After reading “A New England Nun,”
written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, I cannot help but to obsess over the
extreme awkwardness that occurs between Joe Dagget and Louisa. For me, while
reading the first couple paragraphs, I thought that these two were just old friends
that visited with each other twice a week. Their awkwardness as a couple is
shown when Freeman says, “She placed a chair for him, and they sat facing each
other, with a table in between them” (357). I feel as if this situation is
weird because they have been away from each other for so long, but yet they do
not even sit close or touch when they see each other. When I read, “they were to be married in a month,” I was
shocked (359). I assume that it would be strange to be away from your fiancé for
fourteen years, but I just do not see the connection between them at all. I
feel as if their separation at the end was what was best for them simply
because people change, and I feel as if their love for each other changed as well.
I agree they seem like old friends. I think that what they were each other's first love and very young experiencing that. Being apart for so long, they each grew up and changed. I think they expected to see the same person they fell in love with all those years ago and did not account for how much people can change over time.
ReplyDeleteI think that during the time period when this piece was written, women were not expected to marry for love. Marriage was motivated by money or social standing.Once a woman was promised to a man, she had to marry him. This was probably the situation between Louisa and Joe Dagget. She was simply keeping a promise.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the observations of awkwardness between Louisa and Joe! The short dialogue between them made it difficult for me to imagine a time they were truly in love, but I suppose the lesson in that is how the years changed their affections. I think it is definitely intentional of Fern to leave out exchanges between Louisa and Joe when they did love another. This lacking makes it more dramatic when we "overhear" Lily Dyer and Joe confession their love.
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