McNair's childhood when she sleepwalked to the pond as a child. This is where Mrs. McNair always went to escape. This plays an important role when the little boy presents himself in a dream-like state. She's running away from him, from the child she had intercourse with in the hospital. She is confused because the child she had sex with in the hospital was not hers, yet she still dreams of him, how he is. Mrs. McNair lost her own son and, due to a mistake at the hospital, he connected with someone else's, who was then taken away from her. While she faces these difficulties, her husband is never home during the week and cheats on her. Yet the company says it still needs to keep its manners prim and proper, otherwise it could cause an uproar in society. On the other hand Mr. McNair was applauded for his actions, for staying with Mrs. McNair despite having a mistress. He remained the good guy throughout the story. While Mrs. McNair and other women during this period were limited in almost everything they did. Her actions reflected on her husband. Women in society had a duty to maintain this standard of perfection no matter what they were going through in their lives