"Backwater" is the second volume of Dorothy Richardson's groundbreaking "Pilgrimage" series, which explores the life of Miriam Henderson, a character reflecting the author's own experiences from 1891 to 1915. As Miriam navigates her role as a teacher at a girls' school in North London, she grapples with the constraints of societal expectations regarding marriage, religion, and happiness. Richardson's innovative use of stream of consciousness, or what she preferred to call "interior monologue," creates a rich, feminine prose that resonates with contemporary discussions about female identity and personal freedom.