Mrs. Milgrom is Janina’s mother and Mr. Milgrom’s husband. She is sickly and bitter about life in the ghetto. She also objects to Misha hanging around with Janina, and she never lets Misha call her “Mother,” even after he’s unofficially adopted into the household. Mrs. Milgrom dies of an unnamed illness one winter in the ghetto.
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Mrs. Milgrom Character Timeline in Milkweed
The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Milgrom appears in Milkweed. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 16
...and presents them with a sack full of food he’s stolen. While the others eat, Mrs. Milgrom returns to her mattress in a corner, lamenting her lack of an oven. Misha explains...
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Chapter 19
...other half to share with her parents. But when they get home, Mr. Milgrom and Mrs. Milgrom refuse to eat rat—not yet. Janina starts to cry and gives the remaining half to...
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Chapter 22
Mrs. Milgrom has become very sick and weak, and she no longer works during the day. Uncle...
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Chapter 25
...black shoes are just scraps. She cries and screams at her mother a lot, but Mrs. Milgrom doesn’t get up from her mattress nowadays. Janina and Misha spend a lot of time...
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Chapter 30
...he just says one fierce word: “No.” Janina cries and huddles on the mattress with Mrs. Milgrom . That night, Misha goes outside the wall as usual, relishing his regained freedom.
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Chapter 32
...Misha gets back to the Milgroms’ room, he finds Janina crying in Mr. Milgrom’s arms: Mrs. Milgrom has died. Misha had always wanted to call Mrs. Milgrom “Mother,” but she never let...
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...him with a bottle of pills he’s been saving for the occasion. The undertaker puts Mrs. Milgrom ’s body on a wagon, and they all walk slowly to the cemetery, where Mr....
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Chapter 34
Last year, Mrs. Milgrom wouldn’t let Misha celebrate Hanukkah with the family—but this year, Mr. Milgrom says that he...
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