Disguise In Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's A New England Nun

Certain situations may happen to us that would typically draw out a bad side of our personality. Expressing this bad side is more than likely not the best idea. We may, sometimes, realize that being the bigger person will benefit us more in the long run. In Mary E. Wilkins Freeman’s story, “A New England Nun,” Louisa Ellis demonstrates her good character and poise when put in a situation that is far from ideal. Joe Dagget, who has promised to marry her, has been gone for fourteen years earning money. He returns, supposedly, ready to marry Louisa. One evening, Louisa overhears a conversation between Joe and Lily Dyer, who has been taking care of his mother, about their affair. Instead of expressing her anger, Louisa keeps her poise. She breaks things off with Joe without

Lousia’s personality trait of cautiousness is shown throughout the story many times. Joe Dagget comes to visit and is very disruptive. Although he doesn’t mean to be disruptive, this characteristic is simply something that exists in his nature of being. He walks around admiring Lousia’s belongings while unknowingly messing them up. He observes books she has lying on a table and places them in an order different from what they were originally in. After Joe Dagget misarranges the books, Louisa quietly puts them back into the order she originally had them. Joe continues his admiring of her things and snoops around more. Louisa cautiously watches Joe’s every move hoping he does not mess up everything she takes pride in. After Joe Dagget leaves, Louisa feels a sense of relief and calmness and no longer feels the need to stress so intensely. The narrator says, “Louisa, on her part, felt much as the kind-hearted, long suffering owner of the china shop might have done after the exit of the bear” (1625). By this quote comparing Joe to a bear, it serves as an example of how tense Louisa feels since he poses a danger or threat to her precious