The SS La Touraine: A Symbol of Transition and New Beginnings

What Is the SS La Touraine?

The SS La Touraine is a French luxury passenger liner that appears in A Mind of Her Own during the final year of World War I. The ship is described with two funnels, four masts, stabilizers for smooth sailing, and electric lighting throughout. It carries 1,090 passengers and has been refurbished after a 1902 fire. In the narrative, it is one of the few vessels still offering civilian transatlantic service during the war, making it both a practical escape route and a high‑risk passage through waters patrolled by German U‑boats.

Where the Symbol Recurs

The SS La Touraine appears in two consecutive chapters of the novel.

Booking and Departure (Chapter 3): After losing her grandmother Marie‑Thérèse to Spanish flu, eighteen‑year‑old Alexandra Bouvier receives a telegram from her grandfather in Illinois urging her to come to America. She sells her grandmother’s apartment, packs her keepsakes, and books passage on the La Touraine. She takes a train from Paris to Bordeaux, boards the ship, and sails away from her war‑torn childhood.
The Atlantic Crossing (Chapter 4): The ship is the setting for the entire crossing. Alex meets the Baxter family, befriends Phillip Baxter, participates in lifeboat drills, and shares evening walks on the deck. The voyage ends when the ship arrives in New York, and Alex steps into her new life.

How the Symbol’s Meaning Changes

The La Touraine begins as a literal means of escape—a way out of a Paris haunted by death and grief. Alex boards it feeling numb after losing her parents, her grandmother, and her first love Julien. The ship represents survival and the possibility of leaving tragedy behind.

As the crossing progresses, the ship becomes a transitional space suspended between two worlds. Alex writes in her journal, swims, and dines alone, slowly allowing herself to feel peaceful for the first time in months. The ship’s regulated schedule—tea at five, evening dress, lifeboat drills—gives her a safe container in which to process her losses.

By the end of the voyage, the symbol has shifted again. The La Touraine is no longer merely a vehicle for flight; it has become the stage for Alex’s re‑entry into social life. Through her interactions with the Baxters—especially the flirtation with Phillip and the friendship with his sisters—she begins to imagine a future beyond survival. The ship carries her not just to America but toward adulthood, independence, and the first stirrings of romantic possibility.

Connections to Characters and Themes

Character Connections

Alexandra Bouvier: The ship marks her passage from orphaned child to self‑directed adult. She sells the apartment, makes all the arrangements, and faces the U‑boat threat without a guardian. On board she learns to trust strangers and to accept comfort from the Baxter family.
The Baxter Family: Ambassador Baxter and his wife, along with their daughters Georgia and Bethany and son Phillip, befriend Alex. They represent the American stability and warmth that Alex has been missing. Phillip’s kiss on the last night of the voyage gives Alex a glimpse of normal young romance.
Grandfather Paul Peterson: Although not present on the ship, Paul’s telegram sets the voyage in motion. The ship physically connects Alex to the grandfather she has not seen for eight years and to the newspaper legacy that will shape her future.

Theme Connections

Independence and Self‑Determination: By booking passage alone and managing her own travel, Alex takes the first major autonomous decision of her life. This theme is explored further in the independence and self‑determination theme page.
Loss and Grief: The ship carries Alex away from the graves of her parents, grandmother, and Julien. The crossing gives her breathing space to grieve without the daily triggers of Paris. See loss and grief.
Journalism and Writing: Alex brings her journal on board and resumes daily entries. Writing becomes her way of making sense of the transition—a practice that will later lead her to a career in journalism. More on journalism and writing.
Women’s Education and Rights: On the ship, Alex discusses college options with Phillip, who tells her about Barnard, Cornell, and the University of Chicago. This conversation aligns with her earlier feminist convictions and sets the stage for her university plans. See women’s education and rights.
Legacy and Inheritance: The belongings Alex brings on the ship—her mother’s pearls, her grandmother’s hat, the tea service—connect her to the family legacy she carries into her new life. The theme is developed on the legacy and inheritance page.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does the SS La Touraine function as a threshold between Alex’s past and future?
Answer: The ship physically separates Alex from the war and death that defined her adolescence in Paris. On board, she cannot return to her old life; she can only move forward. The crossing gives her a liminal period during which she begins to process her grief and open herself to new relationships, such as her friendship with the Baxters. By the time she disembarks in New York, she has taken the first steps toward the independent adult identity she will build in Illinois.

2. Why does the novel include the detail that the ship has stabilizers and is “very fast”?
Answer: These details underscore the themes of safety and efficiency. The stabilizers suggest a controlled environment—a stark contrast to the chaos of war. The speed implies that the ship can outrun danger, reinforcing Alex’s hope of reaching America safely. The description also reflects her grandfather’s insistence on first‑class passage, signaling that Alex is being placed in a protected, comfortable setting after years of deprivation.

3. In what way does the lifeboat drill scene prepare the reader for the story’s broader themes?
Answer: The drill forces passengers to confront the real possibility of a U‑boat attack. Alex participates calmly, having lost her fear of death. The drill also brings the passengers together; it is where Alex first sees the Baxters. This scene foreshadows the trust and community Alex will need to build as she navigates her new life. The contrast between the girls’ worry about icebergs and the unspoken fear of U‑boats mirrors Alex’s own shift from childish concerns to adult realities.

4. How does Alex’s behavior on the La Touraine demonstrate her growth from a grieving child to an independent young woman?
Answer: Alex manages her own luggage, dines alone, and refuses the maid’s help. She initiates conversations with the Baxters and joins them for swimming and cards. These actions show her taking control of her social life rather than isolating herself in grief. She also resumes journaling, a practice that signifies her commitment to processing her experiences rather than simply surviving them. By the voyage’s end, she is ready to explore New York on her own before traveling to Illinois, a clear sign of her newfound autonomy.