Who Laura is
Laura grows up in a quiet household, with few companions and neighbours many miles away. Her father is an English widower, while Madame Perrodon and Mademoiselle De Lafontaine help care for her.
She remembers a beautiful young woman appearing beside her bed when she is a child. The encounter brings comfort before a sharp pain frightens her, and the adults treat it as a bad dream.
What Laura wants
Laura wants closeness, and the arrival of a girl her own age offers relief from her isolation. When Carmilla stays after a carriage accident, Laura recognises the face from her strange childhood memory.
Laura and the others in the story
Laura enjoys long walks with Carmilla, whose sudden declarations of affection leave her flattered but also disturbed. She notices her friend's secrecy and unusual habits, yet her affection remains warm as her unease grows.
As troubling dreams and weakness interrupt her days, Laura's father calls a physician to examine her. Her honest account holds tenderness and fear together, even when she cannot explain what she feels.
Questions
Who is Laura in Carmilla?
Laura is the young narrator, looking back on strange events at her family's castle in Styria.
What does Laura want?
She longs for companionship after growing up with few people her own age.
How does Laura feel about Carmilla?
Laura feels drawn to Carmilla, but her friend's intense affection also unsettles her. Her longing for friendship exists alongside a growing sense of danger.