# Mary Makebelieve — Mary, Mary character guide > Mary Makebelieve in Mary, Mary by James Stephens. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mary, Makebelieve, Mary Eileen Makebelieve **First appearance:** 0001-mary-mary ## Snapshot A Dublin girl whose eager, story-fed curiosity about men and marriage collides with the shame of her mother's charwoman's bucket. ## Who they are Mary Makebelieve drifts through Dublin's streets and tenements, hungry for romance and half-convinced that any passing stranger might be the husband fate has waiting. When a young man's questions turn to her mother's business, she lies and calls her a dressmaker, a small betrayal that gnaws at her even as it protects the courtship she longs for. Her divided loyalty between the world she wants and the mother she loves is the quiet engine of the book's early arc. ## Relationships ### [The Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/the_man) _psychological_ Mary Makebelieve is deeply entangled with The Man in a manipulative, obsessive dynamic where he exerts control over her reality. ### [The Young Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/the_young_man) _romantic_ Mary Makebelieve shares a tense, romantic connection with The Young Man, filled with longing and emotional conflict. ### [Mrs. Makebelieve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/mrs_makebelieve) _family_ Mary Makebelieve and Mrs. Makebelieve are mother and daughter, with a strained relationship marked by misunderstanding and care. ### [Patrick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/patrick) _friendship_ Mary Makebelieve and Patrick are close friends, with Patrick offering her a grounding presence amidst her turmoil. ### [Mrs. Cafferty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/mrs_cafferty) _social_ Mary Makebelieve and Mrs. Cafferty are neighbors, with Mrs. Cafferty acting as a gossipy but concerned observer. ### [Mr. Cafferty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/mr_cafferty) _social_ Mary Makebelieve and Mr. Cafferty are barely acquainted, exchanging only polite nods. ### [The Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/the_man) _psychological_ Mary Makebelieve is deeply entangled with The Man in a manipulative, obsessive dynamic where he exerts control over her reality. ### [Mrs. Makebelieve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/mrs_makebelieve) _family_ Mary Makebelieve and Mrs. Makebelieve are mother and daughter, with a strained relationship marked by misunderstanding and care. ### [Mrs. Makebelieve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/mrs_makebelieve) _family_ Mary Makebelieve and Mrs. Makebelieve are mother and daughter, with a strained relationship marked by misunderstanding and care. ### [The Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/the_man) _psychological_ Mary Makebelieve is deeply entangled with The Man in a manipulative, obsessive dynamic where he exerts control over her reality. ### [Patrick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/patrick) _friendship_ Mary Makebelieve and Patrick are close friends, with Patrick offering her a grounding presence amidst her turmoil. ## In the story ### [Mary, Mary](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/mary-mary) The protagonist, a young girl grappling with poverty and her mother's expectations, who begins to take on adult responsibilities. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/i) The narrator and protagonist, living in poverty with her mother in a Dublin back street. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/ii) Mary performs the morning chores, shares breakfast with her mother, spends time in the park observing ducks and eels, and walks through the city shops. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/iii) Contemplates marriage as both a romantic ideal and a practical reality; feels a magnetic, confused attraction to men. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/iv) Mary is captivated by the policeman, secretly watching him each day. After their eyes meet, she feels a frightened exaltation and avoids Grafton Street, lying to her mother about her thoughts. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/v) Described in detail: fair hair, grey eyes, small nose, delicate hands, and a figure beginning to show womanly contours. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/vi) At sixteen, Mary is not yet working; she spends her days alone, wandering the streets and observing strangers, feeling a sense of friendship with familiar faces. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/vii) Mary lights the fire and shares breakfast with her mother, listening to her mother's stories and contributing her own observations of kindness in the streets. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/viii) Engages in domestic chores, dresses up, and goes out toward Phoenix Park, feeling grown-up and dreaming of adornments. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/ix) Mary explores the park, admiring flowers and nature, and encounters the policeman. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/x) Meets a policeman in the park, feels shy and self-conscious about her appearance and inability to converse. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xi) Asks her mother about policemen as husbands, keeps secret her encounter, and stays up dreaming by the fire. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xii) Prepares breakfast, alters her skirt, dresses up, and secretly goes to Phoenix Park where she meets the big policeman. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xiii) Mary enjoys the attention and company of the policeman, but lies about her mother's work out of shame. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xiv) Mary tries to comfort her mother, then goes out alone, dreaming of the policeman but witnessing him with another girl. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xv) Struggles with guilt and resentment as she neglects her mother's needs to wander in the park, then returns filled with love and remorse. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xvi) Takes over her mother's work at Mrs. O'Connor's house, stepping into adult responsibilities. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xvii) Awakens early, prepares for her first day of work, receives advice from her mother, arranges care for her mother, walks to Mrs. O'Connor's house, and thinks about the policeman. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xviii) Works as a maid at Mrs. O'Connor's house, scrubbing floors and washing; experiences terror and shame upon seeing the policeman and the girl from the theatre. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xix) Returns home to find her mother recovering with the help of Mrs. Cafferty and her children; joins in the children's games. ### [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xx) Lavishes her wages on food for her mother, watches her mother eat with delight, and discusses dreams with her. ### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxi) Mary actively avoids confronting thoughts of the policeman and her past work, using Mrs. Cafferty's chatter as a distraction. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxii) Accompanies Mrs. Cafferty shopping, feels self-conscious and fearful upon seeing the policeman. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxiii) Shares a vision of peaceful convent life but is gently discouraged by her mother; finds comfort in her mother's embrace. ### [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxiv) Mary meets the policeman again, feels discomfort at his changed attitude, and flees when he grabs her. ### [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxvi) Listens to the discussion about the young man and pities him for his appetite being publicly discussed. ### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxvii) Mary is embarrassed to be seen by the young man in her house attire and is deeply absorbed in her mother's lessons on dress and fashion. ### [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxviii) Obsessed over by the policeman; seen chatting with a young man, her face flushing when she spots him. ### [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxix) Listens to the young man's stories and opinions, walks with him in the evenings, and feels a growing intimacy. ### [The Proposal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxx) Mary is terrified and ashamed during the policeman's proposal, feeling pursued and trapped. She remains silent and tearful, refusing to meet his gaze. ### [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxxi) Mary's face goes pale during the young man's story, and she silently confirms her mother's conjecture about the attacker. She continues her evening walks with the young man. ### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/chapters/xxxii) Accompanies her mother to the solicitors and begins planning how to spend the inheritance; walks with the young man, discussing gifts and a new house. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters/mary_makebelieve - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mary_mary_se/characters