Mary, Mary · Chapter
XVII explained
Mary Makebelieve wakes early on her first day of work, prepares breakfast, receives detailed cleaning advice from her mother, arranges for a neighbor to care for her mother, and walks to Mrs.
What happens
Mary Makebelieve wakes early on her first day of work, prepares breakfast, receives detailed cleaning advice from her mother, arranges for a neighbor to care for her mother, and walks to Mrs. O'Connor's house, reflecting on the unfamiliar morning streets and her longing for the policeman.
Themes in this chapter
Poverty and Survival
Mary's first day of work is driven by economic necessity; her mother's detailed advice on cleaning techniques reflects the harsh realities of domestic labor and the need to maximize efficiency.
Mother-Daughter Relationship
Mrs. Makebelieve imparts practical cleaning wisdom to Mary, showing a caring but strained dynamic as Mary takes on the role of breadwinner.
Coming of Age and Sexuality
Mary's first day of work marks a transition into adulthood; her thoughts about the policeman reveal emerging romantic and sexual feelings, as she imagines comforting him physically.
Characters to notice
- Mary Makebelieve
Awakens early, prepares for her first day of work, receives advice from her mother, arranges care for her mother, walks to Mrs. O'Connor's house, and thinks about the policeman.
- Mrs. Makebelieve
Asleep but restless, gives Mary detailed cleaning instructions during breakfast, and is left in the care of a neighbor.
- Mrs. O'Connor
Mary goes to her house for work; the woman who opens the door is not Mrs. O'Connor, as she lacks the described hairy wart and buck teeth.
- The Man
Referenced as the policeman Mary hopes and fears to see; she imagines him searching for her in the Phoenix Park.
Key passages
“She felt as if someone had called her, and lay for a few moments to see had her mother spoken. But her mother was still asleep.”
Mary woke with a start, thinking someone had called her, but her mother remained asleep.
Highlights Mary's heightened awareness and the internal urgency of her first workday.
“She cautioned her daughter when scrubbing woodwork always to scrub against the grain, for this gave a greater purchase to the brush, and removed the dirt twice as quickly as the seemingly easy opposite movement.”
Mrs. Makebelieve advised Mary to scrub woodwork against the grain for better leverage and faster cleaning.
Illustrates the practical, survival-oriented knowledge passed from mother to daughter.
“She had a sinking feeling at the thought that maybe he would be in the Phoenix Park this day looking for her, and might, indeed, have been there for the past few days, and the thought that he might be seeking for her unavailingly stabbed through her mind like a pain.”
Mary felt distressed imagining the policeman searching for her in the Phoenix Park, possibly for days, and the idea pained her deeply.
Reveals Mary's emotional attachment and guilt regarding the policeman.