The fact that Louisa willingly released the hand Joe Dagget, who was undeniably husband material and considered a "catch" for any single woman, reinforces the point that she was rebelling against the norms and expectations of society. ... Another way Louisa represents female independence is through focusing more attention to her interests than a man's interests, which was not common for women in the late 1800's. ... Freeman also suggests to the reader that a man in a woman's life signifies chaos, as the canary goes crazy every time Joe walks into the room. ... This symbolizes ...

• Word Count: 2223
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate