Al Capone Does My Shirts

Al Capone Does My Shirts

by

Gennifer Choldenko

Mrs. Carrie Kelly Character Analysis

Mrs. Kelly is the final expert that Mom consults about Natalie. At first, Moose isn’t impressed: Mrs. Kelly insists Natalie can’t have her beloved button box, and she also says it’s important that Natalie spend time with the kids on Alcatraz, something Moose has to facilitate. However, by the end of the novel, Moose realizes that Mrs. Kelly has genuinely helped Natalie make progress and has given Natalie a life, purpose, and dignity. Mrs. Kelly used to work at the Esther P. Marinoff School, and she believes the school can help Natalie. Hearing this spurs Moose to ask Al Capone for help in getting Natalie into the school—and Moose is successful.

Mrs. Carrie Kelly Quotes in Al Capone Does My Shirts

The Al Capone Does My Shirts quotes below are all either spoken by Mrs. Carrie Kelly or refer to Mrs. Carrie Kelly. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Disability, Dignity, and Shared Humanity Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4: American Laugh-Nosed Beet Quotes

“Some cockamamie psychiatrist decides the problem is Natalie doesn’t get enough attention, and Helen ships him off! Our Matthew! I’m happy as a pig in mud to have him here, but it’s a darn fool thing. What child doesn’t have a brother or sister? Half the world has seven or eight. Having a brother didn’t make Natalie the way she is. One look at the two of them together and that big-shot psychiatrist would have known that. He’s the one ought to have his head examined. It’s going to make Nat sicker just having Moose gone.”

Related Characters: Gram (speaker), Moose Flanagan, Natalie Flanagan, Mom/Helen Flanagan, Mrs. Carrie Kelly
Page Number: 24
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13: One-Woman Commando Unit Quotes

“Gram doesn’t live down the street anymore, honey.” My mom sighs. “We can’t do this without you. Being around kids is good for Natalie. Mrs. Kelly says so. And if she’s to get accepted to the Esther P. Marinoff...”

Related Characters: Mom/Helen Flanagan (speaker), Moose Flanagan, Natalie Flanagan, Mrs. Carrie Kelly, Gram
Page Number: 85
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15: Looking for Scarface Quotes

“Whatever you say, Mom,” I say, watching Nat fuss with her clothes like something’s too tight.

“What’s the matter?” I ask Natalie.

“She’s fine,” my mother answers for her. “We’ve been all over. We’ve had a lovely day.” My mom glances quickly at me and then away.

“She looks upset.”

“It’s just hot, that’s all.” My mom rubs her neck.

“She wants her buttons.”

“Well...yes...,” my mom admits. “But I’m sure once you take her out, she’ll forget all about it. Mrs. Kelly says it’s just a matter of redirecting her attention.” My mom’s voice isn’t quite so sure as her words are. She and Natalie have clearly had a hard time today.

“Don’t you think it’s kind of mean, taking her buttons away?”

Related Characters: Moose Flanagan (speaker), Mom/Helen Flanagan (speaker), Natalie Flanagan, Mrs. Carrie Kelly
Related Symbols: The Button Box/Buttons
Page Number: 90-91
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 32: The Button Box Quotes

“I know what Mrs. Kelly says. I’m talking about Moose now and what he thinks. He’s good with Natalie. They’ve worked out a relationship. We have to respect that and trust him.”

“Well, yes, but—”

“You have to let him care about her his way.”

And then something I can’t hear.

“I got one child who has everything,” my mom says, “big, strapping, healthy, smart...makes people laugh. Got kids coming over looking for him night and day, just like at home. Little ones, big ones and the girls—they all like Moose. But Natalie, Natalie doesn’t have the whole world looking out for her. She needs me.”

“Moose needs you too.”

Related Characters: Mom/Helen Flanagan (speaker), Dad/Cam Flanagan (speaker), Moose Flanagan, Natalie Flanagan, Piper Williams, Theresa Mattaman, Jimmy Mattaman, Annie, Mrs. Carrie Kelly
Related Symbols: The Button Box/Buttons
Page Number: 174-175
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 37: Carrie Kelly Quotes

I try to go to sleep. But I keep thinking about Natalie at home in Santa Monica—living her life in the back room of our house and on the steps of Gram’s. I rode bikes with Pete, played ball, did my homework. She did not. I will graduate from high school, go to college, get married, have kids. She will not.

[...]

Nothing has helped. But suddenly I see this isn’t true. One thing has helped. Carrie Kelly. Natalie has been more a part of things here on this island than she ever has before. She’s had a life here, for the first time. Maybe just a little bit of a life. But a life just the same.

Related Characters: Moose Flanagan (speaker), Natalie Flanagan, Mrs. Carrie Kelly, Gram, Pete
Related Symbols: Alcatraz
Page Number: 199
Explanation and Analysis:

When I hang up the phone, I know I have to do something. Have to. I have no idea what. I wonder if this is how my mother feels. How she has always felt.

Now I understand. When you love someone, you have to try things even if they don’t make sense to anyone else.

Related Characters: Moose Flanagan (speaker), Natalie Flanagan, Mom/Helen Flanagan, Al Capone, Warden Williams, Mrs. Carrie Kelly
Page Number: 201
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Al Capone Does My Shirts LitChart as a printable PDF.
Al Capone Does My Shirts PDF

Mrs. Carrie Kelly Quotes in Al Capone Does My Shirts

The Al Capone Does My Shirts quotes below are all either spoken by Mrs. Carrie Kelly or refer to Mrs. Carrie Kelly. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Disability, Dignity, and Shared Humanity Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4: American Laugh-Nosed Beet Quotes

“Some cockamamie psychiatrist decides the problem is Natalie doesn’t get enough attention, and Helen ships him off! Our Matthew! I’m happy as a pig in mud to have him here, but it’s a darn fool thing. What child doesn’t have a brother or sister? Half the world has seven or eight. Having a brother didn’t make Natalie the way she is. One look at the two of them together and that big-shot psychiatrist would have known that. He’s the one ought to have his head examined. It’s going to make Nat sicker just having Moose gone.”

Related Characters: Gram (speaker), Moose Flanagan, Natalie Flanagan, Mom/Helen Flanagan, Mrs. Carrie Kelly
Page Number: 24
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13: One-Woman Commando Unit Quotes

“Gram doesn’t live down the street anymore, honey.” My mom sighs. “We can’t do this without you. Being around kids is good for Natalie. Mrs. Kelly says so. And if she’s to get accepted to the Esther P. Marinoff...”

Related Characters: Mom/Helen Flanagan (speaker), Moose Flanagan, Natalie Flanagan, Mrs. Carrie Kelly, Gram
Page Number: 85
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15: Looking for Scarface Quotes

“Whatever you say, Mom,” I say, watching Nat fuss with her clothes like something’s too tight.

“What’s the matter?” I ask Natalie.

“She’s fine,” my mother answers for her. “We’ve been all over. We’ve had a lovely day.” My mom glances quickly at me and then away.

“She looks upset.”

“It’s just hot, that’s all.” My mom rubs her neck.

“She wants her buttons.”

“Well...yes...,” my mom admits. “But I’m sure once you take her out, she’ll forget all about it. Mrs. Kelly says it’s just a matter of redirecting her attention.” My mom’s voice isn’t quite so sure as her words are. She and Natalie have clearly had a hard time today.

“Don’t you think it’s kind of mean, taking her buttons away?”

Related Characters: Moose Flanagan (speaker), Mom/Helen Flanagan (speaker), Natalie Flanagan, Mrs. Carrie Kelly
Related Symbols: The Button Box/Buttons
Page Number: 90-91
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 32: The Button Box Quotes

“I know what Mrs. Kelly says. I’m talking about Moose now and what he thinks. He’s good with Natalie. They’ve worked out a relationship. We have to respect that and trust him.”

“Well, yes, but—”

“You have to let him care about her his way.”

And then something I can’t hear.

“I got one child who has everything,” my mom says, “big, strapping, healthy, smart...makes people laugh. Got kids coming over looking for him night and day, just like at home. Little ones, big ones and the girls—they all like Moose. But Natalie, Natalie doesn’t have the whole world looking out for her. She needs me.”

“Moose needs you too.”

Related Characters: Mom/Helen Flanagan (speaker), Dad/Cam Flanagan (speaker), Moose Flanagan, Natalie Flanagan, Piper Williams, Theresa Mattaman, Jimmy Mattaman, Annie, Mrs. Carrie Kelly
Related Symbols: The Button Box/Buttons
Page Number: 174-175
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 37: Carrie Kelly Quotes

I try to go to sleep. But I keep thinking about Natalie at home in Santa Monica—living her life in the back room of our house and on the steps of Gram’s. I rode bikes with Pete, played ball, did my homework. She did not. I will graduate from high school, go to college, get married, have kids. She will not.

[...]

Nothing has helped. But suddenly I see this isn’t true. One thing has helped. Carrie Kelly. Natalie has been more a part of things here on this island than she ever has before. She’s had a life here, for the first time. Maybe just a little bit of a life. But a life just the same.

Related Characters: Moose Flanagan (speaker), Natalie Flanagan, Mrs. Carrie Kelly, Gram, Pete
Related Symbols: Alcatraz
Page Number: 199
Explanation and Analysis:

When I hang up the phone, I know I have to do something. Have to. I have no idea what. I wonder if this is how my mother feels. How she has always felt.

Now I understand. When you love someone, you have to try things even if they don’t make sense to anyone else.

Related Characters: Moose Flanagan (speaker), Natalie Flanagan, Mom/Helen Flanagan, Al Capone, Warden Williams, Mrs. Carrie Kelly
Page Number: 201
Explanation and Analysis: