Andy and Tom’s mother is a traditional but good mother who exemplifies the characteristics of caring, courage and loyalty throughout the story, “The Strangers That Came to Town.” Her caring nature is evident right at the beginning of the story when, as soon as the Duvitches had emptied the moving truck, she stepped into the kitchen and “returned swathed in her hooded raincoat, carrying a basket containing a vacuum jug of chicken soup, a baked tuna fish dish, steaming hot; a loaf of fresh bread and a chocolate cake [that] she took to the house across the street and gave basket and all to the boy who answered her knock” (2). Following her kind gesture, mother receives, in return, a plant. Caring enough to use the opportunity to model good
