The Speaker

The speaker is the central character in the poem. Based on the fact that the poem comes from a largely autobiographical collection, the speaker shares many similarities with Nelson herself. The speaker expresses her unease and discomfort over the frequent comparisons between her and her deceased aunt Jane, whom she never met. Although these comparisons are meant to be a comfort for the speaker, she finds them difficult to hear as she herself struggles to feel a connection with Jane.

The Speaker's Mother

The speaker's mother opens the poem with words of affirmation, telling the speaker that the spirit of Jane lives on in her. This is the only time the speaker's mother is featured in the poem, but her words suggest that she sees commonalities between her sister, Jane, and her daughter, the speaker. The poem implies that the speaker's mother is still grappling with the...