A Native of Winby by Sarah Orne Jewett
"A Native of Winby" by Sarah Orne Jewett is a poignant exploration of nostalgia, memory, and the passage of time, centered around the character of Joseph K. Laneway. The story begins with Laneway's departure from the small New England town of Winby to pursue a successful career, where he becomes a general and later a senator. Upon revisiting Winby as an adult, he finds a town that has changed significantly, with remnants of his past fading away. The narrative contrasts Laneway's accomplishments with the struggles faced by his first love, Abby Harran, who has endured many hardships, including the loss of her husband and son.
The tale unfolds as Laneway reconnects with Abby, reminiscing about their youthful days while reflecting on their diverging life paths. Their reunion evokes deep emotions and highlights themes of lost opportunities and the bittersweet nature of memory. The story emphasizes the impact of one’s roots and the often-unrecognized struggles of those who remain in familiar places. Through rich descriptions and tender interactions, Jewett captures the complexity of human relationships and the passage of time with sensitivity and respect for diverse experiences.
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A Native of Winby by Sarah Orne Jewett
First published: 1891
Type of plot: Regional
Time of work: About 1890
Locale: Maine
Principal Characters:
Joseph K. Laneway , a senator, general, and millionaire, and a native of WinbyMarilla Hender , a schoolteacher in WinbyAbby Harran Hender , her grandmother
The Story
When Joseph K. Laneway was thirteen, he and his family left the New England town of Winby and headed west. Laneway also left behind his first love, Abby Harran. He rose to the rank of general in the Civil War, was elected senator from Kansota, and became rich. Now, back in Winby, people still talk about him; Marilla Hender, a teacher, repeatedly reminds her pupils that Laneway attended their school, where he paid more attention to his studies than they do and thus began his rise to fame.
Abby's life is more difficult. The family farm always yielded more stones than crops. Her husband died young, as did her favorite son and his wife. To survive, she has had to work hard and live frugally.
One drowsy May afternoon, a stranger enters Marilla's classroom. He listens to student recitations for a time, then, to the astonishment of the children, sits at one of the benches. When Marilla informs him, as she does all strangers, that Senator Laneway once sat in that room, he—Laneway—introduces himself. He delivers an address to the students; then, as he prepares to leave, Marilla urges him to visit her grandmother, Abby Harran Hender, who was once a classmate and who still talks about him.
Laneway spends the rest of the day wandering around the old town. He is saddened to discover that his family's house has become a sheep meadow, and even the old walnut tree has been cut down. When he asks passersby whether any Laneways live in town, the response is always an indifferent no. This is hardly the triumphant reception he had anticipated.
Tired and disappointed, just after dark he arrives at the Hender house, where Marilla has been telling her grandmother about the surprise visit. Abby, hearing the knock, goes to the door to dismiss the stranger, for she wants to hear more of Marilla's story. As soon as she sees Laneway standing in the door, she recognizes him and invites him to come inside.
Through much of the night they relive their past. Abby prepares Laneway's favorite New England foods: rye drop-cakes, fried turnovers, broiled salt fish, brown-crusted loaf bread, and baked beans. Later they drink cider made from apples Abby picked herself. She proudly shows him the 106-volume library she has collected. Among the books are a few that Laneway sent and a campaign biography, which she has used to hold the "three or four letters" he wrote to her.
The next morning, Laneway departs. Before going, he gives Abby a bunch of pink anemones and tells her, "You mustn't put these in your desk." After almost six decades he still remembers giving the thirteen-year-old Abby a similar bouquet, which she left in her desk until they withered. She replies, blushing, that she still has those flowers pressed in a book.
Marilla drives the senator to the station and returns to report that the whole town has turned out to greet their guest. Then Marilla notices that Abby has been crying. Abby reassures her granddaughter that the visit has been pleasant; she is crying only because she realizes that she is aging.
Bibliography
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