The Little Widow

The little widow is the main character of the short story. Almost immediately after she finishes high school, the widow gets married. Although her new husband likes “her well enough,” he is “primarily interested in her family’s money” (74). Shortly after their wedding, the couple moves to a “sprawling house on the coast near Bávarao” that the widow’s parents purchased for them (74). The widow is happy during this period, because she enjoys being close to the ocean. Indeed, her seaside environs inspire her new penchant for embroidering seascapes and mermaids (74). Not long later, however, the little widow’s home life, marriage, and mood begin to shift. Her husband becomes increasingly volatile and violent. Then the widow miscarries. Lost in her private grief, she turns to her work to distract her and bring her comfort.

Meanwhile, the little widow’s husband is trying to evade...