When one's idealistic conception of the world isolates them from others, loneliness and loss often forces them to recant their former visions. However, in the short stories of Mary Wilkins Freeman and William Dean Howells, two women emerge who prefer isolation and idealism to the risk of sharing their lives with men. Although they experience serious changes, which are at best unsettling and at worst tragic, these women return to their idealistic world with optimism. Nonetheless, by careful use of a narration, an ironic tone emerges in both endings, indicating that the authors are criticizing such choices.

          In Freeman's story, "A New England Nun", Louisa Ellis enjoys tranquil liberty in living alone, and decides to preserve her maidenly life by breaking off a long engagement. At the end of the story, Louisa seems happy to remain a maid. Her efforts to exclude herself from the bonds of betrothal have succeeded, she is safely unwed, and, Freeman writes, "[she] felt fairly steeped in peace" (220). Although Louisa welcomes a routine existence a careful reading of Freeman's omniscient narration provides a biblical allusion to the story of Esau and Jacob, and upon its entrance, the tone of the story changes completely. "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" (220). Freeman unites Louisa with Esau, the brother of Jacob, who traded his entire wealth and inheritance for a single pot of stew. This allusion lends an element of doubt to Louisa's ability to understand herself as a woman. Larzer Ziff, in a study of Freeman's writings, has observed, "Spinsterhood is a prison for Mary Freeman...she clearly presents the single state as a frustrated existence, since in it a woman is deprived of what Mrs. Freeman considers to be her birthright- a man" (293). But Louisa has rejected her only suitor and although she feels optimistic about her future, the narration continues with precise imagery that further symbolizes how Louisa will never know the full experience of being a woman.

          The final image of Louisa, as "an uncloistered nun"(220), is contrasted with a "fervid summer afternoon", where the lively sounds of "men and birds and bees" ring out in the open air. The parallel image of Louisa/nun and the contrast of this image and the world outside her window have deep significance. A nun limits her experience of the world to the walls of a convent, and in her celibacy, denies herself the intimate relationship with a man which marriage can provide. In a husband, a wife can love and be loved with wonderful thoroughness, while both her personality and her sexuality can be fulfilled. Consider how standards of propriety during the 1890s forced writers to use meticulous discretion when alluding to sexuality. With that in mind, I interpret the "birds and the bees" line, associated with men, as a crafty (and humorous) symbol of a sexual experience that will forever lie beyond her. Granted, I am not certain when the phrase entered common use, but the connection is peculiar, since "men, birds and bees" are the only things named outside Louisa's window. Louisa, in wasteful fashion, has already plodded through the bloom of her youth, and will continue the stalwart march of serenity to her grave, having never known herself as a woman. She is a maid and wishes to remain "flawless and innocent". But Louisa's optimism appears hollow, her future predictable, mundane, and unfulfilling. Freeman's allusion, symbolism, and narrative subtlety give the reader sufficient reason to believe that Louisa will regret her spinsterhood, if not immediately, then inevitably.

          Howells' story "Editha" involves a sentimental young woman who in her foolish naiveté and selfish romanticism underestimates the perils of war. She is absorbed in unrealistic notions of patriotism, glory, relationships between men and women, and the fragility of human life. Howells' narration follows Editha with an ironic commentary, which supports his purposes of symbolically confronting romanticism with realism. At intervals, Editha's idealistic perspective is shown to be destructive and harmful. When she has the opportunity to confront her immature notions, to face life realistically, she falters. She rejects a more demanding, rugged perspective and chooses to blanket herself with lies. Her ideas about the world and people, and especially herself are therefore often false. An omniscient narrator follows Editha through various moments when it is revealed that crucial elements of life like love and death have little real meaning for her, because she is more interested in her own subjective ideas of things. Without comprehending the fierce and impartial appetite of war, she impulsively urges George to enlist in the name of glory and patriotism. More in love with the idea of love thlies. Her ideas about the world and people, and especially herself are therefore often false. Anhings. Wihings. Without comprehending the fierce and impartial appetite of war, she impulsively urges George to enlist in the name of glory and patriotism. More in love with the idea of love thlies. Her ideas about the world and people, and especially herself are therefore often false. An omniscient narrator follows Editha through various moments when it is revealed that crucial elements of life like love and death have little real meaning for her, because she is more interested in her own subjective ideas of t knees at the feet of the seated figure and said 'I am George's Editha'" (5). This sort of drama is very self-absorbed and such behavior would do little but nurture Editha's contrived belief that she is a truly humble and deprived widow. George's mother enters the story as the voice of reason and her sheer fortitude and common sense threatens to break an epiphany upon Editha's sensibilities with these words: "When you sent him you didn't expect he would get killed . . . [women and girls] think he'll just come marching back somehow . . . if it's an empty sleeve or even an empty pantaloon, it's all the more glory, and they’re so much the prouder of them, poor things!" George's mother has struck at the root of Editha's secret unspoken wish- romantic entertainment, which she often seeks at the expense of someone else's pain. Editha is shaken, "...it was such a relief to be understood" (5), and when George's mother speaks again, it was "in a voice startlingly like George's again" (5). Editha knows the condemnation is true, and that George's words of warning were just as reasonable and true before he went off to war. But as George's mother rises with a climactic torrent of accusations, Editha's character slips out of the dialogue and the narration, does not respond, and is not mention with any sort of response. I believe that the way Howells has constructed the narration here reveals a symbolic example of how the idealistic person's mind and conscience can ignore or refuse to hear (even disappear) when confronted directly with the truth. Even when the most bald facts, arguments, or evidence is presented to them, they irrationally slip right back into their old position. In the narration, the next time Editha appears, it is much later, and in this final scene Howells makes his message clearly known. "The mystery that had bewildered her was solved" (6). Editha has once again decided to reject what might have been a painful but helpful epiphany, inspired by her artist-friend to sum up her experience with George's mother as "vulgar". Howells' use of the word "solved" is particularly ironic, but the reader knows full well that nothing has been solved at all. Making no attempts at subtlety, Howells heavily concludes that Editha has begun "to live again in the ideal". Obviously the author intends no misunderstanding about Editha's decision; she is unrealistic and he disapproves.

          I would like to focus for a moment on what I consider to be flaws in these stories. "Editha" and "The New England Nun" exemplify sharp, concise narration, but I consider both of the stories to be slightly underdeveloped concerning character. Perhaps "Howells's beginning . . . as a writer in journalism" (handout) is linked to why the characters seem so stereotyped, flat, and archetypal. Conversely, by using such flat characterization he brought forth a highly symbolic, moralistic element from a rather simple plot.

          In "The New England Nun” Freeman’s descriptions of small details dovetail perfectly into the mood and theme of the piece, revealing Louisa's tiny house-bound utopia. But her writing was not entirely precise, and the final meaning and moral of the ending became ambiguous, if not neutral, to me. If Freeman had included clear signs in the main body of her story that Louisa was living an incomplete life then her intention with the ending would have been more evident. I initially concluded that Louisa was happy, her life complete, her future secure, although I felt her to be excessively controlling, organized, and plain. Without a careful analysis and a knowledge of Freeman's personal philosophy about women, the biblical allusion was a mere observation from the narrator, and I thought the contrasting imagery framed a reflective mood befitting a woman of Louisa's character. I think Freeman relies on her audience to find Louisa impractical or frivolous because of narrative comments like these: "it would be contrary to all thrifty village traditions" (214), "...there was small chance of such foolish comfort in the future" (215), and "Joe's mother, domineering, shrewd old matron that she was...even Joe himself, with his honest masculine rudeness, would laugh and frown down all these pretty but senseless old maiden ways." Although Louisa's little pursuits are described very prettily, which may lead the reader to sympathize with her as a true heroine, I now believe my final analysis of the ending is more accurate. Her life is bound up in the trivial. She believes that she can continue to live as a young girl, and in every action she denies a realistic life as a real woman.

          These stories are appealing, powerful, and decidedly moralistic in tone. They both provide a clear storyline with a final twist, and within this twist lies the author's core message. Freeman wants her readers to understand that the quiet serenity of her "New England Nun" is only an act of self-deception and that living alone is unfulfilling for a woman. The characterization has its flaws, as I discussed above, but it is still intriguing prose. Howells' "Editha" is a straightforward criticism of Romanticism and although the plot is stereotyped and simplistic, the narration is rich with irony and the characterization is highly symbolic. Although this period in American literature is past, the authors' techniques communicate successfully and the moral tone is still quite meaningful.




Works Cited
"A New England Nun" by Mary Wilkins Freeman. The Signet Classic Book of American Short Stories. Burton Raffel, Ed. Signet Classic, 1985.

"Editha" by William Dean Howells. Story handout from Dr. Adams' class on American Realism.

Handout on William Dean Howells' life and writing from Dr. Adams' class on American Realism.

Ziff, Larzer. The American 1890's: Life and Times of a Lost Generation. New York, Viking Press. 1966.