From Donald to Mr. Morgan

            In Wednesdays and Fridays, the entire story is a series of letters written by Mabel Dorris Morgan. These letters are addressed to a man identified as Mr. Morgan who seems to be “boarding” in Mabel’s home. The purpose of these letters are complaints that Mabel has with her “resident”, and the payments that are passed due.

            The last letter in the story is different from all the others in the story. In all the other previous letters Mabel is constantly complaining to Mr. Morgan about various things he has done, and reminding him of the payments he needs to make to her. In the last letter the reader learns that Mabel is the mother of Mrs. Moore. This last letter has a sorrowful aspect to it, in that we see Mrs. Moore has become saddened that Mr. Moore is upset and won’t come out of his room. This letter is important because although Mrs. Moore is constantly nagging her son about paying for board and finding a job, the reader sees that she will still be there for her son when he needs her. In the letter Mrs. Moore says, “I’ll lend you twenty dollars to hire a boat and a grappling iron. We can simply at it on the Board…of one Midnight Ecstasy lipstick” (102-103), this quote shows that all Mrs. Moore wants is for her son to be happy, but will continue to remind of the bill that he is accumulating.

            Mrs. Moore is using this bill as a way to symbolize the hardships that life will bring and the importance of a job. I believe Mrs. Moore never intends for her son to actually pay her back for all the things that is supposedly on his bill. The bill is just a way to show him how things can add up, and the hardships that will presented to him in the near future. In the beginning Mr. Moore doesn’t take this bill his mother has created seriously. He constantly messes with her and pushes her buttons the way all typical teenage sons do. As the bill starts to add up Mr. Moore becomes overwhelmed at this massive bill that he has accumulated and realizes the hardships that are ahead of him. When Mr. Moore realizes the end of childhood is near, Mrs. Moore is there to comfort him outside his bedroom door and show that he won’t be alone in this transitional phase.