Miss Lottie is a character from the short story "Marigolds" by Eugenia W. Collier, and she serves as a poignant symbol of resilience and beauty amidst adversity. She is an elderly, impoverished woman living in a dusty, run-down neighborhood, characterized by ramshackle houses and the pervasive scent of dried earth and despair. Her presence elicits a mix of pity and disdain from the local children, who are often quick to judge her eccentricities.
Visually, Miss Lottie is a striking figure; her hair, gray and wild, flies about her head like wisps of cotton candy caught in the wind. Her skin, weathered and creased, tells stories of hardship under the relentless sun, yet her deep-set eyes shimmer with a fierce determination to create beauty in her world. The most remarkable aspect of her small, cluttered yard is the garden of marigolds that she lovingly tends—a radiant swirl of gold and orange blossoms that stand defiantly against the backdrop of their stark, somber surroundings. The petals, soft and velvety to the touch, emit a sweet, citrusy fragrance, wrapping around passersby like an embrace of hope.
Miss Lottie's backstory unfolds through her interactions with the narrator, Lizbeth, and represents the struggle against poverty and the quest for dignity. In her youth, she had dreams and aspirations, much like any other; however, life's trials have hollowed those dreams, leaving her with only the vibrant marigolds as a testament to her once-great hopes. The garden becomes her sanctuary, a place where she cultivates not just flowers, but also the remnants of her dreams.
In the story, her marigolds symbolize not only beauty but also the potential for growth and change. The children, including Lizbeth, initially perceive Miss Lottie as an eccentric old woman, yet their perspectives shift as they witness her unwavering commitment to nurturing the flowers. This transformation occurs for Lizbeth when, in a moment of painful realization, she recognizes the beauty in Miss Lottie's struggle and the deeper meaning of her marigolds.
Essentially, in retelling her story, it is crucial to highlight Miss Lottie's tenacity, her imperfect yet vivid garden, and the sensory details that evoke her world—the earthy aroma of soil, the burst of colors in her garden, and the bittersweet taste of hope that lingers long after the marigolds have bloomed. This encapsulates her as a character who embodies both the beauty of dreams and the harshness of reality, and it is Lizbeth's journey toward understanding this complexity that ultimately shapes the central theme of the story.