6 incredible moms in literature who will stay in our hearts, always
Moms are the best. They’re always there to encourage us, support our dreams, and cheer for our successes. They make us laugh until our sides hurt, they wipe away our tears when we cry, and they fill our lives with an endless amount of love. Basically, we’d be lost without them. Some of the most beloved book characters of all time are moms. And with good reason: It’s easy to love strong, loyal, and protective characters. Sure, moms have their embarrassing moments, but it almost makes us love them more.
In honor of Mother’s Day, we’re showing love to some of our favorite book moms. Here are six of the fiercest, most loving moms in literature.
1. Molly Weasley from Harry Potter
Molly Weasley does all things with an intense ferocity. She loves, protects, and provides for her kids (and their friends) at all hours of the day and night. On top of that, she slings a mean one-liner (“Not my daughter, you bitch!”). Weasley is our king, yes, but Molly Weasley is our queen. Thank you, J.K. Rowling, for bringing her into our lives. We’re not worthy.
2. Ma from Room
A mother’s love is a powerful, unwavering force. It’s an unstoppable instinct that enables moms to do anything to protect their children from harm. And there’s no character that demonstrates this better than Ma from Emma Donoghue’s Room. She’s determined to give her son a better life and prepared to do so by any means necessary.
3. Novalee Nation from Where the Heart Is
No, not everything in Novalee’s life has gone according to plan. No, she didn’t intend to secretly live (and give birth to her daughter Americus) in a Walmart. And no, she didn’t expect to find new friends who became family. But it all happened, and every experience helped shape Novalee into a wonderful, loving mother.
4. Katie Nolan from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Katie Nolan is the ultimate provider and a protector. She practices tough love with her children, but it doesn’t harden them — instead, it instills a sense of virtue. Despite the Nolan family’s struggles through hard times and extreme poverty in the slums of early 20th century Brooklyn, Katie always acts with them in mind, and her love always shines through.
5. Isabel Pullman from Wonder
Isabel Pullman doesn’t wear a cape, but she’s definitely a superhero. Her powers are kindness, patience, and never-ending support. Isabel’s son Auggie has a facial deformity and she lives to bring happiness and humor into his life, hoping to make it as normal as possible. She’s a supermom through the very last sentence: “You really are a wonder, Auggie. You are a wonder.”
6. All the moms from The Joy Luck Club
We fell in love with Suyuan Woo, An-Mei Hsu, Lindo Jong, and Betty St. Clair over dim sum and mahjong. In The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan tells the histories of four families over the span of 40 years. By the end, you’ll know them so intimately that you’ll feel like part of their families.