Josephine was Rudyard and Carrie’s eldest child before she died at the age of seven. Her painting now hangs in the family’s drawing room. Jack only remembers what she looked like because of this portrait. Elsie, on the other hand, remembers Josephine a bit better, recalling that she was Rudyard’s favorite daughter. As for Carrie, she felt like a part of herself died along with Josephine, but time eventually made her feel better—a healing process that, in the aftermath of Jack’s death, Rudyard implies will happen again.
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Josephine Kipling Character Timeline in My Boy Jack
The timeline below shows where the character Josephine Kipling appears in My Boy Jack. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 3
Jack and Elsie look at the painting of their dead sister, Josephine. She would have been 21 this year. Jack has no real memory of her, but...
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Act 2, Scene 3
...too. He then bows his head and cries. As he weeps, Carrie talks about losing Josephine, saying that she always felt like a part of herself died along with her daughter....
(full context)
