The character of Laura inevitably calls to mind Margaret Casey of Final Payments (1978). Although Laura's religious background is Protestant, her misunderstanding about the nature of love and charity is akin to Margaret's perverted Catholicism. Also, both Laura and Margaret are unattractive women who crave love and attention but whose emotional hunger cannot be fulfilled. Anne, like Isabel Moore, is on a quest for personal fulfillment — a need to balance her own desires with those of others who need her.