What is the theme of the New England Nun?
Duty and responsibility are important themes in “A New England Nun” and they were important issues for the New England society Freeman portrays. People were expected to be self-sacrificing and to put responsibility, especially to family or community, ahead of personal happiness.
What is the setting in A New England Nun?
The setting of the story is a small town in New England. Louisa Ellis lives all by herself in a remote house, except for her dog Caesar and a canary in a cage. Fifteen years ago her first love Joe Dagget asked her to marry him, but soon after the engagement left the country to seek his fortune in Australia.
What does Louisa do after Joe leaves after their visit?
To her, marriage was plausible because she could not see it happening soon. When Joe returned from his trip, she was taken aback; similar to her dedication in keeping Caesar chained to his kennel, Louisa committed herself to her own home, while living in fear of change.
Who is Caesar in A New England Nun?
One of the themes of the story is isolation. Caesar is the old yellow dog Louisa has kept chained to his hut in her back yard. ”Fat and sleepy” with ”yellow rings which looked like spectacles around his dim old eyes,” Caesar ”seldom lift[s] up his voice in a growl or bark. ”
Which animal is symbolic in the New England Nun?
The squawking caged parrot is symbolic of Edna rebelling against the norms that society has set forth for her. In-text citation: (“The Symbol of Animals in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening and The New England Nun by Mary Freeman.”)
What is the significance of the dog chained out in the yard can a comparison be made to Louisa?
To Louisa, taking the dog off his chain symbolically relates to her being freed from the constraints Joe is putting on her. Because she, like the dog, have been alone for so long, it would be frightening to go out and experience new things.
Who wrote A New England Nun?
Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman
A New-England Nun: And Other Stories/Authors
What happens to Louisa Ellis at the end of her story?
She is engaged to Joe Dagget for fourteen years while he is off to Australia to make his fortune. However, after listening to Joe and Lily discuss their affection, she resolves to “keep her inheritance” and disengage herself from her long-standing engagement. In the end, she is content to spend her life as a spinster.
Where was A New England Nun published?
Harper’s Bazaar
Originally published in Harper’s Bazaar in 1887 and in 1891 as the title story in A New England Nun and Other Stories, the story opens onto a scene of pastoral rural New England calm.
What does the New England Nun feed her dog?
Caesar is Louisa’s “veritable hermit of a dog.” For most of his life he resided in the small hut, which Louisa’s dead brother built for him, eating only corn-mush and cakes for food. For example, there is no fear or sadness with the dog, but a simple acceptance of life as it passes before the front gate.
Why does Louisa’s dog stay chained up?
Louisa’s dog Caesar, who Freeman compares to a hermit, was chained up in the yard. To Louisa, taking the dog off his chain symbolically relates to her being freed from the constraints Joe is putting on her.