Character Analysis
Sam's mom is hard working, loving, and laid back (as much as parents can be, anyway, without being too laidback). She wants Sam to succeed in life and have opportunities that she didn't get. You know, because she got pregnant with him when she was sixteen. No, it wasn't optimal, but she managed (and then some):
She's caught up, more or less, on all the things she missed because of me. You could even argue that she's overtaken herself. She wasn't any great shake at school, she says, but she was so unhappy about not finishing her education that she pushed herself twice as hard as she would have done. (3.65)
We admire Annie's dedication, especially in the face of a curveball like a kid. Perhaps that's why she's so set on making sure Sam takes care of himself and heads to college. When he goes through a similar situation with Alicia, though, Annie's torn apart and blames herself. The truth is that it's not her fault that Alicia and Sam slept together, though; it has nothing to do with the fact that she got pregnant young. It's just one of those things that happens in life, and it's totally out of her control.
Luckily, Annie comes around to the idea of baby Rufus, especially when she and Mark get pregnant, too. Their family might look a little different from the outside, but there's enough love to go around, regardless of people's ages.