The Leap- Characterization of the Mother

How is the mother characterized?

Thoughts and feelings
-strong willed -brave
-caring -protective
-content - accepting

View point
The child tells the story of the mothers life in their own words.

Appearance
The mothers appearance is that of a trapeze artist, casual formal wear to elegant undergarments (“laced trimmed drawers”)
Dialogue
“ I didn't see her leap through air--- she was hanging by the backs of hear heals---she was smiling.” 195 last paragraph

Interactions
The mother was an “illiterate” women until the time her future husband taught her to read and write while she was in the hospital. In the hospital. In the hospital she was very depressed and bored with life. Learning how to read helped her survive through the characters in the stories. Her love of reading was the greatest difficulty in accepting her blindness.

How does the writer make us “see” the mother ?
The writer makes us see the mother as a very courageous, graceful, warm hearted women. I see these attributes throughout the story. In her trapeze act she fell gracefully seven months pregnant with no fear. In the house fire she proves shes warm hearted because she goes into the burning building to save her child.

What is the perspective of the narrator? How does that perspective tell us about the mother?
The narrator's perspective is of a young child. I know this because the narrator describes their mothers life and who she is as a person. Who better to know her than her child.

How is she described , list some of the more effective words or terms?
The mother is described as a very independent, courageous women. As a visibly impaired person one still keeps her independence by using the other four sense she has. “running her hand over knickknacks” She is described as courageous because she was a trapeze artist taking numerous dangerous risks above the ground.

Make a connection
This story makes me feel very emotional. I can easily relate to this story because I like the narrator have a very close bond with my mother. She would do anything for me and I would do anything for her.