By smartcubs Mrs. Dorling is a character from the short story “The Address” by Marga Minco. She plays a crucial role in the story, which revolves around the themes of memory, loss, and the aftermath of war. This character sketch will provide an overview of Mrs. Dorling’s characteristics, personality traits, and actions.
Introduction
Mrs. Dorling is a woman who interacts with the narrator of the story during and after World War II. She is depicted as someone who took possession of the narrator’s family’s valuable items during the war, under the pretense of keeping them safe. However, her actions and attitudes reveal much about her character.
Physical Appearance
- Ordinary Looks: Mrs. Dorling is described as an ordinary-looking woman, without any particularly notable features. Her appearance is not the focus; rather, it is her actions and attitudes that stand out.
Personality Traits
- Practical: Mrs. Dorling is portrayed as a very practical woman. She sees an opportunity to gain material possessions and takes it without much hesitation.
- Resourceful: She is resourceful in how she manages to acquire and keep the narrator’s family’s belongings. She uses the chaos of the war to her advantage.
Actions and Attitudes
- Acquiring Belongings: Mrs. Dorling took many valuable items from the narrator’s family home, promising to keep them safe until after the war. These items included silverware, antiques, and other precious possessions.
- Avoidance: When the narrator returns after the war to retrieve her family’s belongings, Mrs. Dorling is evasive and uncooperative. She avoids the narrator and refuses to return the items.
Behavior
- Cold and Unwelcoming: When the narrator visits her, Mrs. Dorling is cold and unwelcoming. She does not show any warmth or empathy towards the narrator’s situation.
- Selfish: Her behavior suggests a selfish nature. She is more concerned with her own comfort and the possessions she has acquired than with the well-being of the narrator and her family.
Emotional Traits
- Insensitive: Mrs. Dorling is insensitive to the narrator’s feelings and memories associated with the items she took. She shows no understanding or compassion.
- Detached: She seems emotionally detached from the impact of her actions on the narrator and her family. Her focus is purely on the material value of the items.
Key Incidents
- Taking Possessions: During the war, Mrs. Dorling takes the narrator’s family’s possessions, supposedly to keep them safe, but really for her own gain.
- Refusal to Return: After the war, when the narrator seeks to reclaim her family’s items, Mrs. Dorling refuses to return them and even pretends not to recognize the narrator.
Relationships
- With the Narrator: Mrs. Dorling’s relationship with the narrator is strained and antagonistic. She does not treat the narrator with the respect or kindness one would expect from someone who was trusted to safeguard cherished belongings.
- With the Narrator’s Mother: Before the war, she had a seemingly good relationship with the narrator’s mother, who trusted her enough to leave precious items with her. This trust, however, was ultimately betrayed.
Lessons Learned
- Betrayal of Trust: Mrs. Dorling’s actions highlight the theme of betrayal. She betrays the trust placed in her by the narrator’s family.
- Materialism: Her character exemplifies the dangers of materialism and greed. She values possessions over relationships and human connections.
Final Traits
- Manipulative: By the end of the story, it is clear that Mrs. Dorling is manipulative. She used the war as a cover to take advantage of others.
- Unrepentant: She shows no remorse for her actions. Her lack of guilt or desire to make amends underscores her selfish and calculating nature.
Mrs. Dorling’s character in “The Address” serves as a stark reminder of how people can exploit situations for their gain and how such actions can deeply affect those around them. Her practical, yet selfish and manipulative nature contrasts sharply with the narrator’s sense of loss and longing for the past.