Character Analysis
Most famous for her platitudes, or clichés, Mrs. Hopewell is Hulga's mother. If you've read up on Hulga already, then you probably agree that this isn't exactly an enviable position. But no matter: As her name suggests, Mrs. Hopewell is really good at, well, hoping.
Kind, Strong, Independent
A divorced, single woman running a successful farm in the southern U.S. in the 1950s, Mrs. Hopewell may be nice, but she's definitely not meek. To not only divorce her husband, but to then also run the farm by herself, lets us know she's a seriously independent and competent woman. Mrs. Hopewell also likely paid for Hulga's dozen or so years of college, supporting her daughter throughout.
So when we learn that doctors have told Mrs. Hopewell " that with the best of care, Joy might live to see forty-five" (18), we're pretty confident she's providing just that. Considering what we know of Hulga, this seems largely to be a thankless task, but Mrs. Hopewell doesn't complain, even internally about this. Instead she generally acts like her daughter is a joy in her life—you know, like she named her to be.
Mrs. Hopewell does complain about her daughter's "attitude" (13), but also feels super sorry for her because of her leg, her heart condition, and because she hasn't "had any normal good times" (13). She empathizes with her daughter's plight, understanding that Hulga might have reason to be grumpy. And given how grumpy Hulga can be, we'd say this shows a generosity of spirit.
Mrs. Hopewell is also a creative and practical person. When the other farmer tells her Mrs. Freeman is too nosey, Mrs. Hopewell finds a way to use this quality to the benefit of the farm. The narrator sarcastically makes fun of this position, but we think it's kind of nice—Mrs. Freeman is allowed to be herself and is comfortable in her job. Also, Mrs. Hopewell works hard and does much of the same work as Mrs. Freeman. For example, in the story's final scene the two women are digging onions together. Mrs. H isn't afraid of a little hard work. Not in the least.
Blind, Petty, Condescending, and Hypocritical
It isn't all roses and sunshine with Mrs. Hopewell, though, and you can easily argue that by thinking of Hulga "as a child" (2), Mrs. Hopewell keeps her from living a more fulfilling life. This patronizing attitude toward her daughter also keeps the two of them from making a connection—they are both grown women, but not together. Plus, Mrs. Hopewell's possibly responsible for some of Hulga's bad habits, like judging people hastily, and considering "good country people beneath her."
Her attitude toward her employees is somewhat similar to her attitude toward Hulga—condescending and patronizing—but with her employees, it runs deeper. She thinks she is truly above them. While she might think Mrs. Freeman is "not trash," she will never consider her an equal, and her reference to families she previously employed at the rate of one per year as "trash" (12) isn't exactly respectful. If Mrs. Hopewell's employees don't last longer than a year, perhaps Mrs. Hopewell is the problem, or at least as much of the problem as the people who work for her.
Furthermore, Mrs. Hopewell is a hypocrite. She smiles to Manley's face but then she says to Mrs. Freeman:
"Lord […] he bored me to death but was so sincere and genuine I couldn't be rude to him. He was just good country people, you know." (68)
Since Mrs. Freeman knows Mrs. Hopewell thinks she's good country people, too, she might not take kindly to this bit of information. Mrs. Hopewell's comment also speaks to her blindness: She can't see that there was anything awry with Manley. Similarly, at the end of the story, she can't imagine that Hulga and Manley could have been together.
In other words, for all the ways in which she's an impressive woman and mother, Mrs. Hopewell leaves a lot to be desired—or you might even say hoped for. You know, if you were the pun-making sort.