Amelia

Outer characterization

Amelia is an important character in “Trio for Four Voices” by Jane McLaughlin, as she sets the events of the narrative in motion.

The story opens with a description of Amelia’s style of dressing: “The child always wears modish nostalgia – almost, but not quite tipping over into fancy dress: blue cotton with an organdie overall, black patent bar shoes, Alice band on her dark hair.” (ll. 1-2). The narrator describes Amelia’s clothes more than once, as they suggest her parents’ wealth and privilege and also her own innocent appearance, which is deceptive.

Amelia plays croquet and is fluent in French. According to her, her father is a writer. She has been coming to Spain ever since she was three years old (l. 30), and she often travels all over...