Poetry · Character
Little Dora
A young female character in the poems.
minor
Also known as Dora
First appearance: reminiscences
Little Dora's tie to Henry Karn is one of the pressures that moves Poetry—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.
The poem's 'little darling Alice,' a six-year-old girl who comforts her mother after her father's death, expressing faith that he awaits her at heaven's gate.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
With Henry Karn (romantic): Henry Karn is deeply infatuated with Little Dora, pursuing her with persistent romantic attention. In The Gates Ajar: The poem's 'little darling Alice,' a six-year-old girl who comforts her…
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The fuller portrait of Little Dora sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Little Dora in reminiscencesCharacter Web
14 connectionsA slice of how Little Dora sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Romantic
- Other
Character groups
- Addressed and young characters
- Scottish and Jacobite figures
- Recurring narrative characters
+9 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the boy’s childish joy and naive belief that he can see Ameri…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Henry Karn
romantic · positive
Henry Karn is deeply infatuated with Little Dora, pursuing her with persistent romantic… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Little Dora in reminiscencesIn the story
Little Dora appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Little Dora unlock in the free preview.
See Little Dora in reminiscences