The story was published in Harper’s Bazaar 1895 and its title was “The New-Year Guests” and reprinted in the collection The Queen’s Twin and Other Tales (1899.
Like many of Jewett’s stories, this was also based on middle aged-women living independently in a close knit community, small town or villages. But the mood is seldom melancholy. They are happy, boisterous, enjoying the view from their north gable windows, knitting the soft woolens, pruning the garden roses once in while and loving their independence. But through these various domestic activities, Jewett shows a slight waning light of loneliness which just sometimes wanes and goes. The story Aunt Cynthy Dallett is another delightful story in this category.
Margaret Farrand Thorp, in her 1966 study of Jewett’s fiction, notes (using this story as a paramount example), “Misanthropy has nothing to do with this state of mind. Most of the solitaries like to mix with people and like to talk, but there are other things they value more, independence, the pleasure of being surrounded by their own possessions, freedom to order their lives and do things in their own way.”
Two women, Miss Abby Pendexter and Miss Hand are planning to visit Abby’s aunt Cynthy who lives in the neighboring town. It is past Christmas and New Year is close by. Abby mentions about visiting her aunt because she is of a peculiar type. The ones that are fiercely independent but will still expect company from their family and neighbours.
Abby however has some financial troubles of her own. Her landlord wants the house back and so Abby would soon be homeless. She had a few hens and their eggs were her source of income. But through a long hard summer, the money was spent and some hens were gone too.
Both ladies discuss this and in a somber and troublesome mood they finally decide to visit aunt Cynthy.
The beautiful countryside is vividly described. The long winding lanes, dense growth of Maine’s trees and bushes, a place native to Jewett as well as being featured in many of her stories and novels.
On the way, both ladies bring up the topic of Abby’s diminishing finances. Abby is hesitating but Miss Hand suggests that her aunt Cynthy who is a spinster and well to do, can maybe support Abby. As in all of the heroines and lady characters in Jewett’s stories, they are strong willed and that comes with a fair amount of self respect. Abby is unsure to ask help and the matter remains hanging till they reach aunt Cynthy’s home.
Aunt Cynthy is spending a usual afternoon - looking by the window at the forlorn path expecting company to fill her solitude. She remembers good times and occasions with family and sees her days going by, tottering from one room to another. Presently, when she hears movement she understands she has visitors and is pleasantly overjoyed but shy of expressing it.
Then follows a wonderful tea and chatting sessions of news, sharing village stories, harmless gossip and remembering fond moments. In the course of the day, both ladies at the threshold of their needs - the elder one for company and the younger one for money, indirectly, hesitantly and then openly throw open the doors of their hearts. But the catalyst for the easy flow of conversation was Miss Hand who suggests that maybe both can help each other. Aunt Cynthy is overjoyed and more than welcomes her niece to stay with her forever. Thus solving Abby’s money problems and preventing the danger of being homeless and worse, begging for help. Sarah Jewett shows through the story how opening up your heart and removing restrictions and seemingly impossible hesitations can make life easier and pleasanter.
Themes
Solidarity and family bonding
Its a simple plot story and shows how family bonds are timeless and evergreen. It was the occasion of New Year which made Abby fulfill her visits to her aunt and it was the kindness of her niece which promoted Aunt Cynthy to readily be generous with her home. The story shows how maintaining relations can not only solve practical problems - indeed a small compensation - but also gratify our conscience.
Festivities seen a task rather enjoying
Image - WikiCommons - Artist Kate Greenaway 1846 - 1901
Adapted partly from storyoftheweek.org
Margaret Farrand Thorp, in her 1966 study of Jewett’s fiction, notes (using this story as a paramount example), “Misanthropy has nothing to do with this state of mind. Most of the solitaries like to mix with people and like to talk, but there are other things they value more, independence, the pleasure of being surrounded by their own possessions, freedom to order their lives and do things in their own way.”
Two women, Miss Abby Pendexter and Miss Hand are planning to visit Abby’s aunt Cynthy who lives in the neighboring town. It is past Christmas and New Year is close by. Abby mentions about visiting her aunt because she is of a peculiar type. The ones that are fiercely independent but will still expect company from their family and neighbours.
Abby however has some financial troubles of her own. Her landlord wants the house back and so Abby would soon be homeless. She had a few hens and their eggs were her source of income. But through a long hard summer, the money was spent and some hens were gone too.
Both ladies discuss this and in a somber and troublesome mood they finally decide to visit aunt Cynthy.
The beautiful countryside is vividly described. The long winding lanes, dense growth of Maine’s trees and bushes, a place native to Jewett as well as being featured in many of her stories and novels.
On the way, both ladies bring up the topic of Abby’s diminishing finances. Abby is hesitating but Miss Hand suggests that her aunt Cynthy who is a spinster and well to do, can maybe support Abby. As in all of the heroines and lady characters in Jewett’s stories, they are strong willed and that comes with a fair amount of self respect. Abby is unsure to ask help and the matter remains hanging till they reach aunt Cynthy’s home.
Aunt Cynthy is spending a usual afternoon - looking by the window at the forlorn path expecting company to fill her solitude. She remembers good times and occasions with family and sees her days going by, tottering from one room to another. Presently, when she hears movement she understands she has visitors and is pleasantly overjoyed but shy of expressing it.
Then follows a wonderful tea and chatting sessions of news, sharing village stories, harmless gossip and remembering fond moments. In the course of the day, both ladies at the threshold of their needs - the elder one for company and the younger one for money, indirectly, hesitantly and then openly throw open the doors of their hearts. But the catalyst for the easy flow of conversation was Miss Hand who suggests that maybe both can help each other. Aunt Cynthy is overjoyed and more than welcomes her niece to stay with her forever. Thus solving Abby’s money problems and preventing the danger of being homeless and worse, begging for help. Sarah Jewett shows through the story how opening up your heart and removing restrictions and seemingly impossible hesitations can make life easier and pleasanter.
Themes
Solidarity and family bonding
Its a simple plot story and shows how family bonds are timeless and evergreen. It was the occasion of New Year which made Abby fulfill her visits to her aunt and it was the kindness of her niece which promoted Aunt Cynthy to readily be generous with her home. The story shows how maintaining relations can not only solve practical problems - indeed a small compensation - but also gratify our conscience.
Independence a shield
All three women here, as in all of Jewett's heroines, are fiercely strong and ridiculously free minded. So it was tough to approach them with a question out of concern or pity. One had to maneuver through them to get their problem solved. Miss Hand understood that and she, in the position, of us readers, tries to make us understand that the two main protagonists here - Abby and aunt Cynthy are nothing less. So she helps to make Abby's problems known to her aunt and that helps to break the shield of independence in both the women.
Festivities seen a task rather enjoying
At the start of the story, Miss Hand and Abby discuss how Christmas is seen as a work day by many ladies of the newer generation. The cooking, baking, decorating, putting up of the Christmas tree are all seen as tasks. The ladies ruefully comment on this attitude, and they think back to the days when festive occasions were about doing things for the love of the day.
Old folks’ economical way of living
Old folks’ economical way of living
As Abby’s mother used to say ‘ use what you have got ‘ when the topic came to gifting in the New Year. Ofcourse people were way more prudent in their spending then (story was written in early 1900s) but the nature of gift giving was very very personal. Handmade gifts, using home based materials for making gifts were a norm and in many occasions, it was considered fashionable. Well today we have a name for it - DIY or youtubing ideas!
Image - WikiCommons - Artist Kate Greenaway 1846 - 1901
Adapted partly from storyoftheweek.org
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