The Caretaker

by

Harold Pinter

Mother Character Analysis

Mother is Mick and Aston’s mother. She doesn’t appear in the present day, only mentioned a few times in passing by Mick and Aston. When Aston was institutionalized as a minor, she gave the doctors permission to perform electroshock therapy on Aston. This betrayal could be an impetus for the emotionally distanced relationship toward family Aston has for much of the play.
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Mother Character Timeline in The Caretaker

The timeline below shows where the character Mother appears in The Caretaker. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 2, Scene 1
...recalls that he never called the man his uncle, and that both he and his mother called hm Sid. Mick ends his recollection and asks if Davies slept well. (full context)
...house, room, and beds are all his: in fact, one bed used to be his mother’s. Davies becomes flustered. Mick berates Davies, calling him “an old rogue” and a “scoundrel.” (full context)
Act 2, Scene 3
...knew that, because he was a minor, the doctor must first get permission from Aston’s mother. Aston later learned that his mother signed the forms needed to validate the procedure. (full context)
...Aston believes damaged his spine. After the operation, Aston returned home to live with his mother and older brother, and his thoughts “bec[a]me very slow,” which made it hard for him... (full context)