The mother

The mother is unhappy and does not want to integrate into British society

The narrator’s mother is an important character in the short story “The Jam Maker” by Huma Qureshi, as she has a great influence over the narrator. The mother is an Indian immigrant who resents their move to Britain.

The mother is unhappy in Britain. This is a constant source of conflict between her and her husband, as she often reproaches him for moving there: “Why, of all places, did you have to come here?” (ll. 5-6). Her remark shows that she merely followed her husband; she had no desire of her own to move to Britain. She also confesses her unhappiness to her sisters: “My heart is hurting here.” (l. 51). This metaphor underlines how she is homesick and lonely.

Unlike her husband and daughter, the mother has no wish to integrate into British society or take part in British activities...