The narrator of “The Love of a Good Woman” by Alice Munro says of Enid that “[s]he had never thought of nursing as just something to do until...

In reality, there is no “right” answer to the question as to whether Enid is a "good woman" or not.  You can use specifics in the text to prove that Enid is not a “good woman” due to the fact that Enid is not a rich wife and mother.  Likewise, you can use specifics in the text to prove that Enid is a good woman in that she has compassion for others, wants to find...

In reality, there is no “right” answer to the question as to whether Enid is a "good woman" or not.  You can use specifics in the text to prove that Enid is not a “good woman” due to the fact that Enid is not a rich wife and mother.  Likewise, you can use specifics in the text to prove that Enid is a good woman in that she has compassion for others, wants to find out the truth, and has normal urges.

In my opinion, Enid is most definitely a “good woman,” but not necessarily in the way society defines.  In fact, Enid laments that society defines a “good woman” as a simple homemaker:  a wife and mother.  Enid is neither of those things; however, Enid is an amazing nurse who shows great compassion for Mrs. Quinn, who is quite young and dying of kidney failure.  Society’s definition of a “good woman” can be summed up in the following quote:

Her mother had not wanted Enid to go into nursing in the first place, claiming that it was something poor girls did.

Enid is obviously not rich and is going against her mother’s wishes when she decides to become a nurse.  However, Enid is exceptional in the profession she has chosen.  Enid always listens to Mrs. Quinn’s outlandish stories, and she cares for her patient well and with compassion.  A “good woman” like Enid is perfectly able to feel love for men (such as Rupert in the story) as well as have very normal dreams of an erotic nature.  It is also normal for Enid to want to test questionable characters (such as Rupert) to see if they can be trusted.  Enid wants to believe that true love and real trust exist.  This is why she tests Rupert.  Unfortunately, the reader never learns the outcome and is left wondering about many things.