Emily Webb, who later becomes Mrs. George Gibbs, carries most of the play's meaning. In the opening scenes, she is entering young womanhood. The brightest student in her school, she is very much aware of her good qualities. At sixteen, she is at a stage of life where she concentrates on looks and appearance. Yet Emily maintains a certain winsome sweetness that allows the viewer to accept her high evaluation of herself.
In her conversation with George, Emily displays a normal teenage tendency toward romanticism. By the end of Act I, she sniffs the heliotrope next door and stares pensively at the stars. This early view of Emily prepares the audience for her role in Act III when she discovers that most people don't take the time to examine the act of living. Also, her awareness of mystery in the heavens leads directly to her reappearance as a spirit. Emily's character is best revealed in Act II when she and George discover love. Emily is an idealist. She wants George to be the best that he can be. She expresses annoyance at him for devoting his time to baseball and neglecting his friends. In other words, Emily feels slighted.
She is explicit in her criticism of George. Her frankness, however, results from disappointment rather than vindictiveness. As soon as George divulges his love for her, Emily regrets criticizing him. By the end of the scene, Emily has reversed her opinion. As soon as she knows that she is truly George's love interest, she loses or represses her feelings of superiority. She is willing to take the subservient role that is typical of both her mother and future mother-in-law.
