# Miriam Henderson — Backwater character guide > Miriam Henderson in Backwater by Dorothy M. Richardson. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Miss Miriam Henderson, Miss Miriam, Miss Henderson, Mirry, Lucy Miriam **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Snapshot A young teacher straining against the narrow life of Banbury Park, Miriam risks everything on a vague promise of freedom and a green silk blouse. ## Who they are Miriam Henderson stands at the head of a schoolroom and the edge of her own life, holding the lower school together while privately recoiling from the trams, the sore throats, and the certificates that measure her worth. When she announces she is leaving, her employers' tears and Miss Jenny's quizzical warnings only harden her resolve, though she has no real place to go. Her stubborn, half-blind leap matters because it sets the whole arc of her search for a life she can actually inhabit. ## Relationships ### [Eve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/eve) _friendship_ Eve is Miriam's closest confidante and emotional anchor, sharing deep mutual understanding and support. ### [Ted](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/ted) _romantic_ Miriam and Ted share a tense, passionate romantic relationship marked by intellectual attraction and emotional conflict. ### [Nancie Wilkie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/nancie_wilkie) _friendship_ Nancie is a close friend and companion to Miriam, often sharing intimate conversations and social outings. ### [Harriett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/harriett) _family_ Harriett is Miriam's sister, and their relationship is characterized by rivalry, jealousy, and underlying familial affection. ### [Julia Doyle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/julia_doyle) _friendship_ Julia is a fellow teacher and close friend to Miriam, sharing professional and personal confidences. ### [Mrs. Henderson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/mrs_henderson) _family_ Miriam's relationship with her mother is strained, marked by Mrs. Henderson's conventional expectations and Miriam's rebellious independence. ### [Miss Jenny Perne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/miss_jenny_perne) _professional_ Miss Jenny Perne is Miriam's colleague and headmistress, with a formal but respectful working relationship. ### [Gerald](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/gerald) _romantic_ Gerald is a suitor to Miriam, but their relationship is fraught with emotional distance and unfulfilled expectations. ### [Mr. Parrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/mr_parrow) _professional_ Mr. Parrow is a colleague and mentor figure to Miriam, offering intellectual stimulation and professional guidance. ### [Sarah](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/sarah) _friendship_ Sarah is a loyal friend to Miriam, providing companionship and emotional support during difficult times. ### [Eunice Dupont](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/eunice_dupont) _friendship_ Eunice is a fellow teacher and friend to Miriam, sharing intellectual interests and social activities. ### [Mary Allen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/mary_allen) _friendship_ Mary is a close friend and confidante to Miriam, offering emotional support and shared experiences. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/i) Protagonist; anxious yet fascinated by London; secures teaching post at Perne school. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/ii) Reflects on her feelings for Ted, experiences happiness during music, and prepares for a dance. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/iii) Reads 'The Story of Adèle' and feels imprisoned by the school's atmosphere; finds solace in Charlotte's farm imagery. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/iv) Observes the old woman and her daughter in church, teaches her junior class, and reads a devotional book, contemplating spiritual preparation. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/v) Returns for second term, struggles with despair and homesickness, resolves to save money and influence her students through refined habits. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/vi) Miriam experiences a shift in her school life with Julia's arrival, finds solace in daily park walks, and reconnects with her inner self through secret nighttime reading. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/vii) Struggles with the shock of her mother's illness and finds temporary escape in nature and music with Harriett. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/viii) Reflects on her holiday, her teaching future, and her sense of difference from others; experiences a solitary, almost mystical connection with nature. ### [Crystal Palace Fireworks Evening](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/ix) Miriam struggles with her fear of loud noises, confides in Mr. Parrow, and reluctantly enjoys the toboggan ride. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/chapters/x) Announces her resignation, feels liberated from emotional tyranny, and receives a farewell gift from her students. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters/miriam_henderson - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/backwater_se/characters