How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)
Quote #4
She had wept because she was heroic and unscrupulous and full of love for both her children […] Of course, Winnie was independent, and need not care for the opinion of people that she would never see and who would never see her; whereas poor Stevie had nothing in the world he could call his own except his mothers heroism and unscrupulousness. (8.44)
Stevie's mother figures that in order to make sure Stevie gets as much sympathy from Mr. Verloc as possible, shell go live on her own in an almshouse. She doesn't do this to guarantee Stevie's protection, but just to slightly increase his chances. Both Winnie's mother and Winnie completely define themselves through their ability to protect Stevie. The end of this passage also makes Winnies mother seem a little self-congratulatory, since she seems to consciously think of herself as heroic for protecting her son. Here, Conrad might be hinting that Winnie's mother kind of likes the idea of being a martyr, and there might be some self-interest in the way she looks out for Stevie.
Quote #5
She took the cold and reasonable view that the less strain put on Mr Verloc's kindness the longer its effects were likely to last […] And the heroic old woman resolved on going away from her children as an act of devotion and as a move of deep policy. (8.45)
Winnie's mom is no fool. She knows the score, and it ain't going in Stevie's favor. She's basically figured out something Winnie hasn't—that Verloc's only got so much sympathy in him, and it's going to run out quicker than the gas tank on your SUV. Winnie's mom probably has the best combination of love and strategy in this entire book. Winnie loves Stevie a lot, but she always chooses to keep her head in the sand when it comes to how much Verloc actually likes the kid. Her mom, on the other hand, knows that there's only so much you can expect from a world of selfish jerks.
Quote #6
She saw [Stevie] amiable, attractive, affectionate and only a little, a very little peculiar. And she could not see him otherwise, for he was connected with what there was of the salt of passion in her tasteless life—the passion of indignation, of courage, of pity, and even of self-sacrifice. (8.122)
Winnie likes to think of Stevie as being only a little bit peculiar, which shows us just how rose-colored her glasses are. Most of the other characters (like Verloc or Ossipon) see Stevie as really peculiar. In this quote, we also learn more about the reasons behind Winnie's connection to Stevie. He's really the only thing in Winnie's life that gives her passion, and here you can see a tiny glimpse of self-interest in Winnie's devotion. From a very young age, Winnie has made Stevie her top priority, and she doesn't really know how to live any other way. Without doubt, there's some love and affection here; but there's also more to it than that. Winnie Verloc won't be getting canonized as a saint anytime soon.