A Mother In Mannville

Discuss the significance of the story’s title, especially considering the revelations of the last few lines.

What hints does the narrative provide regarding Jerry’s life at the orphanage? What conclusions can you draw about it?

Examine the character of the narrator. What motivates her in her treatment of Jerry? Is she intended to be a sympathetic character or not?

Examine the narrator’s feelings toward Jerry’s mother. Why does she not follow through on these feelings, and does this lack of follow-through reveal anything about her character?

How does the time period in which Rawlings wrote the story inform the characters’ choices?

The narrator praises Jerry for his integrity. What does she mean by this, and does the revelation that he lied about having a mother undercut it?

Explore the details of the story Jerry creates about his mother. How do these details contribute to the work’s characterization or themes?

How does the author’s choice to begin the story in media res affect readers or contribute to the work’s meaning?