Maud Martha

Maud’s appreciation for the simple things in life is established early in the novel. Her musings over the ordinariness of dandelions as “yellow jewels for everyday” (2) demonstrate her ability to recognize beauty in her everyday surroundings. Maud relates to the dandelion’s combination of demure appearance and everydayness, which makes her character endearing.

Even though Maud dreams of New York as a young adult, she’s realistic in her expectations, knowing that her dreams are just that: dreams, not plans. Paul promises to provide all the material symbols of wealth from Maud’s New York dreams, but Maud quickly recognizes that his hopes exceed their income. The young couple quickly falls into a domestic routine, going out together and spending quiet evenings reading at home. When Maud spares a mouse she’s caught, it’s treated as a monumental event because it’s something out of the ordinary for her daily routine. Happenings as simple as catching a mouse or cleaning a chicken take on more significance in this novel, drawing attention to generally overlooked details in life. When a person rushes through purchasing a cleaned chicken, they miss the stench and slime of butchery. This narrative, though, goes into Maud’s head while she’s performing daily chores and tasks, providing a glimpse of her thoughts as she prepares meals and runs daily errands.