Morley Callaghan gives the readers an eye-opening experience in her short story “All The Years Of Her Life” . Callaghan achieves this concept through Alfred Higgins, a young adult who doesn 't seem to have any sense of responsibility and his mother Mrs. Higgins. Although the story seems to be focused on Alfred intellectual change, the story develops on Mrs. Higgin’s psychological state she is in.
The tension first develops in Mr. Sam Carr drug store where he confronts Alfred in being a petty theft. At first, Alfred denies any actions of stealing but his feeling of frightening makes him confess. Mr. Carr actions are to call Alfred mother and the police, as this occurs, the author using omniscient point of view to give a little background about Alfred disappointing past in where he has been unable to keep a job ever since he graduated. Furthermore, Alfred waits on his mother, planning on an all-too-familiar scenario about his mother walking into the store. He can already imagine his mother walking in
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Once they get home, Mrs. Higgins directs Alfred to his room and he obeys. Alfred being curious about his mother 's actions heads to the kitchen silently to watch his mother make herself some tea, where he notices his mother 's true colors. All he sees now is a frighten,broken soul faced women who has gone through so much. “He watched his mother, and he never spoke, but at that moment his youth seemed to be over; he knew all the years of her life by the way her hand trembled as she raised the cup to her lips.” (pg #178). Mrs. Higgins trembling hands were her way of her emotions showing and Alfred noticed and finally saw his mother in a different