Mom Character Analysis in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Margaret’s mom is a stay-at-home parent who paints still life paintings as a hobby. She’s a practical, no-nonsense woman who enjoys gardening and has trouble making choices about her new house in the suburbs—she hasn’t ordered living room furniture yet by the end of the novel, as she’s still deciding what she wants. Mom is a major influence in Margaret’s life. She regularly tells Margaret what’s normal and what to expect in terms of puberty, and she never makes Margaret feel bad or awkward for things like wanting to wear a bra or use deodorant. Mom was raised Christian, but when she decided to marry Dad (who was raised Jewish) 14 years ago, her parents disowned her rather than accept their Jewish son-in-law. So Mom and Dad have very purposefully given up religion in their own lives, and they’ve raised Margaret with the expectation that she can choose a religion when she’s an adult. Mom attempts to reconnect with her parents by sending them a holiday card, but it doesn’t go as planned: Grandmother and Grandfather invite themselves for a visit, insult Mom and Dad’s parenting and Margaret’s lack of a religious upbringing, and ultimately leave early, thereby angering Mom.

Mom Quotes in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

The Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. quotes below are all either spoken by Mom or refer to Mom. 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:

My parents don’t know I actually talk to God. I mean, if I told them they’d think I was some kind of religious fanatic or something. So I keep it very private. I can talk to him without moving my lips if I have to. My mother says God is a nice idea. He belongs to everybody.

Related Characters: Margaret Simon (speaker), Mom, Dad

Page Number and Citation: 16

Explanation and Analysis:

“But if you aren’t any religion, how are you going to know if you should join the Y or the Jewish Community Center?” Janie asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. “I never thought about it. Maybe we won’t join either one.”

“But everybody belongs to one or the other,” Nancy said.

Related Characters: Janie Loomis (speaker), Margaret Simon (speaker), Nancy Wheeler (speaker), Mom, Dad

Page Number and Citation: 40-41

Explanation and Analysis:

She got me out of the first bra and into the next one. I wondered how I’d ever learn to do it by myself. Maybe my mother would have to dress me every day.

Related Characters: Margaret Simon (speaker), Mom, Nancy Wheeler

Related Symbols: Bras

Page Number and Citation: 48

Explanation and Analysis:

The film told us about the ovaries and explained why girls menstroo-ate. But it didn’t tell us how it feels, except to say that it is not painful, which we knew anyway. Also, it didn’t really show a girl getting it. It just said how wonderful nature was and how we would soon become women and all that.

Related Characters: Margaret Simon (speaker), Nancy Wheeler, Gretchen Potter, Janie Loomis, Mom

Page Number and Citation: 111

Explanation and Analysis:

“Who needs religion? Who! Not me…I don’t need it. I don’t even need God!” I ran out of the den and up to my room.

[…]

I was never going to talk to God again. What did he want from me anyway? I was through with him and his religions! And I was never going to set foot in the Y or the Jewish Community Center—never.

Related Characters: Margaret Simon (speaker), Mom, Dad, Mary Hutchins/Grandmother, Paul Hutchins/Grandfather

Page Number and Citation: 154

Explanation and Analysis:

Mom Character Timeline in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

The timeline below shows where the character Mom appears in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...right before Labor Day. On moving day, she knows exactly how hot it is because Mom sniffs under her arms (she does this only when it’s warm to check that her... (full context)

...explained that Dad could still work in Manhattan, Margaret could go to public school, and Mom could garden. Margaret had no idea Mom even wanted to garden. (full context)

Margaret suspects that her family is leaving the city because of Grandma, Sylvia Simon. Mom thinks that Grandma has too much influence over Margaret—Grandma is the one who sends Margaret... (full context)

Friendship, Fitting In, and Social Pressure Theme Icon

...Margaret wants to have, and she invites Margaret to play in the sprinklers. Margaret asks Mom if she can go, and Mom says she can, but she has no idea where... (full context)

...Margaret insists she’s growing her hair out and it’s currently in an awkward stage, but Mom wants her to wear it down more so it hides that her ears stick out.... (full context)

...lived in New York and what her parents do. Mrs. Wheeler asks Margaret to tell Mom about the Morningbird Lane ladies’ bowling team and bridge games, but Margaret explains that her... (full context)

Mom and Dad take Margaret to a hamburger place for supper. Margaret tells Dad about Moose’s... (full context)

...Margaret asks God to help her start to grow breasts, and then she shares that Mom and Dad don’t know that she talks to God. They’d think she was weird, so... (full context)

...heads back inside. The police are there, and Dad is lying with his head in Mom’s lap. (full context)

...promises to ask Gretchen to look for Margaret at school. When Margaret’s family gets home, Mom and Dad hire Moose to mow their lawn. (full context)

...before school starts. As she puts things away, she hears someone knocking at the door. Mom and Dad are still asleep, so she goes downstairs to answer the door (if it... (full context)

...house, so Margaret shows her around. But Grandma shakes her head; she doesn’t understand why Mom and Dad decided to move to the country. Margaret insists it’s not really the country,... (full context)

Hearing water running upstairs, Margaret runs up to tell Mom and Dad about Grandma. Very excited, she asks her parents to guess who’s here, but... (full context)

...Margaret could use some new curtains and a bedspread. With a sigh, she says that Mom probably wants to design it herself. Sitting down, Grandma says that she and Margaret will... (full context)

On Wednesday night, Mom helps Margaret wash and put her hair in rollers. Margaret plans to sleep in them,... (full context)

Mom finally shoos Margaret out the door. Sure enough, by the time Margaret gets to school,... (full context)

After school, Margaret changes clothes and then tells Mom that she’s going to Nancy’s for a secret club meeting. She tells Mom about Mr.... (full context)

...her parents don’t have a religion. Feeling silly, Margaret explains that Dad was Jewish and Mom was Christian. Nancy’s face lights up, and Margaret is thrilled that her friends are interested... (full context)

While Grandma wasn’t thrilled about a Christian daughter-in-law, she accepted it. Mom and Dad eloped, and that’s why they don’t have a religion. Gretchen says it makes... (full context)

Margaret spends all of supper wondering how to ask Mom if she can wear a bra. Finally, when Mom comes in to kiss Margaret goodnight,... (full context)

...a subscription to the Lincoln Center for herself and Margaret. They’ll see one concert per month—Mom and Dad won’t be able to say no, since this is “culture.” Fortunately, the first... (full context)

After lunch, Mom tells Dad that she and Margaret are going shopping, and she mentions that they need... (full context)

Mom tells the saleslady that Margaret needs a bra. Margaret hates it when the saleslady calls... (full context)

Margaret undresses and puts on the first bra, but she can’t fasten it herself. Mom fastens it for her and asks Margaret how it feels. Margaret doesn’t know, so Mom... (full context)

On Saturday, Mom drives Margaret to the bus station so she can bus to New York. Mom is... (full context)

...Grandma says that Margaret can come with her on Rosh Hashanah. Then, she asks if Mom and Dad know about this. They don’t, so Grandma begs Margaret to make it clear... (full context)

...she gets out of bed. She explains that she’s going to temple with Grandma, and Mom and Dad think it’s ridiculous. But Margaret is still sure that this will help her... (full context)

Mom insists that everyone wears new clothes on Jewish holidays, so Margaret wears a new suit... (full context)

When Margaret gets home, Mom and Dad question her about her experience. Dad asks if she learned anything, and Margaret... (full context)

...who stomps on girls’ feet. He also makes Margaret’s hands sweat. Finally, the dance ends. Mom picks Margaret up in the family’s new car (she finally won Dad over) and hurries... (full context)

...wrong (Dad wouldn’t get the magazine if it was), but she doesn’t want to ask Mom where it is. She also realizes that Dad has recently started hiding them. Finally, Margaret... (full context)

The week after, Mom starts addressing her Christmas cards. She calls them “Holiday greetings” since the family doesn’t really... (full context)

...laugh. Winter vacation begins right after the pageant—and when Margaret gets home after the pageant, Mom shares that Margaret has a letter. (full context)

Mom tells Margaret that the letter is on the table. Margaret never gets letters since she... (full context)

Margaret races to Mom’s studio to ask if she can go. Mom wants to know who Norman is and... (full context)

...morning of the party on the phone with Nancy, Janie, and Gretchen discussing their outfits. Mom washes Margaret’s hair and puts it up in rollers—and she files Margaret’s nails instead of... (full context)

Mom sends Margaret to rest so she’s fresh for the party, but Margaret doesn’t feel like... (full context)

...bathroom. Her heart pounds as she grabs a few cotton balls, even though she knows Mom wouldn’t think anything of it—but Margaret knows what she’s going to do with them. Back... (full context)

Later in the evening, Mom brushes out Margaret’s hair and smiles at her as they wait for Nancy’s father. Margaret... (full context)

...modern. The furniture at Nancy’s house is colorful, while at Margaret’s house there isn’t much furniture—Mom is still picking stuff out. Most of the other kids are already downstairs. Laura looks... (full context)

...sponsors this movie, which is called What Every Girl Should Know. After school, Margaret tells Mom. Mom already knows and says the movie is about menstruation. Margaret already knows about menstruation,... (full context)

Margaret tells Mom about Gretchen when she gets home. Mom says that she was 14 when she had... (full context)

Mom takes Margaret to Lincoln Center twice with Grandma’s subscription. Going with Mom isn’t as much... (full context)

Grandma responds that she hopes Mom took Margaret to a good doctor—if she were at home, she would’ve tried to get... (full context)

Margaret writes back that Mom and Dad will let her visit, but they’re waiting to make concrete plans. Margaret is... (full context)

...doesn’t smell—but since she’s 12 now, she figures she’d better use deodorant anyway. She uses Mom’s and heads for the kitchen. Margaret tells Mom she used her deodorant, but Mom laughs... (full context)

In the third week, Laura and Margaret plan to work in the library after school. Mom is going to pick Margaret up, while Laura is going to walk to church for... (full context)

...if Laura is right—maybe she should confess, too. She follows Laura to the church since Mom won’t come to pick her up for another half hour. Once Laura’s inside, Margaret tiptoes... (full context)

...of the church. She walks back to school feeling ready to vomit and climbs into Mom’s car. She tells Mom she feels ill and, because of this, she doesn’t have to... (full context)

Mom brings Margaret soup in bed later and tells Margaret she doesn’t have to go to... (full context)

A week before spring vacation, a letter arrives from Mom’s parents, Mary and Paul Hutchins. Dad doesn’t like them, so he “hits the roof.” He... (full context)

Minutes later, Dad comes into Margaret’s room and shuts off the record player. Mom follows him in with the letter; her eyes are red. Dad says that this concerns... (full context)

...Brightening up, Margaret says she’ll be in Florida and won’t have to see them, but Mom and Dad exchange a look. Margaret realizes she’s not going to Florida. She shouts that... (full context)

In Mom and Dad’s room, Mom calls Grandma. She says that Margaret won’t be able to come... (full context)

Mom spends the week frantically cleaning the house while Margaret hopes for a telegram announcing that... (full context)

On April fifth, Margaret accompanies Mom to the airport. On the drive there, Mom tells Margaret that 14 years ago, her... (full context)

...seeing Dad’s expression, Margaret realizes this is harder for him than it is for her. Mom makes a fancy dinner that night and hires a woman to wash dishes. She also... (full context)

...to the den. Grandfather and Dad discuss investing and the insurance business, while Grandmother tells Mom about Mom’s brother in California. When Mom goes to pay the lady in the kitchen,... (full context)

Grandfather says that he’d hoped Mom would’ve changed her mind about religion, and Grandmother says that Margaret needs religion. Dad suggests... (full context)

...he wants to “strike [her] down,” he can. But by afternoon, she’s bored and asks Mom to let her go to a movie with Janie. Margaret meets Janie at a drugstore... (full context)

Mom asks about Margaret’s package when Margaret gets home, but Margaret says it’s school supplies. Margaret... (full context)

In the morning, Grandmother and Grandfather share that they’re leaving for New York. Mom is aghast; they said they were coming for a week. Grandfather explains that they’ve decided... (full context)

Mom and Dad invite Grandma and Mr. Binamin into the living room and serve coffee. Margaret... (full context)

That afternoon, Mom starts packing Margaret’s trunk for camp. When Margaret hears the lawnmower outside, she realizes that... (full context)

...a liar. Then, she looks down and notices blood in her underwear. Margaret yells for Mom and Mom soon appears in the bathroom door. Margaret starts to laugh and sob that... (full context)

Mom Character Analysis

Mom Quotes in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Chapter 2 Quotes

Chapter 5 Quotes

Chapter 6 Quotes

Chapter 15 Quotes

Chapter 21 Quotes

Mom Character Timeline in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.