Kathleen Eileen is a middle-aged woman living in a city. She experiences the physical and societal changes of aging. Facing the loss of her youth, she feels a profound sense of isolation and displacement. She notes that she is no longer the subject of romantic or sexual desire. She views her life as entering its autumn or sunset phase and searches for meaning now that her traditional roles as mother and wife have faded.

The husband is Kathleen Eileen's spouse. As she ages, his passionate feelings toward her have faded. He interacts with her in a manner that she describes as merely pleasant or polite. He embodies the loss of romantic connection in her middle age.

Kathleen Eileen's children are now grown and have left their childhood home. They no longer require her maternal care. They have symbolically put her away alongside their discarded childhood toys, marbles, and dolls.

These figures from Kathleen Eileen's past or present represent the external male gaze. Much like her husband, they no longer look at her with lust or love. They treat her only with politeness as she ages out of what society deems sexually desirable.