The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

Rosalind, the eldest of the Penderwick sisters, is 12 years old during the story’s main events. Like Jane and Batty, she has “their father’s—and Aunt Claire’s—dark curls and brown eyes” (2), creating a strong family resemblance. Rosalind’s birth order defines her personality from a young age, with the narrator noting that she has had a strong sense of duty at least since the time of her mother’s hospitalization: “Rosalind was the oldest and felt the responsibility of it deeply, though she was only eight” (1). Her younger sisters look to the composed girl for leadership and solutions to their problems. Skye praises Rosalind as “the imperturbable Penderwick” (108), which makes Rosalind’s fear and fury towards Martin’s dating all the more notable. Another of Rosalind’s key traits is her determination, which she demonstrates by urging her sisters to “have the courage to follow the Save-Daddy Plan” even though the four girls’ strong consciences balk at seeing their father miserable (91). The responsible, composed, and determined Rosalind is the Penderwick sisters’ natural leader.

Rosalind’s dynamic characterization guides the novel’s exploration of love and growing up, highlighting the novel’s thematic exploration of The Struggles of Adolescence. Accustomed to being the dependable one of her siblings, the 12-year-old feels lost and conflicted for much of the novel as she struggles with the idea of her father remarrying.