Orphan Train

by

Christina Baker Kline

Mary Power/ “Mam” Character Analysis

Mary Power (“Mam”) is Vivian/Niamh’s biological mother. Born in Ireland at the turn of the twentieth century, she immigrates to New York with her husband Patrick and her three children, Niamh, Dominick, and James. She becomes pregnant with her daughter Maisie during the voyage to America. Mary is frequently depressed, which can make her neglectful of her children. Still, she values education and teaches Niamh to read. In Ireland, Mary’s fights with Niamh’s Gram are part of the series of events that lead to their family’s departure from Ireland. After Mary’s husband and sons die in a house fire, Mary is institutionalized in a mental hospital.

Mary Power/ “Mam” Quotes in Orphan Train

The Orphan Train quotes below are all either spoken by Mary Power/ “Mam” or refer to Mary Power/ “Mam”. 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:
Belonging and Connection Theme Icon
).
Chapter 10 Quotes

How strange, I think – that I am in a place my parents have never been and will never see. How strange that I am here and they are gone. I touch the claddagh cross around my neck.

Related Characters: Vivian Daly / Niamh Power / “Dorothy” (speaker), Patrick Power/ “Da”, Mary Power/ “Mam”
Related Symbols: The Claddagh Cross / Vivian’s Necklace
Page Number: 62
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Orphan Train LitChart as a printable PDF.
Orphan Train PDF

Mary Power/ “Mam” Quotes in Orphan Train

The Orphan Train quotes below are all either spoken by Mary Power/ “Mam” or refer to Mary Power/ “Mam”. 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:
Belonging and Connection Theme Icon
).
Chapter 10 Quotes

How strange, I think – that I am in a place my parents have never been and will never see. How strange that I am here and they are gone. I touch the claddagh cross around my neck.

Related Characters: Vivian Daly / Niamh Power / “Dorothy” (speaker), Patrick Power/ “Da”, Mary Power/ “Mam”
Related Symbols: The Claddagh Cross / Vivian’s Necklace
Page Number: 62
Explanation and Analysis: