A Visit of Charity

“I’m a Campfire Girl […] I have to pay a visit to some old lady.”

This is the first thing Marian says to the nurse upon arrival at the Old Ladies’ Home. The reader begins to understand the lack of compassion Marian has for the people in the home. Marian could have explained why she was there and asked permission to visit with one of the residents. She could have asked if one of the residents was particularly lonely or in need of conversation. Marian views the visit only as a checkmark towards a coveted badge.

“With any old ladies? No—but—that is, any of them will do.”

This is Marian’s reply when the nurse asks whether she’s acquainted with anyone in the home. These words set the tone of the visit and Marian’s lack of compassion for the residents. Here, early in the story, the reader suspects Marian’s selfish motives. 

“There are two in each room.” 

When the nurse walks Marian down the hall, she tells her there are two women in each room. Marian asks what the nurse means. The nurse ignores her. The occupants of the Old Ladies’ Home live two in each small room, much like prisoners in a jail cell.