Main Street

Vida “casually” (84) disrupts Carol’s world four days later. She claims that she wants to help Carol to integrate into the community. Once they are both accepted, she says, then they can change Gopher Prairie for the better. According to Vida, Carol’s desire to change the town is laudable, but she lacks tact in her approach. Vida also suggests that Carol’s clothing might make her seem aloof, while her comments may be intended as friendly but are interpreted as condescending. The “beastly and treacherous” (87) townspeople believe that Carol’s fancy décor is absurd; they believe that her party—which she believed to be a success—was an attempt to show off her wealth and status. Vida reveals to Carol that the townspeople gossip and mock her. Carol is hurt. Feeling ashamed, she curses their “frozen, sneering, horrible hearts” (88). After, Carol speaks to Kennicott. She asks him whether he has heard the locals talk about her, but he seems to be oblivious to such matters. Kennicott does suggest that Carol try to buy more local items, rather than have things delivered. The local items may be inferior, he says, but the locals will appreciate her patronage. He also tells her not to associate with any patients of Dr.