Ode to My Favorite Literary Mamas

Happy Mother’s Day, Kindred Spirits! Who are you most favorite literary mothers? There are so many mothers and mother figures I look up to in my favorite books, but I have to give a special shout out to these special literary mamas:

Marilla Cuthbert

Marilla Cuthbert might be strict, pragmatic, and stiff, but she has a tender heart and a soft spot for Anne. There’s a “saving something about her mouth which, if it had been ever so slightly developed, might have been considered indicative of a sense of humor.” Marilla is the mother I most enjoy watching develop. She goes from being hard and no-nonsense to completely lovable and dear.

Ma Ingalls

Caroline Ingalls is practical and no-nonsense and yet so kind and gentle. She didn’t mess around, but she loved and taught her girls so well. She can make a meal out of pretty much anything and find a way to make things special, even in the midst of grasshoppers, blizzards, drought, or famine.

Marmee

Mrs. March is that mother who exemplifies everything we want in a mom and everything we want to be AS moms. She is patient, clever, kind, witty, and creative. She can teach a lesson with wise words, a gentle reprimand, or a cleverly-devised experiment. She’s well-read, she’s learned to curb her temper well, and she’s compassionate to her neighbors.

I honestly think that the “book moms” in my life shaped how I related to my own mother, in appreciating her and looking up to her, and also in how I wanted (and still want) to be as a mama myself.

That’s just my top 3! Tell me about your most favorite book moms in the comments below and why you love them so!

Mamas, aunties, and grandmas come in many shapes and sizes, and I am so thankful for all the women in my life who have loved and mentored and befriended me over the years!

Grace and peace,
Rachel