One Came Home

Billy is Georgie’s companion on her journey and a catalyst for her emotional and psychological growth. At the beginning of the novel, Georgie dislikes Billy because of his romantic connection to Agatha, which in Georgie’s eyes, pulled Agatha away from Georgie. She views Billy with jealousy and suspicion, especially as she found his intentions toward Agatha to be unclear: She saw him kissing Agatha after their relationship had supposedly ended. Initially, Georgie involves Billy in her journey to Dog Hollow out of necessity, but once the two start traveling together, she comes to see Billy as competent, loyal, and complex. 

Georgie also develops romantic feelings for him, showing that she is shifting from childhood to adulthood. She notices how handsome Billy is, thinking that looking at him is “like looking at woodwork done by a true craftsman” (97). In addition to highlighting Georgie’s own journey toward adulthood, her shift in perspective about Billy shows Georgie’s new flexibility as she revises her old opinion based on her experiences. 

Billy treats Georgie with respect, which makes Georgie realize she has her own power and agency. In contrast to her grandfather, who demands obedience, Billy sees Georgie as worthy of trust and partnership, and this helps her to begin to make her own decisions. However, Billy withholds information from her and, recognizing that she is still a child, he doesn’t take her romantic feelings for him seriously; despite this, he plays an important role in her development.

Billy and Georgie go their separate ways at the end of the novel, which is necessary for Georgie to complete her growth as she realizes that relationships can change. Billy’s companionship helps Georgie see that she chooses to stay in Placid because she wants to, and not because others say she should. Since it’s made clear from the beginning of the novel that Billy wishes to leave Placid, his exit from Georgie’s life shows that she is independent and capable of making her own decisions without his support.

Agatha is never present in the present timeline of the novel, and she only appears in Georgie’s memories. As a character, she is a foil to Georgie, with Agatha’s temperament and choices highlighting Georgie’s rigidity and the limitations of Georgie’s worldview. While Georgie is initially content to live the life her grandfather has planned for her, Agatha refuses to let others make her choices for her. In Georgie’s memories, Agatha stands out as fearless and fierce compared to Georgie’s terror at trying new things or standing up for herself. Agatha’s love of books and desire for education mark her as someone unwilling to be constrained by her small town or her grandfather’s expectations.

Agatha’s personality represents The Impact of Societal Expectations on Individual Choices. At a time when women had to fight for agency, Agatha’s grandfather views her headstrong confidence as a childlike fancy she has to outgrow to become a valuable part of society. He prioritizes her beauty, seeing it as a resource that can secure her a good match; however, Agatha finds this constricting and aspires to a life of independence and education. Thus, instead of letting societal pressures turn her into someone she doesn’t want to be, she takes control. When she understands that she doesn’t have a future in Placid, she leaves. So, beyond just a plot device, Agatha’s disappearance symbolizes that she is going against expectations and paving the way for new ideas. 

Agatha’s absence also catalyzes Georgie’s character growth. Georgie embarks on her journey because she cannot accept a world without Agatha in it. However, as the journey unfolds, she comes to see her previous misunderstandings about both herself and her sister. By the time Agatha’s letter finally arrives, Georgie no longer resents her for leaving and sees that Agatha’s choices were not up to Georgie to define.