This act was considered blasphemous because the only significant post a woman was expected to fill, was that of a housewife. 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. In the late 19th century, the concept of an aging and unmarried spinster was frowned upon - for every woman "needed" a man. And because Louisa was unmarried and seemingly had no desire to do so, it was common belief that she had no hope of a prosperous future. .
Louisa fought that stereotype and looks to her future with graciousness. "She gazed ahead through a long reach of future days strung together like pearls in a rosary, every one like the others, and all smooth and flawless and innocent, and her heart went up in thankfulness."(661) Louisa symbolizes female independence through her rejection of Joe and the optimism she sees in her future. She represents a recognizable model for other women at that time who were also striving for their independence. The morning after she breaks off the engagement with Joe, "she felt like a queen who, after fearing lest her domain be wrestled away from her, sees it firmly insured in her possession" (661). In other words, she feels empowered by her breakup with Joe, which is the exact opposite of what a woman would be expected to feel during that time period.
Additionally, while Joe is in Australia, Louisa experiences the loss of her entire family which further embodies her role as an independent woman. Her mother and brother both pass away, and she is left with no one. However, Freeman describes it as "the greatest happening of all – a subtle happening which both were too simple to understand – Louisa's feet had turned into a path, smooth maybe under a calm, serene sky, but so straight and unswerving that it could only meet a check at her grave, and so narrow that there was no room for any one at her side" (656-57).