Mary Character Analysis in Dreams from My Father

Mary is a white woman with an absent Black husband and biracial daughters whom Barack meets in Chicago through organizing. Barack knows little about her, as she’s a private and reserved person, but he knows that she teaches kindergarten. She reminds Barack of Ann and is one of the only people to not greet Barack’s news of his acceptance to Harvard with enthusiasm.

Mary Character Timeline in Dreams from My Father

The timeline below shows where the character Mary appears in Dreams from My Father. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Barack enters a church in Altgeld to find Angela, Shirley, Will, and Mary all looking morose. Angela announces she’s quitting; after two years, she feels like she’s accomplished... (full context)

...struggling people there won’t go to meetings at a foreign church. Barack helps Will and Mary prepare a flyer and stands with them on a corner. To his surprise, about 20... (full context)

Before one meeting, Barack joins Mary at the coffee pot. Barack doesn’t know Mary well, but he knows that she married... (full context)

...regularly and only half the students graduate. Few people are interested. Some, like Angela and Mary, send their kids to Catholic school. The most resistance to reform comes from the teachers... (full context)

...for ministers and leaders and, at the end, he announces that he’s leaving. Everyone but Mary congratulates Barack; she asks why men always want more than they have. Barack walks her... (full context)