The Housemaid's Wedding

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of  physical abuse and emotional abuse.

The story’s setting, or where it takes place, creates a mood that is both ominous and somber for Millie’s wedding day, threatening to ruin the perfect day that she envisions for her marriage. First, the weather itself infiltrates on her plans, as it snows throughout the entire day. As she notes, “It’s only the beginning of December, and the weather forecast didn’t predict snow, but it’s coming down fast enough to stick to the ground. Is snow on your wedding day good luck? Or is only rain?” (11). Then, the various locations that she finds herself in—her small apartment with the closed closet door and then the café bathroom—create a sense of danger surrounding the man who is threatening her. McFadden builds suspense around these locations, taking typically mundane places and creating a mood of foreboding as the caller infiltrates Millie’s life. In this way, the snowy, cold, claustrophobic settings juxtapose the warmth and love of Millie’s wedding, highlighting her and Enzo’s resilience and their determination to be happy despite the dangers they will face.