A New England Nun

Louisa is the story’s protagonist. Her age is unspecified, but given the length of her engagement, she is likely around 30 years old. Freeman writes that she gave the impression of being older than Joe, whom Freeman characterizes as “not very young” (4). Louisa’s looks were not the issue: her skin is “smoother and fairer,” but her strict nature does not express youthful vitality. Louisa lives in the house she inherited after her mother passed away. She inherited her dog Caesar after her brother passed away. All the things in Louisa’s life belong to the past. She even believes Caesar, who is old and fat, to be ferocious because he bit the neighbor when he was a puppy, 14 years ago. Louisa is true to an engagement promise she made 14 years in the past, even though much has changed in the interim.

Louisa’s primary characteristic is a need to maintain order. She folds her sewing work just so, puts on her aprons carefully, and sets her tea out as if for a guest (2). Referring to Louisa as her own guest implies that she enjoys her own company, even to the exclusion of others.