# Mamma — The Autobiography of an Idea character guide

> Mamma in The Autobiography of an Idea by Louis H. Sullivan.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0000-i-the-child

## Who they are

A term of endearment for Julia Head, Louis's mother.

## Relationships

### [Louis Henri Sullivan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/characters/louis_henri_sullivan)

_family_

Mamma is Louis's mother, a source of early affection and emotional foundation.

### [Louis Henri Sullivan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/characters/louis_henri_sullivan)

_family_

Mamma is Louis's mother, a source of early affection and emotional foundation.

## In the story

### [I: The Child](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/chapters/i-the-child)

The child's mother, Andrienne List Sullivan, who plays the piano and shares a deep emotional bond with her son.

### [Folly Cove](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/chapters/folly-cove)

Away fishing with father when the child falls into the well; returns to turmoil and relief.

### [III: And Then Came Spring!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/chapters/iii-and-then-came-spring)

The mother holds a belief in continuous existence and spiritual evolution, reading Renan's 'Vie de Jesus.' Her ethereal faith reflects the beauty and purity of her heart.

### [V: Newburyport](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/chapters/v-newburyport)

Mamma is depicted as emotionally vacillating, with a theory of child-rearing that she inconsistently applies. She secretly records her son's sayings in a notebook but becomes fatigued by his questions on the train.

### [Boston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/chapters/vi-boston)

Louis's mother, who falls ill with diphtheria twice and recovers.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/characters/mamma
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_autobiography_of_an_idea_se/characters