Desire for a Better Life

Miranda is anxious to go to Dragonwyck because she feels that she will realize her dreams and wants to see what the world is like beyond the family farm. Once she gets there, she delights in her elegant bedroom, the beautiful wardrobe she is given, and the fact that she is waited on by servants. She is also glad that Nicholas is acquainting her with the "finer things" that should be a part of her life there.

When she marries Van Ryn, she finds that she has many new obligations, including entertaining the many guests that come to the manor. She also feels very lonely at times and is frightened by her husband's moods and demands, which she had not expected at all when she left the farm.

Miranda also matures over time, and she summons up the strength to cope with the loss...