The Boy's Mother

The boy's parents are the main characters in this story. The mother receives most of the focus from the narrator. The mother is tired of the strife that her family has endured throughout her life. However, she appears to be accepting of the misfortune that plagues her. Paragraph 11 details this stoic aspect of her personality. Furthermore, she regularly demonstrates deep concern for her son throughout the story.

One of this character's main roles in this story is to explore the themes of misfortune and psychological hardship. The strife she has faced throughout her life because of her son has caused the mother immense hardship, and this is encapsulated by her appearance. In paragraph 2, the narrator describes her lack of effort in dressing herself up. This shows that she has given up on taking care of herself due to the struggle she has had with her son...