Content Warning: This section mentions miscarriage.

In Don’t Forget to Write, Marilyn Kleinman comes from a traditional family that adheres to strict gender roles and expectations. Marilyn has grown up with the understanding that it is up to women to get married, have children, and be housewives. She has seen few other options for women’s life paths and none that confer as much respect and stability as a good marriage. Although Marilyn knows that she is expected to marry, she also knows from the beginning of the story that she wants to live her life first. She does not want to be tied down by tradition, but she has not yet questioned her options to see how her life might play out. At one point, Ada asks her what she wants for her future, and she has no answer.

Ada is the first woman Marilyn meets who runs her own business and shirks some traditions. However, as a Jewish matchmaker, Ada is invested in upholding traditional understandings of family and duty. She is personally responsible for many marriages, and she has gained great respect in her community. Ada’s profession and the straight marriages she assists with contrast with the longstanding, secret relationship she has with Lillian.