Laura Brown

Living… in Los Angeles suburbia. Laura recently became pregnant with her second child. Her first child, Richie, is completely under her care. She must bathe, clothe, and feed him, day in and day out. Laura is determined to make a cake for her husband’s birthday, but she has trouble even getting out of bed in the morning, knowing that she will have to continue going about her business as a 1950s housewife.

Profession… housewife. Laura cooks, cleans, and prepares a perfect little home for her husband, her son, and their unborn baby. But a desire to be free of this mundane existence begins to well up inside her, and she calls into question her entire existence.

Interests… reading alone. Laura has started reading Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf, a very influential novel that shows her how a woman can have a real personal identity, not just be “only a wife.”

Relationship Status… married to Dan. He is a World War II veteran, and feels that he deserves the kind of freedom he fought for. This freedom involves being able to go to work each day and come home to a well-cooked meal prepared by his wife with love and care. 

Challenge… dealing with depression. As the day wears on, it becomes incredibly difficult to continue the masquerade. Laura thinks to herself, “She will remain devoted to her son, her husband, her home and duties, all her gifts. She will want this second child.”

Personality… devoted, depressed, and conflicted. Laura is an excellent housewife, and has produced two lovely children. However, Laura feels a storm inside of her, a desire to drop everything and start over.