Harriet

Harriet is the main character in the short story “Sleeping” by Katharine Weber. Her outer characterization reveals that she is a 13-year-old girl who is asked to babysit the Winters’ child, Charles. Harriet practices swimming, as suggested by the reference to the swimming club (l. 24), and used to wear braces: “Harriet had just ended two years in braces and was very conscious of malocclusion” (l. 17). 

Harriet’s inner characterization reveals that the girl is inexperienced when it comes to babies: “Harriet had never held a baby, except for one brief moment, when she was about six, when Mrs. Antler next door had surprisingly bestowed on her the tight little bundle that was their new baby, Andrea” (ll. 9-12). The event, which happened when she ...