Though socialized by the culture and out of touch with reality, Mrs. Phelps seems to have the unrealized potential of developing into something more. More than Mrs. Bowles and Mildred, she is the one who is most provoked by Robert Frost's poem "Dover Beach," even though she cannot explain why it has impacted her. Given more education, Mrs. Phelps might have turned out to be a thoughtful and productive member of her society. She was killed by the atom bomb that leveled her Civilization.
