Who is Dr. Sloper? What is important about his marriage? How has that marriage impacted his view of the world? How does Dr. Sloper feel about his only child, a daughter? Who comes to help Dr. Sloper raise his child? How does Dr. Sloper feel about this situation? What is Dr. Sloper's main disappointment in regards to his daughter? How does he try to remedy this?

Who is Catherine Sloper? What does she look like? What are her favorite pastimes? What does her father think of this? Who does Catherine meet at a party for her cousin Marian? How does she feel about this meeting? Who does Catherine later see talking to this person? How does she feel about this? What does this reveal to the reader about Catherine?

Who is Mrs. Penniman? Why does she come to live with the Slopers? How long...