Karl’s Mother Character Analysis in The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness

A devout Catholic, Karl’s mother objected to Karl joining the Hitler Youth and the SS, but she retained her love for him even when he went to war, unlike Karl’s father, who refused to speak to him. Simon goes to visit Karl’s mother after the war in order to get a fuller picture of Karl. Karl’s mother lives alone following the deaths of her son and husband (who was killed in a factory bombing). She still retains the belief that her son was a good person, and Simon, by remaining silent about his experience with Karl, allows her to continue believing this. Simon understands that she was not guilty of the Nazi’s crimes but still believes that she is culpable as a citizen of a guilty nation.

Karl’s Mother Quotes in The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness

The The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness quotes below are all either spoken by Karl’s Mother or refer to Karl’s Mother. 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:

).

Those who might appear uninvolved in the actual crimes, but who tolerate acts of torture, humiliation, and murder, are certainly also guilty.

Related Characters: Simon, Karl’s Mother, Karl’s father

Page Number and Citation: 111

Explanation and Analysis:

Willful ignorance is a sin. In this case, a catastrophic sin that made the Holocaust possible.

Related Characters: Simon, Karl, Karl’s Mother

Page Number and Citation: 147

Explanation and Analysis:

We must not forget that millions were murdered by a nation of good sons. Every woman who doggedly holds on to a pristine moral image of her son is a collaborator in his crime.

Related Characters: Simon, Karl, Karl’s Mother

Page Number and Citation: 255

Explanation and Analysis:

Karl’s Mother Quotes in The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness

The The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness quotes below are all either spoken by Karl’s Mother or refer to Karl’s Mother. 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:

).

Those who might appear uninvolved in the actual crimes, but who tolerate acts of torture, humiliation, and murder, are certainly also guilty.

Related Characters: Simon, Karl’s Mother, Karl’s father

Page Number and Citation: 111

Explanation and Analysis:

Willful ignorance is a sin. In this case, a catastrophic sin that made the Holocaust possible.

Related Characters: Simon, Karl, Karl’s Mother

Page Number and Citation: 147

Explanation and Analysis:

We must not forget that millions were murdered by a nation of good sons. Every woman who doggedly holds on to a pristine moral image of her son is a collaborator in his crime.

Related Characters: Simon, Karl, Karl’s Mother

Page Number and Citation: 255

Explanation and Analysis: