Edwin’s Mother Character Analysis in The Buried Giant

Edwin’s mother was kidnapped by a mysterious band of men when Edwin was very young. Edwin does not know where his mother is, but somehow knows that she has been travelling all over the country and is waiting for him. Edwin is determined to get out of the Saxon town where he lives with his aunt, find his mother, fight the men who took her away, and set her free. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that, due to the effects of a dragon bite, Edwin believes his mother is the dragon Querig and has a kind of sixth sense that leads him to her. When Querig is slain by Wistan, Edwin also senses this, and becomes determined to kill whomever killed his mother.

Edwin’s Mother Character Timeline in The Buried Giant

The timeline below shows where the character Edwin’s Mother appears in The Buried Giant. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...up to his departure from the village. His aunt, who cared for him since his mother left, had cursed him, and Elder Ivor was forced to drag him away and push... (full context)

...if Edwin and Wistan want to go forward. Edwin hopes that he will find his mother on their journey. (full context)

War, Peace, Vengeance, and Forgiveness Theme Icon

...for having abandoned Wistan, but had only gone in the tunnel because he thought his mother was in there. Edwin ran back to the monastery once he emerged from the tunnel... (full context)

...tied up. The girl had told him he was old enough to go rescue his mother. This made Edwin feel ashamed, but Wistan’s arrival and decision to take Edwin had changed... (full context)

...begins lying, saying that he feels Querig’s pull when he’s really just listening to his mother’s voice begging him to find her. Edwin says they should go soon before he loses... (full context)

...says that he’s not leading Wistan to the dragon at all, but is tracking his mother, who had been taken away by Britons and “longs” to return to him. Wistan looks... (full context)

...protect him, Wistan says that it was Britons who “slaughtered our kind” and took their mothers away. Because of this, Wistan says they have a duty to hate the Britons and... (full context)

...too tired to chase it away. Edwin is surprised by “the sudden conviction that his mother [is] gone” and he no longer hears her voice. He feels someone untying him and... (full context)