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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.
In the storyThe Gates AjarOpen this moment free

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…

Continue beside the text

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 reminiscences

Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how Little Dora sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

DRDonald RossJSJack SmithTNTom NortonHKHenry KarnDDDear DickLDLittle Dora

Relationship types

  • Romantic
  • Other

Character groups

  • Addressed and young characters
  • Scottish and Jacobite figures
  • Recurring narrative characters

+9 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupEscalationAftermathClimax
  • 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.

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Relationships

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Little Dora in reminiscences

In 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