Bad Boss: Mrs. Pierce, Laura's boss at her dishwashing job, which she takes to help pay for her expenses at the seminar, is an overbearing perfectionist, who not only verbally abuses her and her fellow dishwasher, but when Laura finishes the period and leaves, she tries to force her to stay until she can find a replacement for her, even physically restraining her from leaving the restaurant. At which point Laura snaps and pushes Mrs. Pierce into a tub before leaving.
Artistic License – History: The seminar Laura and Eliza Jane attend features a guest lecture from Ralph Waldo Emerson. This episode happens in the mid-1880's and Emerson died in 1882, having retired from public appearances in 1879.
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Mortimer Castairs may seem a dorky, unassuming guy, but when he stands up to Woestehoff for failing Laura on purpose, he not only shows he outsmarts the lecherous professor in every intellectual area, but when Woestehoff tries to get back at him by inviting him to a fistfight, Mort shows to be "one heck of a boxer".
Handsome Lech: William Woestehoff. He flirts with the ladies despite being married, and when Laura declines his advances, he retaliates by failing her on purpose.
Idiot Ball: Eliza Jane seems to believe the flowers she received from a secret admirer are from Woestehoff, who not only didn't show any interest on her at any point, but is married. Then, when Laura tries to warn her that Woestehoff is a lecherous womanizer, Eliza Jane rebuffs her and keeps in denial until Woestehoff introduces Ralph Waldo Emerson to the class, whom he'd claimed was a close friend to, and Emerson doesn't seem to recognize him, exposing him as a liar.
Let's Fight Like Gentlemen: Subverted. After Mort shows he outmatches Woestehoff in intellectual baggage, Woestehoff invites him to solve their differences like gentlemen and they walk to the patio, where Woestehoff expected to beat up the smaller, unassuming Mort. But once Mort knocks the lights out of Woestehoff, the professor gives up and announces he'll retaliate by not giving him any references.
Mort turns out to be "one heck of a boxer", punching the much taller Woestehoff across the patio.
Laura herself when her tyrannical dishwasher boss tries to force her to stay at the job and, finally fed up with her treatment of her, Laura pushes the much larger Mrs. Pierce into a tub with one hand.
What Happened to the Mouse?: In the end, Eliza Jane is seen leaving for her city with Mort, whom she'll help find a job, implying they might have a future together. However, in her next and final appearance, Mort is never mentioned, and how their relationship turned out isn't made clear.
