Characters Discussed
Hal Carter
Hal Carter, a young vagabond. Hal is a powerfully built drifter, a former college athlete reluctantly aware that he must find himself a job and a place in the world or be a drifter all of his life. Hal joins a Labor Day picnic at the invitation of his former college roommate, Alan Seymour. He escorts Millie, the bookwormish younger sister of the town beauty, Madge, to the envy of Rosemary, the aging schoolteacher who rooms with the Owenses. Hal’s presence creates havoc in the lives of the picnickers, especially the women.
Madge Owens
Madge Owens, a beautiful woman. Hal’s meeting with Madge, the town beauty, has an electric tension even though they are not certain of their immediate attraction for each other. Madge knows only that she is even less certain that she wants to marry Alan, even though she is being pushed into it by her mother, Flo Owens.
Millie Owens
Millie Owens, the highly intelligent, uninhibited younger sister of Madge. Millie has won a scholarship to the state university but knows very little about attracting members of the opposite sex. Ultimately, it is Millie who gives Madge the courage to follow Hal by stating, “For once in your life, do something bright.”
Flo Owens
Flo Owens, the attractive mother of Madge and Millie. She rents rooms in her home to schoolteachers. Flo was deserted by her husband many years ago, and Hal reminds her of her husband, who could not accept life’s responsibilities. She wants Madge to marry dependable Alan Seymour and live the safe, secure life that she never knew.
Helen Potts
Helen Potts, the neighbor lady whom Hal asks if he may do some yard chores in return for breakfast. Helen is friendly and outgoing but is a resilient woman. She still cares for her invalid mother, who, years ago, had her brief marriage annulled.
Rosemary Sydney
Rosemary Sydney, a schoolteacher who boards at the Owenses’ home and has been dating Howard Bevans, an unromantic shopkeeper whose attentions are desperately welcomed by the frustrated schoolteacher. Rosemary cannot face the obvious absorption of Hal and Madge in each other at the picnic and the breathlessness with which they dance together. Unable to share their mood, Rosemary creates a scene that forces Hal to flee the picnic. Madge follows him into the night, despite his warning that he is no good for her.
Alan Seymour
Alan Seymour, Madge’s boyfriend, who is the son of a wealthy local businessman. Alan is the former college roommate of Hal, who was a football star until he flunked out. Hal comes to town as a man who is running out of options; he hopes to land a job with Alan’s help, even though they have not seen each other for many years.
Howard Bevans
Howard Bevans, a mild-mannered small-town businessman who is a bachelor approaching middle age. He has been going out with Rosemary for many years without proposing marriage. After the Labor Day picnic, Rosemary abandons her feigned indifference to marriage and begs Howard to marry her. Howard gives her lame excuses, but the next morning she announces in front of other people that they are to be married, so he has little choice. Rosemary’s moment of triumph occurs when she rides off with Howard for an Ozark marriage and honeymoon.
Bomber
Bomber, the paperboy, who crudely lusts after Madge. Millie constantly conflicts with his adolescent desires and Madge simply tries to ignore him.
Irma Kronkite
Irma Kronkite, a schoolteacher friend of Rosemary who is also an unmarried woman, just returning from a “wicked” vacation in New York....
(This entire section contains 641 words.)
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She has visited the Stork Club. She was supposed to be concentrating on a master’s degree in education at Columbia University.
Christine Schoenwalder
Christine Schoenwalder, a new schoolteacher in town who teaches “feminine hygiene.”
Characters
Howard Bevans
Howard is Rosemary's suitor. In his forties and hesitant to marry, he brings a
bottle of whiskey to a gathering, which causes several serious issues. Millie
drinks and becomes ill. Hal drinks and has a sexual encounter with Madge.
Rosemary and Howard also drink, leading to their own sexual encounter. The
following morning, when Howard tries to take Rosemary back to the Owens' home,
she begs him to marry her. Despite his initial hesitation, he agrees.
Bomber
Bomber is a teenage newsboy with a minor role, primarily making comments about
Madge's beauty and leering at her.
Hal Carter
Hal is young and strikingly handsome. With no strong ties, he frequently moves
from town to town, changing jobs along the way. While he can be considered a
drifter, his charm and good looks set him apart from the typical transient.
Hal's life has been eventful; he was a college football hero and was promised a
Hollywood career, which fell through, leading him to work as a cowboy.
Hitchhiking to Texas, he was picked up by two women and robbed. He is currently
in town, hoping that his college friend Alan and Alan's father can help him
find a job.
Despite his past popularity, Hal admits he doesn't know how to behave around socially refined young women and has never participated in typical social activities, such as going on a picnic. His childhood was marked by close calls with the law, his father's death from alcohol abuse, and estrangement from his mother. Although he joined a fraternity in college, his football hero status was his ticket to social acceptance. Deep down, Hal is insecure, socially awkward, and fears that others will see through his confident facade. After drinking too much, he seduces a willing Madge. Alan's father has him pursued on a fabricated auto theft charge, forcing Hal to leave town. Before departing, he visits Madge one last time. To Madge, Hal represents the escape she has been longing for from her small-town life. She agrees to leave with him.
Irma Kronkite
Irma is a teacher and a friend of Rosemary's. She spends her summers in New
York and returns in the fall to teach.
Mrs. Flo Owens
Mrs. Owens, a widow in her forties, believes that a marriage between her eldest
daughter, Madge, and the wealthy Alan would elevate the family's social
standing and ensure a better future for Madge. Flo urges Madge to pursue Alan,
warning her that her youthful beauty will fade and that another chance at
marriage might not come. Flo is particularly anxious that Madge might end up
struggling financially, as she did. She is wary of Hal's presence, seeing him
as a threat to Madge's prospects with Alan. While it is never explicitly
stated, it is suggested that Flo had an inappropriate love affair in her youth,
which explains her disapproval of Madge's interest in Hal.
Madge Owens
Madge, Flo's oldest daughter, is an eighteen-year-old of exceptional beauty.
She works part-time as a store clerk but feels self-conscious about her job,
aspiring for something better. Madge is aware that men are drawn to her looks
rather than her intellect. Flo has trained her in cooking and sewing, skills
deemed essential for a "good," domestic wife. Unlike the other young people,
Madge stays home to cook while they go off to swim. The distant train whistle
symbolizes freedom for Madge, who yearns to leave her small-town life behind.
Her chance to escape arises after spending a night with Hal. Realizing she
loves him, she decides to take the risk of being with him, despite knowing he
might not amount to much. The play concludes with Madge leaving, her few
belongings packed in a small suitcase.
Millie Owens
Millie, another of Flo's daughters, is sixteen, shy yet boisterous, and
assertive in an attempt to appear confident. Although not as beautiful as
Madge, she excels academically. Millie is somewhat of a tomboy, preferring
sports and the company of boys over domestic chores. She dreams of going to
college, becoming a writer, and moving to New York to start a new life.
Helen Potts
Mrs. Potts, a nearly sixty-year-old widow, lives with her demanding mother. She
hires Hal for some chores, inadvertently setting off events that will alter
their lives. It is evident that Helen's mother has prevented her from having a
meaningful relationship with a man. Rumor has it that after Helen married Mr.
Potts, her mother had the marriage annulled. Helen kept his name to remind her
mother of those brief moments of freedom. She supports Hal, attracted to him
and wishing for him the happiness she was denied.
Christine Schoenwalder
Christine is a newly arrived teacher in town. She spends time with Rosemary and
Irma.
Alan Seymour
Alan is a wealthy young man and Madge's steady boyfriend. He knows Hal from
their college days. When Alan discovers that Hal is working next door, he is
thrilled to reconnect with his old friend. Alan's father is sending him back to
college, likely to keep him away from Madge, who comes from a less affluent
background. Alan is in love with Madge but becomes hostile towards Hal when he
realizes that Madge and Hal are attracted to each other. He eventually leaves
town once it is evident that Madge loves Hal.
Rosemary Sydney
Rosemary is a boarder at the Owens' residence. She is an unmarried school
teacher who projects an air of indifference to her surroundings. She feigns
disinterest in men and suggests she is younger than she actually is, though she
is close in age to Flo. In truth, Rosemary deeply desires to get married. After
drinking, she loses her inhibitions, has sex with Howard, and then begs him to
marry her.