The grandmother and the mother

Here, you can read the main traits of Victory's grandmother and mother from the story “Waiting for Her” by Amina Henr…

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The grandmother

All we know about the woman’s outer characterization is that her daughter is in jail and that she raised her granddaughter alone. Her physically portrait is conveyed the day the mother is going to be released from prison: “…how pretty Grandma looked in the kitchen a few minutes ago, in her flowered dress, the light from the kitchen window touching her hair.” (ll. 205-207)

Inner characterization

The grandmother’s inner characterization reveals that she feels guilty for her daughter becoming a drug addict and going to jail: “ ‘Funny, how things can get ruined. Your mother was so innocent, too innocent really. That was probably my fault.’ ” (ll. 191-193)

This, and her pain for her daughter's situation, are suggested by the fact the she cries when…

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The mother

From the woman’s outer characterization, we find out that she is a “heroine addict” (l. 28) who used to sell “drugs in school yards” (l. 29) and got arrested and convicted right after the birth of her daughter Victory: “My mother told me that she named me Victory because that's what I was, born just before she got sent away to prison for selling drugs.” (ll. 6-8)

After twelve years in prison and missing her daughter growing up, she is finally released and returns home.

Inner characterization

The mother’s inner characterization is conveyed using Victory or the grandmother’s memories of her. From the grandmother’s memories, we find how she was when she was a teenager: “Skinny, quiet little thing. She was so sweet.” (ll. 190-192)

The grandmother also recalls how the mother got involved with another boy (…