The New Yorker: "Haven" by Alice Munro

March 5, 2012: "Haven"by Alice Munro
This isn't one of my favorite Munro stories, although I likehow it begins.
A young girl is dumped by her parents on her aunt and unclewhile they go off to work in Africa for a year. The girl is somewhatembarrassed by this, but it puts her in a good position to observe her mother'ssister, Dawn, and Dawn's husband. Dawn is completely under Jasper's thumb. Thehousehold revolves around him—what he wants, what he doesn't like—and the girlimagines that Dawn has created a haven for her husband, something she readabout in a woman's magazine.
But trouble arises when new neighbors move in and want to besociable. Dawn is interested, but Jasper isn't willing to have guests in hishouse. (One wonders why he accepted the girl for a whole year, although hepresumably thought he could control her). It also happens that Jasper's sister,a professional violinist, comes to town. Unbeknownst to Jasper, Dawn invitesthe sister and the neighbors over for coffee and sherry while Jasper is at aprofessional meeting. Time gets away from them, though, and the guests arestill in the house when Jasper gets home. Conflict and repercussions ensue.
The story seems to be about the awakening of Dawn, whichmakes her name a blunt choice. She even wears a "soft lilac color" suit to afuneral—a color of dawn, perhaps? Or of spring, which is the time of year thatthe funeral takes place. And the funeral is the Church of the Hosannas, andHosanna means "save" or "pray." In the end, Dawn has her resurrection. It's alla little heavy handed, it seems to me.