Nora Webster

Nora Webster is the title character and the protagonist of the novel. What is the effect of seeing the world from Nora’s perspective? To what extent does the narrative focus ever move away from her?

Although Nora does not openly dwell on Maurice’s death, his decline and eventual demise became a long and tragic time in her life. To what extent does she feel guilty for leaving her children with others during this time? How deeply are they affected by her absence, and how does the narrative illustrate this issue?

Nora’s sisters, Una and Catherine, are supposedly afraid of Nora. How does the author portray their blend of fear and love for their sister?