Revolt-“The Revolt of "Mother"
Mother revolts against her husband when he pronounces his intent to set up an additional barn. Mother asks him, “A barn? You ain't goin' to build a barn over there where we was goin' to have a house, father?" Mother’s question articulates her disapproval of father’s resolution. She covertly implies that instead of father erecting a barn, he should have deliberated setting up a house. Mother’s revolt is rewarding because her family gets the house that has been overdue for forty years.
Carpe Diem-“The Revolt of "Mother"
When father leaves, mother contemplates, "Unsolicited opportunities are the guideposts of the Lord to the new roads of life." Mother espouses Carpe Diem because she sees fathers’ time away from the farm as the opportunity to settle down in the new barn. Father’s presence would have made it problematic for her to move all their belongings. Mother steers the relocation course and when father returns from his journey he finds that his family has colonized the barn and he has to join the bandwagon of colonization.
Prolonged, Long-Distance Dating-“The New England Nun”
“The New England Nun” is a Literary Case Study on the ramifications of protracted and Long-distance dating. Freeman writes, “They were to be married in a month, after a singular courtship which had lasted for a matter of fifteen years. For fourteen out of the fifteen years the two had not once seen each other, and they had seldom exchanged letters.” Clearly, the courtship was flawed by inadequate communicated and corporal contact. The distance between them amplified their emotional distance. Accordingly, when Joe returns, Louisa is not enthusiastic about getting espoused anymore.
