Questions and Answers for All the Years of Her Life
All the Years of Her Life
In "All the Years of Her Life," what does the mother's trembling hand symbolize?
In Morley Callaghan’s short story “All the Years of Her Life,” Mrs. Higgins’s trembling hand symbolizes her true self. She is truly hurt and fearful about Alfred’s actions, not the calm and...
All the Years of Her Life
The author chose to start the story with a confrontation between characters and to share the background information...
Right at the beginning of “All the Years of Her Life” by Morley Callaghan, the reader witnesses how Alfred Higgins is getting into trouble at work. However, while the story is told by an omniscient...
All the Years of Her Life
Describe Alfred's and his mother's relationship prior to this incident in "All the Years of Her Life."
The relationship between Alfred and his mother, prior to this incident, is typical of a protective, worrisome mother and her immature, unfocused son. Alfred resents being condescended to by his...
All the Years of Her Life
In "All the Years of Her Life" by Morley Callaghan, how does Alfred's behavior reveal that he is immature and...
In the story, Alfred has been caught stealing by his employer. Despite his well-developed body, Alfred's behavior reveals that he's still an immature and irresponsible young man. First, when his...
All the Years of Her Life
In "All the Years of Her Life," what did the author mean in the last paragraph when he said, "this was the first time...
As children, we all grow up with certain preconceptions about our parents, and to a certain extent we believe that they are invincible. We often don’t perceive until we are nearly adults that our...
All the Years of Her Life
What is Mrs. Higgins like in "All the Years of Her Life"?
Mrs. Higgins is "large and plump". She has blue eyes, and for most of the duration of the story, she is dressed in a light coat pulled tightly across her chest "so her dress would not show". Her...
All the Years of Her Life
Describe Mrs. Higgins' personality?
Mrs. Higgins is a well rounded character in "All the Years of her Life." As a reader you get to see different sides of her personality. She at first comes across as calm and collected, friendly...
All the Years of Her Life
What is the point of view for "All the Years of Her Life?"
The point of view in this story is third-person omniscient. In such a narration, the storyteller has insight into the thoughts and emotions of all the characters. In this story, the narrator...
All the Years of Her Life
Explain the situation that brings Alfred's mother to the store in "All the Years of Her Life" by Morley Callaghan.
Alfred's mother was called to the store by the owner, Sam Carr. Mr. Carr had caught Alfred stealing, and rather than "call a cop in point-blank", he called Alfred's mother first to let her know...
All the Years of Her Life
Describe Alfred Higgins' personality.
Alfred Carr is an immature, troubled youth who lives with his mother and works at a drugstore. While his siblings have left home, Alfred still lives with his parents. As he prepares to go home one...
All the Years of Her Life
In "All the Years of My Life," why is Mr. Carr surprised at Mrs. Higgins's reaction?
After Mr. Carr confronts Alfred with his pilfering of small items from the drugstore, he calls Mrs. Higgins and asks her to come to the store; hearing Mr. Carr on the phone with his mother, Alfred...
All the Years of Her Life
What is one of the conflicts in "All the Years of Her Life"?
Mrs. Higgins’s smooth handling of the potentially fraught situation at the drugstore has lulled both her son Alfred and the reader into a false sense of security. We get the impression that she’s...
All the Years of Her Life
What is the theme of "All the Years of Her Life"?
This isn’t the first time that Alfred Higgins has gotten into trouble, nor is it the first time that his mother has had to bail him out. And Alfred’s behavior as he and his mother make their silent...
All the Years of Her Life
In Morley Callaghan's short story "All The Years of Her Life," what is Alfred's first reaction when Mr. Carr accuses...
In Morley Callaghan's short story "All The Years of Her Life," when the drugstore owner Sam Carr accuses Alfred Higgins of theft, Alfred's first reaction is one of denial.When Mr. Carr first says...
All the Years of Her Life
Describe the impact this event has had on Alfred in "All the Years of Her Life." Is there evidence that he has...
At the end of the story, particularly if you pay close attention to the way that Alfred sees his mother in a new light, you could certainly make the argument that this event has affected him. He...
All the Years of Her Life
Compare and contrast the characters Sam Carr and Mrs. Higgins from "All the years of her life."
Sam Carr is an older gentleman of some means and comfort who owns the drugstore where Mrs. Higgins' son Alfred works. Mr. Carr is a calm but firm man who appears to have a sense of empathy toward...
All the Years of Her Life
How are Mrs. Higgins and her son Alfred affected by certain events of the story "All the Years of Her Life"?
After certain events occur, Alfred finally matures when he feels compassion for his mother as he attains insight into her character. The young man, Alfred Higgins, lives at home with his parents....
All the Years of Her Life
How are Sam Carr and Mrs. Higgins alike in "All the Years of Her Life?"
Mr. Carr and Mrs. Higgins both have an extraordinary amount of patience. Neither one gets frustrated with Alfred or feels the need to "explode" at Alfred. They each handle the situation...
All the Years of Her Life
In "All the Years of Her Life," why does it seem to Alfred that "this was the first time he had ever looked upon his...
Most of the difference appears to be the fact that he never really noticed how much his actions affected his mother. Even as he goes downstairs and hears her making tea he is thinking about how...
All the Years of Her Life
Give an example of the descriptive style used in "All the Years of Her Life"
Not for the first time in his short life, Alfred Higgins is in trouble. This time, he’s been caught stealing by his employer, Sam Carr the drugstore owner. Though his theft of a compact, a...
All the Years of Her Life
In which part of the plot does Mr. Carr call Alfred's mother in All the Years of Her Life?
Mr. Carr calls Alfred's mother in the rising action of the plot of "All the Years of her Life." In the exposition of Morley Callaghan's story, there is the introduction of the characters of Alfred...
All the Years of Her Life
How powerful a motivator is guilt in the story "All the Years of Her Life"?
Guilt is the driving force in Alfred's coming of age. It is guilt that first causes him to lie to Mr. Carr about the theft. When he is caught, and his mother comes to the store, it is guilt that...
All the Years of Her Life
What do we learn in exposition of this story?
Exposition is the background of a story, the setting and time period and essential facts. In the opening sequence of this story, we learn that it is set in a city during early part of the...
All the Years of Her Life
What is the plot of "All the Years of Her Life"?
The story’s plot concerns the interactions among Sam Carr, who owns a small store, his clerk Alfred, and Alfred’s mother, Mrs. Higgins. When Carr catches Alfred with stolen merchandise, he tells...
All the Years of Her Life
Discuss the tension in "All the Years of Her Life."
The tension begins when Mr. Carr confronts Alfred about stealing items from the store. Initially, the tension is solely between Carr and Alfred, although the psychological tension is described from...
All the Years of Her Life
Who was the primary interpersonal conflict with?
It seems that Alfred experience conflict with everyone. Alfred is immature, and has trouble holding down a job for long. His mother seems devoted to her son, but there is conflict when she must go...
All the Years of Her Life
Why is time important in "All the Years of her Life"?
This story is written in the minimalist style. The author gives very little detail to the backstory of the characters or to description. We enter the story in the midst of things - Alfred has...
All the Years of Her Life
A trust fund for an 8-year-old child is being set up by a single payment so that at the age 21 the child will receive...
This is the inverse of the typical question where you are given an initial amount to find the final total. If you are searching for the final amount after the time period, you set the equation up...
All the Years of Her Life
As an object approaches the Earth’s surface, what will its acceleration be?
While the speed at which an object travels will vary according to friction and resistance by the atmosphere (think of a parachute), the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 meters per second...
All the Years of Her Life
How is foreshadowing used in the story "All the Years of Her Life"?
"All the Years of Her Life" is a story about the beginning of a late adolescent boy's growth into awareness and empathy. When Alfred's mother is called to the pharmacy where he works because of his...
All the Years of Her Life
How is suspense created in the story "All the Years of Her Life," and what is the outcome of the suspense?
There are multiple points when suspense is created in the story. Suspense is created by Callaghan setting up a situation and keeping the reader waiting before revealing the outcome. First, we are...
All the Years of Her Life
To what sum will $2000 amount to in 10 years if invested at a 4% effective annual rate for the first 5 years and than...
The first five years are very straightforward. The value of the money increases by 4 percent every year. The math behind that is simple - each year you multiply the initial value by 1.04, or to...
All the Years of Her Life
How does the title of "All the Years of Her Life" relate to the other elements in the story and to the overall...
"All the Years of her Life" refers to the culminated pain Alfred's mother has experienced during the course of her life, leading her to be broken and frightened under her façade of strength. In...