Olly’s Mom Character Analysis in Everything, Everything

Olly and Kara’s mom is a stay-at-home parent. She spends her days gardening and tries to convince her children to do their chores so that they don’t make Olly’s dad angry, but she nevertheless is the primary target of his abuse. According to Olly, his mom believes that his dad is going to change and stop being violent. Late in the fall, she finally agrees to secretly move to New York City with Olly and Kara, leaving her husband behind.

Olly’s Mom Quotes in Everything, Everything

The Everything, Everything quotes below are all either spoken by Olly’s Mom or refer to Olly’s Mom. 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:

“You should leave them,” I say. “It’s not safe for you there.”

I say it because he doesn’t know it. He’s trapped by the same memory of love, of better times, that his mother is, and it isn’t enough.

Related Characters: Madeline “Maddy” Whittier (speaker), Olly, Olly’s Dad, Olly’s Mom

Page Number and Citation: 231-32

Explanation and Analysis:

He’s not sure which conversation with his mom finally convinced her. It could’ve been because he told her he couldn’t be part of the family anymore if she stayed. Sometimes you have to leave the people who love you the most, he said. Or, he says, it could’ve been when he finally told her about me and about how sick I am and how I was willing to do anything just to live. He says that she thinks I’m brave.

Related Characters: Madeline “Maddy” Whittier (speaker), Olly, Mom/Dr. Pauline Whittier, Olly’s Dad, Zach, Olly’s Mom

Page Number and Citation: 259

Explanation and Analysis:

Olly’s Mom Character Timeline in Everything, Everything

The timeline below shows where the character Olly’s Mom appears in Everything, Everything. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Maddy lists Olly’s mom ’s schedule. She spends her morning on the porch, kisses Olly’s dad goodbye, gardens and... (full context)

Maddy says that Olly’s mom and Kara call the boy Olly, but Olly’s dad calls him Oliver. Olly’s bedroom is... (full context)

...front door, so hazards don’t get into the house—and Carla relents. Olly tells Mom that Olly’s mom sent a Bundt cake, but it’s guaranteed to be inedible. Mom apologizes, but says she... (full context)

...says that now, he’s bigger, older, and harder to bully. On Friday, Maddy asks if Olly’s mom is okay, since she saw what happened earlier. Olly says she is, but this isn’t... (full context)

...minutes to start yelling last night. He made four complaints about the overcooked roast, and Olly’s mom apologized six times. He called Kara a “goddamn freak” for wearing black nail polish twice,... (full context)

A few weeks before, Olly’s mom explained to Olly and Kara that Olly’s dad would be home for a while. Olly... (full context)

...slam from outside. When they hear someone scream “stop,” they run to the window. Olly, Olly’s mom , and Olly’s dad are outside. Olly’s dad drinks and tells Olly’s mom to take... (full context)

Olly separates his parents and tries to draw Olly’s dad’s attention away from Olly’s mom . It works, and as Olly’s dad punches at Olly, he falls off the steps... (full context)

...the porch like someone pushed him, and Maddy wants to comfort him. Olly waits until Olly’s mom joins him outside. She tries to touch him, but he jerks away. She goes back... (full context)

...sight. Maddy asks where Olly’s family members fall in his baggage carousel theory. He says Olly’s mom is damaged, he and Kara are lost, and his dad is the carousel. At this,... (full context)

...calendar of shirtless surfers for Carla. Olly shares what he got for Kara and for Olly’s mom , and Maddy says she’s going to get herself macadamia nuts and a dress. Olly... (full context)

...on the beach, Olly tells Maddy that Olly’s dad apologized and cried after he hit Olly’s mom the first time. He says that Kara knew their dad was lying, but Olly and... (full context)

Maddy reaches for Olly, but he pulls away. He says that Olly’s mom won’t talk about it anymore, but she used to say that Olly would understand once... (full context)

...says that a moving truck has pulled in next door. The two men talk to Olly’s mom , but Olly’s dad isn’t around. Maddy joins Carla at the window and watches Olly,... (full context)

...drinking on the porch, falls asleep, and eventually stumbles inside. Maddy has no idea what Olly’s mom , Olly, and Kara are doing. Just after Christmas, Olly’s dad moves away too. Maddy... (full context)

...that make her laugh until she cries. In other emails, he writes about talking to Olly’s mom about getting help for herself and for Kara. His mom might have decided to leave... (full context)