Gwen “Mum” Black Character Analysis in Deadly, Unna?

Gwen Black is Blacky’s mother. She labors constantly to care for Blacky and his seven siblings without the help of her absent, alcoholic husband. Whenever she appears in the novel, she is usually doing a domestic task, like washing clothes or cooking dinner. Her two escapes at the end of a long day of chores are baths and romance novels. Though she was once young and beautiful, her teeth have all rotted and been pulled out, which Blacky thinks is because she was pregnant so many times. Despite the burdens upon her, she is loving and affectionate toward Blacky and wants all of her children to be educated and speak properly. Her constant work and physical deterioration represent the extreme side of Blacky’s fear of responsibility. She serves as a contrast to Blacky’s father, whom Blacky resents for never taking any responsibility for the family.

Gwen “Mum” Black Quotes in Deadly, Unna?

The Deadly, Unna? quotes below are all either spoken by Gwen “Mum” Black or refer to Gwen “Mum” Black . 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:

‘I don’t know what Arks, I mean Mr Robertson, expects of me.’

‘That you do your best. That’s all anybody expects of you. Do your best and he’ll be happy as Larry.’

Related Characters: Gary “Blacky” Black (speaker), Gwen “Mum” Black (speaker), Coach “Arks” Robertson

Page Number and Citation: 32

Explanation and Analysis:

My poor Mum didn’t have any teeth. She’d gone into hospital and they’d taken them all out, every last one. It was because of us kids.

Related Characters: Gary “Blacky” Black (speaker), Gwen “Mum” Black

Page Number and Citation: 53

Explanation and Analysis:

Gwen “Mum” Black Character Timeline in Deadly, Unna?

The timeline below shows where the character Gwen “Mum” Black appears in Deadly, Unna?. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...practice rucking. Blacky wonders if it’s too late to practice and whether he should ask his mom first. Arks says it’s fine and he will see Blacky soon. (full context)

...in the kitchen. Blacky’s old man is absent, at the pub, as he always is. Mum is cooking. Blacky remarks on how much she knows about football, even though Arks won’t... (full context)

Blacky chats with his little brother, Kevin. Mum corrects Kevin’s grammar, even though their father speaks without proper grammar. As with most nights,... (full context)

...watch, with each person’s vote equaling the number of their age. The Brady Bunch wins. Mum serves them all dinner before sitting down on a stool to do a crossword. The... (full context)

...just try his best. Blacky wonders what will happen if his best isn’t good enough. Mum calls Blacky back into the house for bedtime. (full context)

...a perfect smile, like Dumby’s, instead of teeth that others make fun of. While his mother is hanging up laundry, Blacky asks her how much it costs to go to the... (full context)

Mum herself doesn’t have any teeth. Before she got married, she had a beautiful smile. But... (full context)

Blacky goes inside to see his mother, who is reading a book and doing laundry. Blacky notes that his mother spends a... (full context)

Blacky and Mum discuss the big game on Saturday. Mum tells him the whole town is coming to... (full context)

Blacky wonders why his mother ever married and had kids with his father. He remembers an old photo he saw... (full context)

...relaxes. Although it is past midnight, his father is not home yet. Like always, his mother will wait for her husband to come home so she can serve him dinner. (full context)

Blacky asks his mom for a sleeping pill but she says no, she will make him some hot chocolate... (full context)

Mum has made a large breakfast for Blacky, but he’s too anxious to eat. He says... (full context)

...sister, Jenny, comes onto the field to talk to him. Jenny tells him that their mother’s advice is for him to run at the ball from the side and then jump... (full context)

...unexpectedly turns. The boys collide and Blacky is knocked unconscious. He wakes up to find Mum, Team-man, and Arks standing around him. They tell him that his tackle slowed Thumper down... (full context)

...concussion. Blacky insists, saying he could die of a random shark attack tomorrow, knowing his mother’s fear of sharks. Finally, his mom agrees to let him go. (full context)

...Dumby go to get more food. Blacky begins talking to Clarence. He asks where their mother is, but Clarence says their mother doesn’t like coming to the Port. Blacky realizes that,... (full context)

...didn’t genuinely intend to stop Thumper from scoring. He accepts the trophy anyway and sees his mom , Clarence, Arks, Dumby, and even Team-man smiling proudly at him. (full context)

Inside the pub, the regular customers, including Blacky’s father and both Pickles’ mother and Pickles' father, are all drinking. Big Mac is tending the bar. His hands are... (full context)

...Mac tells the back bar customer to wait because he’s busy. Shirl asks why Blacky’s mother never comes to the pub, but Blacky can’t imagine his mother ever being in such... (full context)

The next day, Blacky wakes up early to go squid fishing. His mother worries about his clothes getting covered in squid ink and makes him go change. Blacky... (full context)

Mum tells Blacky that she’s worried about him because he hasn’t left the house in days.... (full context)

...also reads that Dumby’s funeral will be on Sunday in the Point. Blacky tells his mother that he wants to attend Dumby’s funeral. His mother is sympathetic, but she says that... (full context)

...passes his three youngest siblings, who tell him their father seems mad. Blacky finds his mother in the laundry room, but she doesn’t know what the old man wants to talk... (full context)

...find his school tie, so he goes to find his father’s tie. He passes his mother, who is asleep at the kitchen table, on his way to steal the tie from... (full context)

...own family’s sofa. Clarence invites Blacky into the kitchen, where he sits down with her mother for tea. (full context)

As Blacky enters his house, his worried mother asks where he’s been all day. Though he’s nervous, he tells her the truth. His... (full context)

In the kitchen, Blacky finds his mother, smoking and looking tired. She warns him not to bother his father. Blacky knows that... (full context)

Sharon is peeling potatoes in the kitchen when Blacky finally returns home. Their mother is still out of town looking after their sick grandfather. Their father is supposed to... (full context)

Deadly, Unna?

Gwen “Mum” Black Character Analysis

Gwen “Mum” Black Quotes in Deadly, Unna?

Chapter 6 Quotes

Chapter 9 Quotes

Gwen “Mum” Black Character Timeline in Deadly, Unna?