Characters

The most important character in the story “The Woman of Letters” by Angela Readman is the narrator. Other characters active in the story are Robin (the narrator’s son), May, and Lilly (two of the narrator’s clients). In what follows, we will focus on the narrator and her relationship with her s…

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The narrator

The narrator’s characterisation is conveyed directly through self-characterisation, and indirectly through her attitude and actions.

Outer characterisation

The narrator’s outer characterisation tells us that she lives abroad (probably in the Far East) and that she is the only woman in her area who can read and write English: “I am a woman of letters – the only woman for kilometres who reads and writes English.” (ll. 8-9)

She used to be married to an English man with whom she had her son Robin, and who left her the big house she lives in: “The ability to discuss sunshine when a lie must be told is something my husband left me, along with the English language, a son, and this house.” (ll. 98-100)

Finally, the narrator earns a living thanks to her English language skills which she uses to find local girls husbands overseas through online dating sites: “It’s my job to make her, all of them, sound ripe for picking by a man overseas.” (l. 8)

Inner characterisation

The narrator’s inner characterisation first suggests that she takes pride in what she knows and what she does—that she speaks English and acts like a matchmaker: “I heard someone call me an interpreter once, I didn’t care for it. There’s more of an art to it. I’ve married dozens of girls. Lives are moulded by the mouse in my palm.” (ll. 9-11)

From her interactions with her client May, we find out that the narrator does not act as an impartial translator. Instead, she mistranslates conversations as she deems fit. May asks her to write the Canadian man something that makes her “sound clever” (l. 5), but the narrator does not respect her request and writes to the man “I miss you” …

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The narrator’s relationship with her son

An important part of the narrator’s characterisation is her relationship with her son Robin.

From the beginning of the text, it is suggested that Robin is always on the back of his mother’s mind as she thinks of him even when she is helping May: “I listen to Robin outside, raking leaves – slow steady strokes.” (l. 4).

As the story progresses, we find out that the narrator knows Robin is not very bright and that he is at the age when he looks after women. This does not make the narrator feel comfortable:

He sees May and blushes. I notice and my stomach aches. There’s nothing my son can’t make, except make a woman love him. He has been different since birth, almost childlike in his ways (…). Every night this keeps me awake. (ll. 40-43)

The narrator is overprotective and concerned with Robin, and this is why she has a hard tim…