Mrs. Everything

The conflicts between mothers and daughters in Mrs. Everything are core elements that create and propel the plot. The first conflicts in the plot occur between Sarah and Jo, as Sarah doesn’t approve of her daughter’s rough, nonconformist ways. Sarah simply wants Jo to act like a lady and live a conventional life. Jo perceives this as consistent disapproval:

No matter what Jo did, her mother was angry at her. Jo was always doing something wrong, like leaving her clothes on the floor or pinching her sister, or talking too loudly, or making too much noise when she chewed or even when she walked. Jo lost her library books and broke her toys. She ripped her clothes, she got gum stuck in her hair (25).

Unlike Ken, Sarah doesn’t show Jo empathy or try to understand her sexuality. Instead, she pushes Jo to follow female norms, such as wearing dresses and marrying a man. As Bethie and Jo both note, Sarah doesn’t say “I love you” but shows her love in different ways. Whereas Ken tells his girls he loves them, Sarah demonstrates love by providing food, giving them money, or counting on Jo to help Bethie after she’s pregnant.