A Nun of a Different Cloth

A Nun of a Different Cloth
Jason Tuttle
Baker College
Lit332

A Nun of a Different Cloth
In Mary E. Wilkins Freeman’s “A New England Nun”, Freeman tells the story of Louisa Ellis, a young woman who, due to circumstances beyond her own control, becomes the embodiment of a nun of a different cloth. Louisa patiently waits 14 years for her fiancé Joe Dagget to return from his fortune-seeking in Australia. During this time Louisa learns to value her solitary life. Her days are spent ripping out seams for the joy of resewing them, distilling her herbs and flowers, and eating her meals off fine china (Baym et al., 2008 p.1621, 1624). When Joe suddenly returns, Louisa’s peaceful way of living is threatened. Through the use of subtle irony and a nun-like character, Freeman demonstrates how a woman forced into a life of independence comes to desire it rather than the socially accepted role of wife.
Freeman uses an understated touch of irony when describing the circumstances which lead to Louisa’s independence. After being engaged for a short time, Joe leaves Louisa to go make his fortune before settling down. Adhering to society’s beliefs that a woman must acquiesce to man, Louisa sends Joe away with a kiss, never thinking his absence would span fourteen years. Louisa waits year after year for Joe and “always looked forward to his return and their marriage as the inevitable conclusion of things” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1624). It is the marriage waiting at the end of this separation which keeps Louisa from being ridiculed by society. However, it is this socially accepted situation which later teaches Louisa to love her independence.
Epitomizing the nun-like quality of purity, Louisa chastely awaits the return of Joe. During this time Louisa was happy on her own and “never dreamed of the possibility of marrying anyone else” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1623). While this may seem to hold romantic notions, it is anything but. Freeman states that “for Louisa the wind (of romance) had never more than murmured; now it had gone down, and everything was still” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1624). Through this quote, Freeman shows that Louisa’s feelings for Joe (the wind) were slight at best, and had since died down to nothing during his absence. Despite her lack of any affectionate feelings for Joe, Louisa embodies purity by remaining true to him.
Seven years into Joe’s absence Louisa is pushed completely into a life of solitary. Louisa loses the last of her family, her mother and brother. Even the dog cannot serve as companionship as he is chained up in the back. “She is all alone in the world” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1623). Left alone in the world without fiancé and family, Louisa has no choice but to assume a life of independence. Without notice, she grows into her identity as a self-sufficient woman as the days pass.
During the extensive time that Louisa waits for Joe to return, Louisa lives the cloistered life of a nun. Rather than going out and mingling with society, Louisa keeps herself sheltered in her home, doing the things which bring her enjoyment. Freeman writes, “Louisa has almost the enthusiasm of an artist over the mere order and cleanliness of her home” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1624). From the sparkling window panes to the organized drawers to the order in which books are placed on top of a table, everything is clean and in its place. Tea is prepared and served as if company was coming; each apron she wears has a specific purpose and is only used at its appropriate time; even her lettuce is said to have been “raised to perfection in her little garden” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1621). Not a single detail is too small to be missed. Yet this apparent domesticity is not a dress rehearsal for married life, it is done solely for her. Further demonstrating how Louisa is like a nun, who also must choose and walk the narrow path (Matthew 7:13- 14 New International Version), Freeman writes, “Louisa’s feet had turned to a path…so straight and unswerving that it could only meet a check at her grave, and so narrow there was no room for any one at her side” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1623). Louisa has no desire to complete the picture of domestic bliss by seating a husband at the head of the table. Fourteen years of an imposed solitary life have firmly paved the way for Louisa’s need for independence.
Unannounced, Joe returns. His visit introduces noise, dirt, and disarray to Louisa’s sanctuary. In just the space of an hour he disrupts the canary’s slumber, tracks in dirt and dust, and stumbles over the rug, spilling Louisa’s sewing basket. During all of this, Louisa is polite but curt. “Never mind,” said she; “I’ll pick them up after you leave” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1622). This statement signifies that there is no room for a man in the house. Only when he is gone will she be able to put everything back in its place.
Despite the obvious obtrusiveness of having Joe back in her life, Louisa carries forth with her plans to marry him. Though appearing to conform to society in proceeding with her plans of marriage, Louisa’s thoughts show her true motivation. “It was not for her, whatever came to pass, to prove untrue and break his heart” ((Baym et al., 2008, p. 1626). Conforming to society’s standards for women was not important to Louisa; protecting the feelings of one who was faithful to her was. It is a testament to Louisa’s virtues that she continued to honor the pledge she made, much as a nun is faithful to honoring her vows.
As a nun must submit to her Lord, Louisa’s submissiveness to Joe is seen in how she readily accepts her new role as his wife, though it means losing her independence, and in essence, her identity. Joe’s return threatens Louisa’s solitary, peaceful lifestyle which he unwittingly created by leaving for such a long period of time. While mourning her impending loss of freedom, Louisa is determinably resigned to the fact that she will have to set aside her “senseless old maiden ways” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1624) in order to perform the duties of a wife and daughter- in- law. While upset about the changes this will bring about- a large home to clean, a husband and mother- in- law to care for, people to entertain, and a loss of time for herself- Louisa willingly accepts her new lot in life. Accepting that her primary role will now be to serve others, she clearly demonstrates her dutiful nature.
Adding another piece of irony to the story, Louisa overhears a conversation between Joe and Lily Dyer. The clandestine interview reveals that Joe is also going along with the wedding, not because of social expectations, but because he “ain’t going back on a woman that’s waited for me fourteen years, an’ break her heart” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1627). Once realizing that Joe is no more in love with her than she is with him, Louisa breaks off the engagement. Freeman writes, “she (Louisa) felt like a queen who, after fearing lest her domain be rested away from her, sees it firmly insured in her possession” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1628). Louisa is able to maintain her independent lifestyle while at the same time remaining true to herself by sparing Joe’s feelings.
In a final subtle stroke of irony, Freeman compares Louisa’s newly won, socially scorned, independent lifestyle to one of the most accepted solitary lifestyles of the era- a nun. “She gazed ahead through a long reach of future days strung together like pearls in a rosary; every one like the others, and all smooth and flawless and innocent, and her heart went up in thankfulness” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1628). The rosary beads are symbolic not just of how Louisa has been spending her days, but are also symbolic of a nun’s lifestyle of simplicity, purity, and prayer. For Louisa, not conforming to society’s roles and expectations of matrimony was not a matter of principle. It was something she had been pushed into, learned to love, and refused to give up. Having saved her independent lifestyle of peace and solitude, Louisa was happy to continue her life “prayerfully numbering her days, like an uncloistered nun” (Baym et al., 2008, p. 1628). In this line, Freeman makes it explicitly clear that Louisa was content to continue on with her celibate lifestyle. Louisa truly became “A New England Nun” of a different cloth.
Through the use of subtle ironies Mary E. Wilkins Freeman skillfully tells the story of her nun-like character Louisa Ellis. Mary E. Wilkins Freeman’s “A New England Nun” exemplifies her belief that women don’t need to be identified by a man. Nor do they need a man to find fulfillment in their lives. This is a theme that is just as relevant today as it was in the 19th century.

References
Baym, N., Franklin, W., Gura, P., Klinkowitz, J., Krupat, A., Levine, R., et al. (2008). The norton anthology of american literature. New York: W.M. Norton & Company, Inc.

References: Baym, N., Franklin, W., Gura, P., Klinkowitz, J., Krupat, A., Levine, R., et al. (2008). The norton anthology of american literature. New York: W.M. Norton & Company, Inc.