In Sarah, Plain and Tall, Sarah's constantly comparing where she comes from—a seaside town in Maine—to her new home in the Midwest. The two places are so different that she can't help but miss her old life and the view of the ocean. She finds the flat plains and lack of water foreign, and she has a hard time getting used to where the Wittings live. This vast difference between the two places is also what leads to her uncertainty about whether she should stay with the Witting family or go back to Maine—which is the main source of tension in the book.
Questions About Contrasting Regions
- Is the Midwest completely different from Maine? Why or why not? Give specific examples to support your answer.
- What does Sarah miss about living in Maine? What does this tell you about her character?
- How does Sarah feel about where the Witting family lives? What does she grow to like about it? Is there anything she dislikes? If so, what?
Chew on This
Because Anna and Caleb have never left the Midwest, Sarah tries her hardest to tell them all about her hometown and the sea—through descriptions, drawings, and even seashells that she brings with her.
Throughout the book, the change that Sarah seems to have the hardest time with is how different the landscape is in the Midwest compared to Maine, and this is what causes much of her indecision about staying.