Draw a character sketch of Mrs Dorling. Do you justify her behaviour towards Mrs S and her daughter?

Mrs Dorling is an important character of Marga Minco’s short story The Address’. She is introduced to us as the mother of a fifteen-year old daughter. Like her daughter, Mrs Dorling has a ‘broad back’. When the narrator rings the bell, Mrs Dorling appears wearing the green knitted cardigan of the narrator’s mother. This shows how mercilessly she is using all ‘nice things’ of Mrs S.

Mrs Dorling’s behaviour towards Mrs S’ daughter is quite cold, unfriendly and inhuman. When the narrator introduces herself as the daughter of Mrs S, Mrs Dorling shows no sign of affection. Her remarks are very shocking and uncharitable. She utters : “Have you come back ?” She is not at all pleased to receive the daughter of Mrs S. She doesn’t feel “convenient”. She very coldly asks her to come “another time”.

Mrs Dorling lacks human qualities of head and heart. She is selfish. She is rude and ill mannered. She also lacks good sense and decency. She only knows how to exploit people and situations to her own advantage. She exploits Mrs S’s fear for war. She walks away with all her ‘nice things’ to 46, Marconi Street. She makes no effort to return them when the narrator visits her.