Previous
John’s Grandmother (Margaret Todd Ames)
Louisa was John’s first wife. They grew up together in Gilead and got married while John was in seminary. Louisa died soon after giving birth to her and John’s only child, Rebecca. Though he loved her and looks forward to reuniting in heaven, John doesn’t seem to remember her in great detail after 51 years and has stronger impressions of her as a child, when she loved jumping rope on the streets of Gilead.
Louisa Quotes in Gilead
The Gilead quotes below are all either spoken by Louisa or refer to Louisa. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Pages 50-53
Quotes
While you read this, I am imperishable, somehow more alive than I have ever been, in the strength of my youth, with dear ones beside me. You read the dreams of an anxious, fuddled old man, and I live in a light better than any dream of mine—not waiting for you, though, because I want your dear perishable self to live long and to love this poor perishable world, which I somehow cannot imagine not missing bitterly, even while I do long to see what it will mean to have wife and child restored to me, I mean Louisa and Rebecca. I have wondered about that for many years. Well, this old seed is about to drop into the ground. Then I’ll know.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Gilead LitChart as a printable PDF.
Louisa Quotes in Gilead
The Gilead quotes below are all either spoken by Louisa or refer to Louisa. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Pages 50-53
Quotes
While you read this, I am imperishable, somehow more alive than I have ever been, in the strength of my youth, with dear ones beside me. You read the dreams of an anxious, fuddled old man, and I live in a light better than any dream of mine—not waiting for you, though, because I want your dear perishable self to live long and to love this poor perishable world, which I somehow cannot imagine not missing bitterly, even while I do long to see what it will mean to have wife and child restored to me, I mean Louisa and Rebecca. I have wondered about that for many years. Well, this old seed is about to drop into the ground. Then I’ll know.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
