McNair's childhood when she sleepwalked to the pond as a child. This is where Mrs. McNair always went to get away from things. This plays a big role when the little boy appears in a dream state. She escapes to him, to the little boy she connected with in the hospital. She is confused because the little boy she had contact with in the hospital was not hers, and yet she still dreams of him, of how he is doing. Ms McNair lost her own child and through a mistake at the hospital linked to someone else's, which then had to be taken away from her. While she faces these difficulties, her husband is never home during the week and cheats on her. Still, society says that she must always maintain her good manners, otherwise she might cause an uproar in society. On the other hand, Mr. McNair was applauded for his actions, for staying with Mrs. McNair while having a mistress. He remained the good guy throughout the story. Whereas Mrs. McNair and the other women, during this period, were limited in almost everything they did. Her actions reflected on her husband. Women in society had a duty to maintain this standard of perfection no matter what they were going through in their lives.