A Character Study

Grace Hodges – Mrs. Hodges is the last daughter of wealthy and powerful family dynasty. “Old Money” she always called it. In the waning years of her life, Mrs. Hodges has made it her sole intention to make sure that the family name leaves this world with the dignity and respect it is accustomed too. She is a woman brought up in the school of propriety, and clings to her upbringing the way a Baptist clings to a bible, especially in this age where propriety seems to be slipping from the attention-deficit minds of the youth. The youth: she always called it “wasted energy,” in fact she never seemed to like the idea of having children of any age around. She had a preemptive curtness for people she considered less refined than her, and children (and the working class) were definitely of that breed. Though neither want to be around her much with such a sullen face as she wears.

Grace Hodges is a formidable woman, with a disposition to match. Many have tried to break through the glacier she carries on her face—lawyers, brokers, and bankers alike but none have succeeded. When one looks at the icy face of Grace Hodges, one will not see any resemblance of emotion, save the mild annoyance with her oncoming feebleness in her old age found in the tight, down-turned corners of her thin lips. Indeed, Mrs. Hodges is a hard person to know. Yet beneath this cold exterior, lies the younger version of Grace Hodges—a woman full of mystery and intrigue. Her life was not always spent cradling the fragile pieces of her family’s reputation. When she was younger Grace would go on tours of Europe, safaris in the African Savannah; she could rub shoulders with business moguls and artisans in the same week. She spent most of her young adult life taking the world in by the handfuls—as much as possible at a time, much to the chagrin of her father.

Her father was one of the top business men in the country during a time when industry separated the mere men from legends. All he ever wanted was for his little girl was to settle down with a nice young man with a good head on his shoulders, for her to lead a happy and simple life away from worry, and to be safe. But Grace would not hear of it, she continued on in her own wild and charismatic way, growing more charming and irresistible by the minute. She was always “beating them off with a stick” as they say. she was never want for attention from her opposite sex; she loved every bit of the attention. But her father’s gone now, and Grace can never get over the remorse she feels every time she thinks about the way things were left between them. He never liked the impulsive attitude she took towards life and was absolutely certain she would squander and ruin the precious family name. It’s all Mrs. Hodges ever thinks about.

Those keen enough can look into her cold blue eyes, and see a disappointment that only those who must carry the entire history of her family on her shoulders. With a deep look into those pools of sapphires, one can see the fiery young girl full of adventure, the tumultuous young woman with a razor-wit and ambition to match, and finally the nostalgic longing of an old woman, who has had to endure the hardship of giving into the steady flow of time. But her father is gone and, having never married, Mrs. Hodges has resigned to being the refined woman her father had always wanted her to be. And now in her old age, all she can do is wistfully recall the memories of her tumultuous youth. If one manages to gain Grace Hodges trust, and she does let her guard down even just a little, then a clever person can see that longing her innocent eyes.