was the thing that captured my attention as a reader.
My favorite quote would have to be ” But greatest happening of all- a subtle happening which both were too simple to understand, Louisa feet had turned into a path, smooth maybe under a calm serene sky, but so straight and unswerving that it could only meet a check at her grave , and so narrow that there was no room for any one at her side” T his is a long quote but I like it because we find out that she waited fourteen years for her lover to come back and in those fourteen years both her brother and mother died and she now has to learn to be an independent women . As she’s learning to live alone , she copes with her loss by keeping everything in neat tight place . Her path becomes smooth because she like the way her life is , she loves this solitary life. When Joe Dagget comes in kind of interrupts her peace.
Hello there!
The loyalty of the characters is amazing. At the beginning I saw Louisa as the loyalty one because she waited fourteen years in a pure and honest way for Joe, but after keep reading, I figured both had made a Life Promise to each other, which is the marriage. Their life goals had taken different paths, they knew it, but they were continuing their wedding engagement. This situation reflects many couples today, for some people talking about their emotions is difficult, especially if they do not want to hurt the other person. I know couples who have been together for many years and are not happy, but they continue in the relationship. I think if Louisa hadn’t listened to Joe and Lily’s conversation, she might have gotten married.
But Loyalty and Patient is for me the highlights of Louisa’s character. About Joe I would say that he is very concerned person.
Hello sorry for being so late in responding…
When reading Mary Wilkins Freeman’s “ A New England Nun” I notice that the characters were interesting especially Louisa since she mostly waited fourteen years to finally marry joe and that is something you don’t hear from every day stories.It was something unreal but in the same time something that can really happen in real life since many couples go through dramatic waits in order to finally be together.But to see that it wasn’t going to work out between them kinda makes sense especially the way Louisa is with herself and everything around her is completely different from Joe’s type of character already showing a road there both aren’t willing to take together which is marriage.Throughout the story the one quote that got me sad but happy in the same time was this one around the ending of the story “Louisa, all alone by herself that night, wept a little ,she hardly knew why, but the next morning, on waking, she felt like a queen who, after fearing lest her domain be wrested away from her, sees it firmly insured in her possession.”.Like i feel all her worries, even when she was loyal and patient to Joe, was finally gone and she can now be her true self without a waiting moment stopping her from being truly comfortable with herself and the environment around her. Despite everything that happen throughout her fourteen wasted years, she can finally live what she seems fit without a worry promise that was holding her back even within her own home.
“An England Nun” is a really interesting piece with a lot of bits of symbolism here and there. We have the character, Louisa, who is not a literal nun but acts like she is one given her character. She lives a peaceful, normal, single life while her fiancĂ©, Joe Dagget, was in Australia gathering money to help her. She is so used to living by herself that starts feeling uneasy when Joe knocks over her things. Her character is being challenged her and will be challenged again when she sees Joe talking to Lily Dwyer.
The setting is stable and detailed that puts us into that said setting. It’s like the setting is filled with life and everything is moving and has a mind of it’s own.
The last line basically means that she is free and numbering her days meaning she is looking back on life as to being scared of going into a new environment. She can still keep her innocent life.
All and all, really amazing story to read.