Who is Joanna from Short Story Masterpieces and what is their importance?

Joanna is a character in the story, The Nightingales Sing. She is a young woman who has led a normal, middle class life that is well structured and safe. When Joanna spends time at a ranch house in the country, she learns about life outside of the one she knows. She learns about dangerous jobs, heartache, and love outside of what is considered normal. After she returns home, Joanna has to face her life in a new way, knowing there is more than what her own family sees day to day and knowing she now will likely want more.