The River Has Roots

Esther is the eldest of the two Hawthorn sisters, who are the dual protagonists of the novella. She is two years older than Ysabel, was born in December, and has dark hair. Described as “thoughtful and gregarious” (8), she prefers harps and riddle songs and believes that men are tedious and irritating. She also has a deep curiosity about Arcadia, sparked by her experience becoming lost there as a child, which she believed to be the most interesting thing that had ever happened to her and her sister.

Though Esther’s characterization takes some of its cues from folklore, it also departs from it in significant ways. In the murder ballads that the novella draws on, the elder sister typically becomes jealous of the younger sister’s beauty or suitors. By contrast, Esther is the one with multiple suitors, including Samuel Pollard, whom she hates and Ysabel likes. Esther prefers her secret Arcadian lover, Rin. Esther thus harbors no jealousy toward her sister and only wishes to protect her, particularly since she feels that Ysabel could do better than Pollard. The love between the sisters stays constant in the novella, superseding even Esther’s love for Rin.