"Miss Lou"

"Miss Lou" by Edward Payson Roe is a story set in the aftermath of the Civil War, where a Southern woman named Lou feels suffocated by the societal restrictions and expectations of her family, especially regarding her arranged marriage to her cousin. The story looks into topics like individual freedom, the pressures of society, and the relationship between the North and South during a difficult period in American history, beginning with Lou expressing her unhappiness with her restricted life to Aun' Jinkey. When Allan Scoville, a Union soldier, appears unexpectedly which causes her to grapple with her affections and the harsh truths of war, challenging her loyalties and her longing for independence, ultimately setting the scene for the struggles and choices that will determine her future within the context of her time.