In this section, Anna recalls of her family’s plans to sell their house and move to Lenox Hill. In the previous year, Ed had made plans for a new job there. This would also involve the transfer of Olivia to a new school there. The author represents how new job opportunities can result in the relocation of families to new cities. Sadly, these plans were not fruitful because of the deaths of her husband and daughter before they had sold their old house. The mood of Anna is that of bitterness. She is regretful as she describes the magnificent house that her family lived in, and which they had made plans of selling. She describes how the rooms had been utilized by her husband for his work. To emphasize that Anna was yet to come to term with the deaths of her family members, the author states that she still reserved the rooms that had been utilized by Ed and Olivia.

Also, the author affirms that Anna was a doctor who had spent her residency in Oxford. The author introduces this information to emphasize the contrast between a successful doctor and the obsessive traits of Anna that made her shun her social life and start prying on her neighbors. Being a doctor, Anna’s habit of prying on her neighbors diminishes her character representation of being ill-mannered. This is contrary to the audience’s expectations that all doctors are learned, reputable individuals. It, therefore, leaves the audience yearning to learn what would have resulted in such a transition by Anna.