Student Question
How are Sam Carr and Mrs. Higgins similar in "All the Years of Her Life?"
Quick answer:
Sam Carr and Mrs. Higgins share patience and restraint in dealing with Alfred, avoiding anger despite his wrongdoings. Both show integrity and empathy, hoping Alfred learns from his mistakes. Mr. Carr chooses to contact Mrs. Higgins rather than the police, demonstrating trust and understanding. Mrs. Higgins, although calm and dignified in front of Mr. Carr, reveals her fragility and disappointment at home, highlighting her deep concern for her son.
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 with a quiet respect, showing their integrity and their humanity. Mr. Carr is still willing to trust Alfred - he wants Alfred to learn from his mistake and improve. Mrs. Higgins does speak angrily to her son, but like Mr. Carr, it is because she is disappointed in him and at her wits end. They also have similar effects on Alfred, who is scared into silence by the way he has disappointed these caring adults.
Compare Sam Carr and Mrs. Higgins in "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...
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his employee, Alfred. He is hopeful that Alfred, whom he suspects has been stealing from him, will prove him wrong. As he finally does confront Alfred about the stealing, Mr. Carr displays a calm, direct attitude. He is intuitive, though, and senses that Alfred truly is pained over the wrong he has done. Mr. Carr behaves with great understanding as he contacts Alfred's mother, Mrs. Higgins, rather than the police.
Mrs. Higgins mirrors Mr. Carr's calm and firm appearance but does so with an understanding that her son committed a wrong against Mr. Carr. When contacted about the theft committed by her son, she calmly accepts what Mr. Carr tells her with dignity. She is a mom who cares about her son despite his wrongs and is not too proud to ask Mr. Carr to show compassion and release her son to his mother. There is another layer to Mrs. Higgins' character, however, and at the end of the book, we see that she is more fragile than she at first appeared. She displays a distraught demeanor over what he has done once she is back at her home.