Beginning of Essay
Most people, when forced to give up the one thing they truly love, would rather see it be destroyed than in the hands of another person. In “Old Woman Magoun,” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, the old woman is in that position. She is burdened with relinq ....

Middle of Essay
.... ever since her daughter died and she had to take care of Lily. After an undesired and unforeseen encounter between the girl and Barry, the old woman is informed that she must hand over the girl. Feeling helpless and having no control over the situation, she feels forced to make a major decision to prevent the young girl from, what she feels, would be a grave predicament. Old Woman Magoun most likely feels responsible for Lily’s situation and her own daughter’s demise and has learned to fear men as a result of it. She fears the girl’s father because he represents the part of herself that she cannot control, Lily. She has no choice ....