Where the Lost Wander

Naomi is one of the two protagonists and point-of-view narrators in Where the Lost Wander, along with her love interest, John Lowry. Twenty at the start of the novel, she has a “womanly” form, chestnut hair, eyes of a startling green shade, and a “fine” nose dotted with freckles. After being married briefly to Daniel Caldwell and widowed shortly afterward, she considers herself more a May than a Caldwell.

Naomi is unconventional, taking advantage of a rainstorm to do the family’s laundry and freely talking to John Lowry without caring what others think. She is passionate, inviting him to kiss her, and also has none of the prejudice some others in the wagon train hold toward his mixed ancestry. A gifted artist, Naomi is most interested in drawing portraits, which earns her the Pawnee nickname of “Many Faces.”

Naomi is a strong-willed person, believing that her will is a gift that she must use well. However, she can also be impulsive, as when she jumps in the water to help steady the horses in Chapter 5 and decides to draw for the Dakotah chief Black Paint. This trait worries John, who believes she hasn’t thought through what it would mean to be married to him.