New England Nun

Q: New England Nun: Louisa's Final Decision vs Individualism Theme

Louisa faced a tough decision when Joe Dagget returns home because it seems like whatever love she had for him before he left has faded and now she views her wedding as more of a chore. If she is going to marry someone, it shouldn't be because of a decision made many years ago, it should be made because she truly loves that person and is willing to spend her whole life with him.

In order for her to marry Joe, she would need to devote her whole life and way of living to suit him and his needs. It seems throughout the story that she very much enjoys the way her life is right now. She enjoys being alone and doing things in a rather methodical way as opposed to having a husband to please and clean up after. It wouldn't be noble for her to marry Joe and not mean it. Then she would suffer through the marriage, not being free to do what she really wants.

Mary E. Wilkins used Louisa's character to project the idea of Individualism. As part of the main them, Louisa goes through her everyday life, dependent on nobody but herself. She also shows her Individualism in the decision she makes to not marry Joe after she hears that he loves Lily Dyer. I think that all she needed was an excuse to get out of the marriage because she wasn't really fit to be married and share her life with another individual, she was meant to live alone and fend for herself. Throughout the story, Individualism plays a huge role by describing how she has her own routine of sewing and cooking and using her best china to eat. She needs the help of no one

and getting married would mean she has someone else to look after and would have to put her own needs second.

The ending, in my opinion was a happy one because everyone got what the truly wanted out of it. Louisa got to continue the hermit-type lifestyle