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Charlie’s mom is a kind, caring woman who looks after her family and puts them first even though she has struggles of her own. The reader does not know much about her backstory, but what we do know is concerning. Over the course of the novel, we learn that Charlie’s mom and her sister Helen were physically abused by her father (and Helen was molested by a close family friend), that she became pregnant with Charlie’s older brother while she was still in college, and that she watched her sister begin a downward spiral which ultimately culminated in her death via car crash. There are many indicators throughout the novel that show Charlie’s mom has not recovered from her past. For example, she is uncharacteristically firm when she learns that her daughter’s boyfriend was physically abusive and she is adamant that the family visit Aunt Helen’s grave whenever they are nearby. Both of these examples are indicative of larger issues. It is natural for a parent to be upset upon learning that their child is in an abusive relationship. However, she is clearly additionally distressed because it reminds her of her own experiences with physical abuse. In a similar vein, Charlie’s mom is likely obsessed with visiting Aunt Helen’s grave because she feels guilty that she was able to turn her life around when Helen could not.
Charlie adores his mom. He thinks that she is beautiful and warm and he enjoys spending time with her, likely because his mom appears to understand him more than any other member of his family. She was also a reader and gives him several books for his birthday that she used to love at his age, including The Catcher in the Rye. Charlie is so excited by this connection that he starts to read from her old copy instead of the copy that Bill lent him. Charlie’s mom also understands the way Charlie’s brain works. For example, Charlie takes buying gifts for people very seriously and it is important to him that he get the right thing. If he does not get the present exactly right, he will feel like a failure. He becomes increasingly distressed while shopping with his mom and sister because he cannot find the right gift for his father. Charlie’s sister grows frustrated with him, but Charlie’s mom is able to see that Charlie has displaced his internal anxieties into the process of trying to buy the perfect present. She scolds her daughter and tells Charlie that he can take as much time as he needs and visit as many stores as he likes until he is happy with his purchase. Her empathy and her support allow Charlie to calm down. This interaction is crucial to our understanding of her character because it illustrates that Charlie’s mom provides her son with a safe space to work through his emotions and his anxiety.
