Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton

Sarah finds herself in a challenging situation that an adult reader can more clearly understand than the young readers, who are the book's target audience. Young Anna and Caleb spend the entire time wondering whether Sarah will stay, or if she will choose to leave them, because she misses the sea. Grownup readers will understand that Sarah's decision will not be predicated on whether she misses the sea, but rather on whether she will be allowed to be herself with this new family.

Wives in this era were legally considered property, and women in general were denied the voting privileges taken for granted in today's modern democracy. Yet Sarah is a remarkably independent woman for her time. One of her first comments to Papa is to insist that her cat be allowed in the house, instead of sleeping in the barn where Papa suggests. Papa offers...