Anna Armstrong

A young prostitute, Anna has been chosen by Madame Blavinsky to seduce Rev. Dryden. Young and pretty, she is an odd combination of innocence and toughness. She is ill-suited to the assignment she has been given. More so because she will take an instant liking to Christopher, which will place her in an acute dilemma. Anna knows how things work and how dangerous it can be to thwart the instructions of Madame, to whom she owes allegiance.

Essentially, Anna is an unstable character because she is constantly switching between two persona. On the one hand she is child-like, wanting to step backward in time so she can start her life over and avoid the unfortunate circumstances she finds herself in; on the other, she has to be hard nosed if she wants to avoid being completely downtrodden as a 'working girl' in Madame's employ. Fear triggers the latter persona; craftiness and love the former. She knows herself well, and knows the young innocent can sometimes make headway when the hardened street girl cannot. Anna consciously uses that aspect of her divided personality.

But the young innocent is real, too. Anna really does want to become that girl whose future is unformed and who can make whatever she wants of her life. She will only show that side of herself to someone she loves deeply and trusts completely.

Things I don't know about Anna:

• How did she end up a prostitute?
• Where did she come from and how did she get into the service of Madame Blavinsky?