# Mother Grace — The Eleventh Virgin character guide > Mother Grace in The Eleventh Virgin by Dorothy Day. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Grace, Mother **First appearance:** 0001-the-eleventh-virgin ## Snapshot June's proud, theatrical mother, whose ginger-ale dissipation and sharp judgments both wound her daughter and quietly anchor her. ## Who they are Mother Grace once called June a comfort and now wonders what has gotten into her eldest children, watching her daughter flaunt ideas in her face. She powders her dimpled shoulders, sips oh-be-joyful, and adds mentally, 'And so shall I,' to every warning about consequences. Her refusal to be merely a mother—and June's refusal to be merely a daughter—sets the terms of the book's most intimate argument. ## Relationships ### [June Henreddy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/june_henreddy) _family_ Mother Grace is June's mother, and their frequent interactions indicate a close but likely complex maternal bond. ### [Adele](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/adele) _social_ Adele and Mother Grace interact frequently, likely as family friends or through their mutual connection to June. ### [Dick Wemys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/dick_wemys) _social_ Dick Wemys and Mother Grace interact as part of June's social orbit, likely with polite or strained familiarity. ### [Mr. Henreddy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/mr_henreddy) _family_ Mother Grace and Mr. Henreddy are married or co-parents, with interactions reflecting a shared household dynamic. ### [June Henreddy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/june_henreddy) _family_ Mother Grace is June's mother, and their frequent interactions indicate a close but likely complex maternal bond. ### [June Henreddy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/june_henreddy) _family_ Mother Grace is June's mother, and their frequent interactions indicate a close but likely complex maternal bond. ### [Adele](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/adele) _social_ Adele and Mother Grace interact frequently, likely as family friends or through their mutual connection to June. ### [Dick Wemys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/dick_wemys) _social_ Dick Wemys and Mother Grace interact as part of June's social orbit, likely with polite or strained familiarity. ### [Mr. Henreddy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/mr_henreddy) _family_ Mother Grace and Mr. Henreddy are married or co-parents, with interactions reflecting a shared household dynamic. ### [Adele](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/adele) _social_ Adele and Mother Grace interact frequently, likely as family friends or through their mutual connection to June. ### [Dick Wemys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/dick_wemys) _social_ Dick Wemys and Mother Grace interact as part of June's social orbit, likely with polite or strained familiarity. ## In the story ### [The Eleventh Virgin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/the-eleventh-virgin) June's mother, representing traditional expectations. ### [Part I: Adolescent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/part-i-adolescent) June's mother, whose rigid expectations and maternal influence shape June's domestic and moral constraints. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/i) June's mother, who uses whiskey as 'oh-be-joyful,' makes dolls from towels, and hosts tea parties and house parties. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/ii) Is ill and irritable, adding to the household's darkness; later hospitalized for childbirth. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/iii) June's mother, who enforces household rules and displays a cold, formal attitude on Sundays, contrasting with her usual affection. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/iv) Mother Grace is unwell and relies on June to relieve her of Glubb's care. She needs two hours to recover after watching him. ### [Part II: Still Adolescent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/part-ii-still-adolescent) June's mother, whose expectations and traditional values clash with June's burgeoning independence. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/i) June's mother, who offers pragmatic advice and listens to June's experiences with concern. ### [Part III: Not So Much So](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/part-iii-not-so-much-so) June's mother, representing familial expectations and societal norms. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/i) Hides her approval of June's nursing decision; worries about social judgment and Glubb's boasting. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/chapters/iv) Referenced in June's memory; her warning 'Don't get caught' haunts June. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters/mother_grace - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_eleventh_virgin_se/characters