Father Flynn’s sister. Nannie and her sister, Eliza, both took care of Father Flynn in his old age. Nannie goes to greet the narrator and his family when they arrive at Father Flynn’s wake, and the narrator notices that her skirt is clumsily tied in the back, which distracts him from praying. This moment suggests that the narrator is unable to use religious ritual to deal with or overcome the ugliness of death. Presumably exhausted from having to care for the old man and deal with the logistics of his death, Nannie falls asleep soon after everyone sits down to talk after the wake.
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Nannie Character Timeline in The Sisters
The timeline below shows where the character Nannie appears in The Sisters. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
The Sisters
...to visit the house where Father Flynn had lived. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Nannie, one of the two sisters who took care of Father Flynn in his old age....
(full context)
As they leave Father Flynn, Nannie, the narrator, and his aunt bless themselves and meet Eliza, the other sister who cared...
(full context)
...Eliza that she and her sister treated Father Flynn very well while he was alive. Nannie has fallen asleep, and Eliza acknowledges that although she and her sister had help from...
(full context)
