In Act One of Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town, Emily Webb is 16 years old. This age places her in the pivotal stage of adolescence, where she is beginning to step into adulthood while still holding onto the innocence of her childhood.
Emily’s character is introduced as a bright and intelligent young girl who is concerned about her future and her role in the small town of Grover’s Corners. Her interactions with other characters, particularly George Gibbs, highlight her emerging identity and the societal expectations placed upon her as a young woman during that time period.
Wilder uses Emily’s age to emphasize themes of growth, change, and the passage of time, which are central to the narrative of Our Town.