The Year of Miss Agnes

While initially presented as an archetypal outsider, Miss Agnes (Agnes Sutterfield) quickly gains the trust of the children she teaches, as well as the villagers. Not only does she come from the outside world, arriving on Sam's plane, but she also has a different skin color, a different accent, and different habits than the children. Nevertheless, she never tries to force anything on the children she teaches, but instead she works with them to understand their abilities, strengths, and desires—and then builds and encourages them.

Miss Agnes's progressiveness primarily appears in the way she approaches teaching. She puts the old textbooks in storage, rearranges the desks, and puts art up on the walls. As the story progresses, her revolutionary approach to teaching becomes clear in her actions, as she shares stories with the children, gets them interested in learning math, and helps them learn about the larger world. Her understanding of their lives, and her ability to use this knowledge to help them learn, appears throughout the text, but especially when she writes stories about the individual children to replace their Dick and Jane books. Finally, her dialogue also shows her abilities, as she encourages the children, motivates them, and describes their talents to them.

At several points, Hill indicates that Miss Agnes's habits—wearing trousers, for example—are unusual, even in the world outside the village. Her progressive nature thus means that she doesn't quite fit into the outside world, either, while her background means that she will never be a villager, either. The scene in which she plays music for the dance, but refuses to dance, illustrates this latter point. Still, Miss Agnes never seems to mourn her differences, instead celebrating them as she does the children's unique qualities.

Mamma, Frederica's mother, initially serves as a foil to Miss Agnes. She never enjoyed going to school herself and does not seem convinced that her children should go. In fact, she does not allow Bokko to go at all. As the story develops, Hill provides enough backstory to round out her character, showing the difficulties she has encountered and her real need for help in the home, making her more sympathetic. She lost her husband to illness and has a child with a disability. In a culture in which men do significant work outside of the home, hunting and trapping, and all family members contribute to work and the running of the household, these are significant challenges.

As Mamma's character develops, she becomes more open to Miss Agnes, and thus to the benefits of education itself. While Fred primarily sees Mamma as a stern authority figure at the start of the book, Mamma begins to soften as Miss Agnes starts teaching Bokko sign language. As Bokko and Fred learn, Mamma views the benefits of this kind of education first-hand and begins to appreciate it as her daughters do.

Fred's 12-year-old sister, Bokko, begins the novel in a very limited world. Previously unable to attend school due to her mother's insistence and the quality of teaching, Bokko starts going for the first time at Miss Agnes's encouragement. While at first only characterized through her actions (such as giving Fred socks to go to school in), Bokko is soon able to communicate with her family and other children, contribute to the work her family does at fish camp, and even understand music. As Bokko's communication skills develop, she reveals herself to be kind and loving, complimenting her mother; she shows her sense of humor and intelligence, making up signs for people in the village based on their appearances.

Bokko further shows the enduring effects of a good teacher. When Miss Agnes is preparing to leave, she explains that Bokko will attend a school for the deaf once she is 14. Although this is difficult for Fred, whose sister will be moving away, it also ensures that Bokko's education will continue after this year ends, illustrating the long-lasting benefits interacting with Miss Agnes have brought to her life.

Like Miss Agnes, Fred's grandfather serves as a symbol between two worlds. However, while in Miss Agnes's case, these are the world of the village and the world beyond it, in Grandpa's, these are the past and the present. Grandpa often tells stories about growing up in the area, giving Fred and others a sense of their history. This includes traditions, such as hunting up north and building sod houses in the winter, as well as stories his mother told him.

At the same time, Grandpa refuses to be stuck in the past. With a limited education, he firmly believes in its importance and encourages Mamma to send Bokko to school. The value he places on knowledge further appears in his interest in the timeline Fred makes for him. He has a genuine interest in world events, as well as his own culture. While he often shares information, he also openly receives it, serving to emphasize themes of cultural sharing and diversity.

While Grandpa has strong opinions and can speak harshly, particularly to Mamma, when he feels it is necessary, he also has a strong sense of compassion. He explains Mamma's problems to Fred, helping her to understand her mother's point of view.