# Mrs. Adams — Alice Adams character guide > Mrs. Adams in Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** III Mrs. Adams, the tearful Mrs. Adams **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Who they are Alice's anxious mother, who irons her husband's clothes in the heat and blames herself for every wrong turn her children take. ## Relationships ### [Alice Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/alice_adams) _family_ Alice has a strained relationship with her mother, who is socially ambitious and often critical of Alice's choices. ### [Arthur Russell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/arthur_russell) _social_ Arthur interacts with Mrs. Adams as a polite suitor, though he is wary of her social climbing and pretensions. ### [Walter Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/walter_adams) _family_ Mrs. Adams is Walter's mother, and she dotes on him while also using his illness to garner sympathy. ### [Mildred Palmer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/mildred_palmer) _social_ Mildred and Mrs. Adams maintain a polite but tense social relationship, with Mrs. Adams hoping to elevate her family through Alice's connection. ### [Alice Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/alice_adams) _family_ Alice has a strained relationship with her mother, who is socially ambitious and often critical of Alice's choices. ### [Arthur Russell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/arthur_russell) _social_ Arthur interacts with Mrs. Adams as a polite suitor, though he is wary of her social climbing and pretensions. ### [Mildred Palmer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/mildred_palmer) _social_ Mildred and Mrs. Adams maintain a polite but tense social relationship, with Mrs. Adams hoping to elevate her family through Alice's connection. ### [Alice Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/alice_adams) _family_ Alice has a strained relationship with her mother, who is socially ambitious and often critical of Alice's choices. ### [Walter Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/walter_adams) _family_ Mrs. Adams is Walter's mother, and she dotes on him while also using his illness to garner sympathy. ### [Mildred Palmer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/mildred_palmer) _social_ Mildred and Mrs. Adams maintain a polite but tense social relationship, with Mrs. Adams hoping to elevate her family through Alice's connection. ### [Walter Adams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/walter_adams) _family_ Mrs. Adams is Walter's mother, and she dotes on him while also using his illness to garner sympathy. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/i) Virgil's wife, who urges him not to go back to his old job, using emotional appeals and tears. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/ii) Mrs. Adams is agitated about her husband's condition and presses him to change his business, while also defending Walter and clashing with Alice over strategy. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/iii) Mrs. Adams is hopeful about Virgil but is rebuffed by Alice. She leaves the room in resigned silence, then goes downstairs to dust. ### [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/iv) Mrs. Adams agrees to alter Alice's dress and argues that Virgil's stagnation is harming the family. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/v) Helps Alice with the dress, laments the cook's departure, and discusses transportation with Walter. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/vi) Helps Alice prepare, provides a wrap and Virgil's raincoat, and expresses nervousness about the taxi. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/viii) Waits up for Alice, asks about her evening, and comforts her when she breaks down sobbing. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/ix) Mrs. Adams is engaged in spring housecleaning and allows Alice to read an old letter from Virgil, laughing off the sentimental contents. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/x) Mrs. Adams appears briefly at the end of the chapter, asking Alice about Mr. Russell and noting his engagement to Mildred. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xi) Mrs. Adams defends her fixation on the glue factory formula, expresses her sacrifices for her children, and weeps over the family's financial limitations. ### [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xii) Mrs. Adams is visibly depressed by the lack of visitors and the failure of Alice's plans. She dryly notes that J.A. Lamb did not mention a raise for Virgil. ### [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xiii) Vehemently confronts Virgil, blaming him for Alice's social exclusion and their family's decline. ### [Chapter XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xiv) Mrs. Adams informs Alice that Virgil has succumbed to pressure and that J.A. Lamb may be furious about the glue factory plan. ### [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xv) Mrs. Adams tries to comfort Alice, defends Walter's upbringing, and expresses helplessness about Walter's behavior. ### [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xvi) Recalled in flashback as the one who pressured Virgil to use the glue formula for the family; now shares a tense, silent unease with him. ### [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xviii) Tries to comfort Virgil and downplay his fears, but shows underlying unease about the situation. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xix) Mrs. Adams orchestrates the dinner plans, insisting it is necessary to maintain appearances. She secures money from Virgil and arranges for a fancy meal. ### [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxi) Dominates the conversation with Arthur Russell, praising Alice's character and recounting her childhood, while masking her anxiety about the evening. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxii) Mrs. Adams tries to manage the dinner and instructs Gertrude to say they are not at home when the doorbell rings. ### [Chapter XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxiii) Mrs. Adams wails uncontrollably over Walter's flight, alternating between lamenting for Walter and for Alice, and is eventually put to bed by Alice. ### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/chapters/xxv) Mrs. Adams urges Alice to dress cheerfully to show resilience, discusses taking in boarders including Will Dickson, and bitterly criticizes Virgil for accepting J.A. Lamb's offer, leading to a heated exchange. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters/mrs_adams - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alice_adams_se/characters