Mothers

[Scribble]

A quotable quote.

As a man with muted emotions, I was surprised to see how much feeling I put into my fantasy creations.

 

[Creed]

Scribble did a very good job explaining, but if you need a different perspective then I'll just add this.
(Note: I'm still in those "adolescent years so be careful I any bias).
I feel like your MC's mother would have a hard time. I mean, she's gotta take care of everything! There's finances involved, there's the danger of being alone in this big bad city (an assumption) and at the heart of it all is this child. He came in and, as much as she loves him, complicates her life even more. So she'd have a lot of stress, which is more than fair. Being a time which is not modern and not something I am familiar with, I'd assume she might turn to drugs or alcohol. She might even have taken "guests" as a prostitute to make end's meet- I've seen that before in books and the character's grow up very defensive of prostitutes and extremely defensive of their mothers, especially if the insult happens to be whoreson.
My mother, though for different reasons than finances and danger entirely, was very sad in many of my childhood memories. And- irrationally- this made me mad at my mother. I would be angry in silence (I grew up a quiet person) when she became sad and strangely be disappointed in HER. Now if your Mama character reacts to the stress in any way- alcohol or drugs or not- then that's going to shape an emotion about your MC and he's going to reflect that later in life.
I hope that helps!

 

[Creed]

Amazing what comes out in your literature without you quite realising sometimes.

On a side note I agree with that. I've just developed a theory, but I'll spare you guys. I think we can learn a lot about ourselves through our writing, even if it is mostly hidden beneath… well, someone else's voice.

 

[The Dark One]

I'm sure when we take up writing seriously that we all know, on a safe intellectual level, that it will be a voyage of self-discovery.

It's when the visceral reality suddenly smacks you in the face with a whole bunch of confronting prejudices, shortcomings, weaknesses and general fallibilities that you rue the day you ever took up that suicidal pen.

But on a cheerier note, I had a really cool meeting with a publisher today so anything negative I've learned about myself was clearly wrong.

 

[Trick]

Scribble did a very good job explaining, but if you need a different perspective then I'll just add this.
(Note: I'm still in those "adolescent years so be careful I any bias).
I feel like your MC's mother would have a hard time. I mean, she's gotta take care of everything! There's finances involved, there's the danger of being alone in this big bad city (an assumption) and at the heart of it all is this child. He came in and, as much as she loves him, complicates her life even more. So she'd have a lot of stress, which is more than fair. Being a time which is not modern and not something I am familiar with, I'd assume she might turn to drugs or alcohol. She might even have taken "guests" as a prostitute to make end's meet- I've seen that before in books and the character's grow up very defensive of prostitutes and extremely defensive of their mothers, especially if the insult happens to be whoreson.
My mother, though for different reasons than finances and danger entirely, was very sad in many of my childhood memories. And- irrationally- this made me mad at my mother. I would be angry in silence (I grew up a quiet person) when she became sad and strangely be disappointed in HER. Now if your Mama character reacts to the stress in any way- alcohol or drugs or not- then that's going to shape an emotion about your MC and he's going to reflect that later in life.
I hope that helps!

I see what you mean. I also know that the depth of character I could reveal with that type of person could be astronomical (if I can harness the potential) but I don't want to draw too much attention from the MC. Basically, I want his mother to stay on the straight and narrow which contrasts with his own descent into a life of crime. This will be the source of his shame.

On a separate note, his mother was pregnant when his father died and his mother went through birth, caring for an infant and raising a troubled son at the same time without becoming too overwhelmed to maintain her morals. Basically, this is a very strong woman. I think that this is vital to my story.

 

[Creed]

Basically, this is a very strong woman. I think that this is vital to my story.

So she doesn't react negatively to the stress, which would certainly make an effects on the MC. She's gotta be strong, so he'll grow up with that same strength- which it seems like he already does, so well done!

 

[Trick]

He grows with strength of will and self-confidence but not moral strength. That is something he fails to learn from his mother.