Deadly, Unna?

by

Phillip Gwynne

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Deadly, Unna? makes teaching easy.
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:
Race, Injustice, and Action Theme Icon
).
Chapter 6 Quotes

‘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: 32
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

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: 53
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Deadly, Unna? LitChart as a printable PDF.
Deadly, Unna? PDF

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:
Race, Injustice, and Action Theme Icon
).
Chapter 6 Quotes

‘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: 32
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

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: 53
Explanation and Analysis: