Literary Criticism The Wind in the Rose Bush (Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman)
This story is set in a fantasy village named Ford, which is situated along the river Porter’s Fall. The main characters are: Rebecca Flint: A rational, snobbish, and antisocial woman who is determined to bring her stepdaughter, Agnes, home. Agnes: A teenager whose only best friend is Addie Slocum. Agnes is a classic Gothic character—an elusive presence who is seen and not seen, described primarily through the eyes of Rebecca and Augusta. Augusta: The most intriguing character. He has a calm response to everything, but his coldness toward his missing daughter and Rebecca’s anguish makes him seem subhuman. The climax occurs when a bush moves despite the stillness of the wind, a fresh red rose appears in the dead of winter, and the haunting refrain of "The Maiden’s Prayer" is played by a ghost. For Rebecca, the most tragic moment is when she thinks she sees Agnes at the window, and the most anguished moment is her endless wait for her stepdaughter's return. The central dil...
