Beverly “Ma” Kennedy Character Analysis

Ma is Ed’s mother. She swears constantly, especially in her frequent tirades against Ed. Over the course of the story, she reveals that she is so hostile toward Ed because she is disappointed in him for being the only one of her children never to leave their hopeless hometown. Ed realizes Ma also hates herself for never leaving, and by the end of the novel Ma and Ed have a deeper understanding of each other. She represents the view that an individual is completely controlled by their circumstances and that if they want to improve themselves, they must first totally change their environment. Ed, however, disagrees with this view and comes to a more nuanced perspective over the course of the novel.