takes place in a shabby neighborhood in New York City. The two Bunner sisters, Ann Eliza the elder, and Evelina the younger, keep a small shop selling artificial flowers and small handsewn articles to Stuyvesant Square's "female population."
Bunner Sisters is a novella by Edith Wharton, first published in 1916. The story is a poignant and tragic exploration of the lives of two working-class sisters, Ann and Evelina Bunner, who run a small shop in New York City. Wharton’s exploration of the characters' emotional lives, social constraints, and the price of personal sacrifice makes Bunner Sisters one of her more nuanced and introspective works.
The novella focuses on the relationship between the two sisters, their differing personalities, and their aspirations. Ann, the older sister, is practical, self-sacrificing, and dedicated to the well-being of both herself and her younger sister. Evelina, on the other hand, is more dreamy and discontented, longing for a life beyond the confines of their modest existence. Their shop, where they sell hats and other small goods, becomes a metaphor for the limited opportunities available to them.
The plot of Bunner Sisters revolves around a turning point in the sisters' lives when a man, Mr. Rocco, enters their lives, creating tension between them. Mr. Rocco, a watchmaker who rents a portion of the shop’s space, becomes a symbol of a potential escape for the sisters, particularly for Evelina, who begins to develop romantic feelings for him. However, their lives are deeply shaped by their economic circumstances, and Evelina's emotional and romantic desires clash with the harsh reality of their financial situation and the choices they have made in the past.
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Categories: Fiction Historical Classics