payment page
Laura is one of four Sheridan children. The story does not give her age, yet her emerging sense of self, distinct from her family, suggests that she is a teenager. She is leaving behind her sheltered youth and moving into the unfamiliar, wider world. Laura is artistic and enjoys much about her family’s social and economic status, including servants, delicious cream puffs, and an exquisite black hat. She pays close attention to the details of her surroundings, noticing things like the small, dark blue eyes of a workman, and is sensitive to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch in her world.
She feels an affinity for the workmen, preferring their friendliness and simplicity to the boys of her own class. The death of Mr. Scott opens her eyes to the callous superficiality of her family. She worries that the party would be insensitive to their grieving neighbors. Her sister and mother seem more offended by their neighbor’s grief intruding on their party. Her visit to the Scotts’ house is her own hero’s journey. She ventures into the unknown, faces death, and returns home transformed. Rather than being repulsed by the deceased, she marvels at his peace and freedom from life’s troubles.
