The Good Mother: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Good Mother: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complexities of familial relationships and personal growth through its central figures. Anna Dunlap, the first-person narrator, recounts her journey of self-discovery following her departure from a loveless marriage, taking her young daughter, Molly, along. As Anna navigates her new life, her perspective evolves, revealing her resilience and maturity over time. The narrative also explores her former husband, Brian Dunlap, who, despite being portrayed as a decent man, navigates societal biases regarding gender and morality during and after their separation.
Molly, their three-year-old daughter, emerges as a poignant character, grappling with the emotional fallout of her parents' divorce while maintaining her innocence and curiosity. Anna’s lover, Leo, is depicted as the quintessential artist, embodying passion and freedom, yet he remains somewhat underdeveloped in contrast to Anna's evolving character. The influence of family is further explored through Anna's grandfather, Frank McCord, who embodies rigid societal expectations and manipulative tendencies, alongside her mother, Bunny, who is driven by ambition but ultimately adheres to emotional conformity. This cast of characters serves to illustrate the intricate dynamics of motherhood, personal fulfillment, and societal pressures.
The Good Mother: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Sue Miller
First published: 1986
Genre: Novel
Locale: Primarily Cambridge, Massachusetts; also rural New England and Chicago
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: The 1970's
Anna Dunlap, the protagonist and first-person narrator. She tells of her struggles to survive after she leaves a loveless marriage, taking her daughter, Molly, with her. An uncertain young woman, Anna gives piano lessons and finds work in a laboratory. Other players in the novel are seen only through Anna's eyes, so that except for Molly, they never become fully rounded characters. The events are narrated about four years after they take place, and from Anna's changing perceptions it is clear that she has grown stronger and wiser.
Brian Dunlap, Anna's former husband. He is fairly content in a tepid relationship with Anna during their marriage. It is Anna who suggests a separation when Brian's law firm transfers him to Washington, D.C. He is a decent man who plays by the rules, which is to his advantage later in the novel, when he sues for custody of Molly. Although he has an affair with another woman while his marriage with Anna is dissolving, society is more tolerant of his indiscretions than of Anna's.
Molly Dunlap, Anna and Brian's three-year-old daughter. She is a bright, once-happy child who struggles to make sense of her parents' divorce and the profound consequences it has on her life. Anna describes her daughter in exquisite and loving detail, using every sense to convey the physical reality of a little girl. Molly is one of the most successfully realized characters in the novel. The child's dialogue is true to the prattle of a child her age as well as a subtle indicator of what is going on in Molly's deeper consciousness.
Leo, Anna's lover, who has a passionate approach to life that no one in Anna's circle has ever displayed. A man of many appetites, he provides the sexual fulfillment Anna never knew in her marriage. He is never fully developed and is almost a stereotype of the artist often depicted in literature, an intense, gifted painter who lives beyond the rules of traditional society. When he does enter the “real” world of the courts in order to help Anna retain custody of Molly, he appears awkward and confused.
Frank McCord, Anna's grandfather and patriarch of her mother's family. He represents the repressive Calvinism that shaped her girlhood. He is slightly contemptuous of the other members of the family and constantly manipulative. An arrogant, self-made man, McCord holds everyone to the same rigid standards to which he holds himself.
Bunny, Anna's mother, who is dominated by Frank McCord and worships achievement as he does. She is ambitious for Anna and pushes her daughter to become a concert pianist. Failing that, she is content to see Anna settled in an emotionally sterile marriage.