The Mother · Theme
Isolation and Loneliness
How The Mother develops Isolation and Loneliness.
Despite being surrounded by family, the mother experiences profound loneliness—abandoned by her husband, estranged from her elder son, and haunted by her secrets, she finds solace only in memories and her younger son's fleeting visits.
Where it surfaces
- V
The mother waits alone for her husband, lies to the community to hide her shame, and bears the burden of work and worry without support, finding only the old mother's prattling for company.
- IX
The mother's solitude without her husband makes her vulnerable to the agent's advances.
- XVI
The mother feels the house is full of emptiness, sits idle on the threshold, and is haunted by memories and the old sin.
- The Younger Son's Return
The mother's loneliness is palpable as she clings to her younger son, saving treats and watching the road for his return.