Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

Mama is a largely absent character. Readers see her primarily through Cricket’s memories. As a result, it is hard to get a real sense of what Mama is like until she and Cricket see each other in person again. Cricket describes Mama with a great deal of love and affection and is not initially angry at her mother for abandoning her. As the book progresses, Cricket remembers more and more instances where Mama hinted that she would soon leave or expressed her general lack of interest in being there for her daughter. Cricket starts to feel more hurt by her mother’s behavior, and she worries that if Mama is has a mental illness, she might as well.

Cricket’s mother lives with a mental illness for which she receives only intermittent treatment because she keeps throwing away her medication. Because she does not have a well-informed support system, and because she is either unwilling or unable to commit to her treatment plan, her symptoms sometimes become unmanageable, and she often abruptly leaves her family. Mama is an absent parent who ultimately does not put in the effort to care for her daughter. Although her mental illness makes her life more difficult, it does not wholly explain or excuse her actions. Mama is not prepared to make the necessary commitment to be a parent to Cricket. She is self-centered and lacks the Familial Love and Devotion that her daughter demonstrates.

The story begins in February; Cricket’s grandmother died the previous summer, her mother left in December, and her father died in January. Before their deaths, Daddy and Grandma were stable and loving parts of Cricket’s immediate family. Relatively little is said about Cricket’s grandmother. She was a stern woman who tried to keep Mama stable, but she was often unsuccessful. When her grandmother knew she was dying, she and Mama saved as much money as they could for her headstone.

Cricket’s dad had an unspecified job working offshore. According to Cricket’s memories, he was deeply in love with Mama though he was also often frustrated and heartbroken when she would leave the family. Although Mama is not prepared to be there for Cricket, Daddy was much more willing to be a parent. He taught Cricket valuable survival skills and planned to spend more time in the woods with her as she got older. Cricket is still mourning her father, but by relying on his book, she feels as though he is still with her. His expertise helps guide her on her journey of self-reliance in the woods.

Charlene is a cricket that Cricket finds in the Cash ’n’ Carry grocery store. Cricket names the insect Charlene because it is Mama’s middle name. Although Charlene is a cricket, Cricket sees her as an individual with her own personality, desires, and thoughts. When Cricket first meets Charlene, she looks like she is listening for something, “hoping for the sound of someone out there calling, calling, calling, and waiting for her to answer back” (16). Cricket relates to Charlene, as she is also hoping for a reunion with her mother.

Cricket projects what she is feeling onto Charlene. For her part, Charlene often seems to be pointing her in the right direction, such as when she leads Cricket to food or helps Cricket work out one of Bob’s clues. At the end of the book, Cricket releases Charlene back into the woods, where she can hear her family chirping. Despite their similarities, Charlene and Cricket’s stories end in opposite ways. Charlene finds her way back to and is reunited with her family. In contrast, Cricket is not reunited with Mama and must make peace with creating a new family with Miss V. and Aunt Belinda.

Miss Vidalia is Cricket’s father’s second cousin once removed. She does not reveal this information to Cricket until she feels that she can trust her. Miss V. loves poetry and puzzles and spends a lot of time reading poetry to her dog, Percy. Because she also guards Bob’s secret Bird Room, Miss V. is secretive and initially mistrustful of Cricket. Even before Miss V. fully trusts Cricket, she treats her with a gruff sort of kindness and tends to Cricket’s snakebite.

After Cricket finds the Bird Room, Miss V. grudgingly allows her to keep investigating the mystery. She does not expect to find any hidden treasure and is often more realistic than Cricket when faced with clues that do not seem to make sense. However, she benefits from Cricket’s determination when they get closer to solving the mystery, and she hopes that they will get to the bottom of her old friend’s treasure hunt.

Miss V. offers Cricket some insight into Mama’s behavior. She has an adult’s understanding of what Mama is going through that Cricket does not yet have, and she is also able to relate Mama’s experiences to Bob’s. At the end of the story, Miss V. offers Cricket something that Mama cannot: a permanent home where she is always welcome. Cricket’s decision to live part time with Miss V. demonstrates the effect she has on Cricket’s life even though they have known each other for only a short time.