Miss O'Shay

Miss O’Shay is the vice principal at Nancy Lee’s school. She is important for Langston Hughes’ short story “One Friday Morning” because she illustrates the realities of America and how discrimination was present for various groups. Her outer characterization tells us that she is an “elderly white woman” (p. 5, ll. 1-2) with gray hair (p. 9, l. 20), “clear blue eyes” (p. 9, l. 15), and a “solid and competent voice” (p. 4, l. 7). As indicated by her speech to Nancy Lee, Miss O’Shay is of Irish origin (p. 9, l. 2).

Miss O’Shay’s inner characterization suggests that she is a kind woman: “Miss O’Shay had a way of making you feel welcome, even if you came to be expelled.” (p. 4, ll. 11-12). This also suggests her ability to interact well with her students. Miss O’Shay is proud of Nancy Lee for earning the award scholarship, and she expresses her feelings directly: “ ‘Dear Nancy Lee,’” Miss O’Shay said, ‘we are...