"The Widow's Might" starts with a sad, awkward mood after Mr. McPherson’s funeral. The McPherson siblings have returned to their childhood home from various locations from Cambridge to Pittsburgh. Without wanting to do so directly, each is awkwardly trying to pass off the obligation to care for their mother onto the others. The reader feels distaste for the unpleasant younger McPhersons and sympathy for their (presumably grieving) mother. As the story goes on, things get more and more tense as each sibling tries to explain why they “should” take care of their mother, while making it very clear that they believe the task should go to one of the others. The reader feels impatient and uncomfortable as their transparent attempts to shirk the responsibility play out.
After the reading of the will, the mood changes abruptly when the siblings learn that their mother has been left the entire estate by their deceased father. When Mrs. McPherson tells everyone she doesn't need the money or their support and has her own plans for the rest of her life, the reader feels surprised and the mood changes to one of suspense. As she has subverted everyone’s expectations, it’s very unclear what is going to happen next.
In the end, the reader feels pleased and hopeful: Mrs. McPherson has a plan, and she knows she can execute it without her children’s help. Although her son and daughters are left startled and confused, the widow knows exactly what she wants to do with her remaining money and “might.”
