The Bunner Sisters

"As far as she could remember, it was the first time in her life that she had been taken care of instead of taking care, and there was a momentary relief in the surrender. She swallowed the tea like an obedient child, allowed a poultice to be applied to her aching chest and uttered no protest when a fire was kindled in the rarely used grate."

Wharton, Edith (2009-10-04). Bunner Sisters (p. 72). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.

This quote was significant to me because it was the first time that we are able to see Ann Eliza in a vulnerable state. Throughout the novel, she spends most of her time caring for others and hiding her feelings. In this passage we see how she surrenders herself to be cared for by another woman. This could signify how she never really grew up with a mother to care for her. This is also seen through the way that she describes herself as "an obedient child." She refers to herself as a child as if she has never been in this position of vulnerability before. The way that she describes herself being taken care makes it seem as if this is the first time that she has ever been cared for in this way. If this would have happened earlier in text I wonder if it would have changed the relationship between her and Evelina.