Mrs. Hutchence Character Analysis

Mrs. Hutchence is an older woman who lives with Leona in an actual house—the only one for many miles—near the settlement. Mrs. Hutchence is something of an enigma; the settlers know very little of either her or Leona, including where they came from or how they could afford to build a house. Although there is no man to help her maintain her home or property, Mrs. Hutchence proves plenty capable, wearing boots and doing work traditionally done by men—which disconcerts many of the settlers and demonstrates the power and capability of women. Significantly, Mrs. Hutchence introduces Janet to beekeeping and thus offers a space in which Janet can maximize her potential. Her time with Mrs. Hutchence sets Janet on her trajectory for the rest of her life by showing her what it’s like to be free of the societal repression she faces everywhere else in the settlement. Indeed, Mrs. Hutchence’s house becomes a place where several characters are able to be free of their constraining social roles, if only for an afternoon. Although Mrs. Hutchence shelters Gemmy in her home after he is attacked, since it is safer there than at the McIvors, Gemmy feels trapped living indoors and soon leaves.