How do you think the death of Una's mother shaped her outlook?

How do you think the death of Una's mother shaped her outlook?

The death of Una's mother was so tragic. At first her death made Una hard and took away her compassion for those needing assistance. I think that was a survival technique that allowed Una to steal and break rules that her moral compass knew went against the beliefs of her Mother. As Una matured and began her nursing career she seemed to understand why her mother reached out to those in need and instead of hating her mom for the way she died, saw her death as a noble act of compassion.

She lost her only experience of unconditional love. But its memory lived in her soul. She learned to love her mother unconditionally after her death and was able to forgive her for her flaws. In my view this is a powerful story of redemption.

Her mother's death caused a loss of security, social class and innocence. Right away she is forced to become her Father's caretaker, and then quickly she is forced to leave and be on her own. She remembers her mother's kindness and love, but must put ti aside and harden herself in order to survive.

Una was angry with her mother for a long time. She didn’t understand why her mother wanted to be close to poor people in the tenements. Una used her anger to protect herself, by alllowing it to create barriers between herself and others. She began to reflect more on her mother and her life with her once she had a safe, warm place to live and plenty of food to eat. Una experienced the internal joy one can find helping others.

The death of Una's mother was so tragic and life changing for such a young child. It was so satisfying to see Una come full circle in her thoughts about her mother and how her mother dealt with life situations (theirs and others).

She felt abandoned when her mother died. Her father was a drunk, so she had no one to love and care for her. Her #1 rule was "Look out for yourself above all others. #14 Don't waste time in the past." When she interviewed at the school, she told them how her mother, "a woman of tireless charity, was killed in a house fire when I was nine...I knew after that I wanted to help people. And honor my mother's memory." Her original plan was to lay low so the "coppers" wouldn't find her. As a probationer she discovered she was also conscientious and sympathetic like her mother.

I believe that Una’s loss of her mother at such an early age shaped her future. She was forced to mature before reaching adulthood, become a caregiver to her father and handle responsibilities inappropriate for her age. This led to becoming a survivor, however. She was able to make life altering decisions quickly which saved her from the destructive behavior of others.

So many, many good points. I don't think there is any question that her mother's death completely changed Una's life. The death, caring for her father and her subsequent apprenticeship as a confidence woman were the crucible that created her fierce determination to survive. She could easily have been defeated by all the hardships or become devoid of hope. Una maintains a spark of hope and sees the possibility of a new life. Her mother's gift of literacy and the love and security of her early presence keep her awake to the possibilities of life despite her resentments about her circumstance. I think the fact that she can imagine a different life makes all the difference.