Peggy

Outer characterization

Peggy is the main character of the short story “The Aliens” by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. Peggy’s outer characterization reveals that she is a young woman who was born in England. The word “English” is used to describe Peggy: “an English rose” (l. 260). The readers find out about her appearance are that she has “short hair” (l. 10) and that she is used to wearing “more quiet” (l. 249) clothes: “pale greens and powder blues and liked dresses with Peter-Pan collars and little bows on them” (ll. 250-251). While in India, she wears house dresses (l. 10) and does not know how to “manage the sari” (l. 251). Also, Peggy has pale skin (l. 253), and she is described as thin (l. 255).

Peggy is married to an Indian man named Dev, and she does not have children. Peggy is educated and, before getting married to Dev and moving to India, she used to work in an office: “she just couldn't bear to leave the office where she had been working these eight years, ever since she left school.” (ll. 127-129). This suggests that she could be in her mid-twenties. The story hints that she worked as a typist: “she and Carole the other typist and Mrs Temple the accountant” (ll. 130-131).

Inner characterization

Peggy is a calm person, which is revealed from the very be...