Throughout the novel, Charlie's mother, Rose, is described as two people. Before Norma's birth, Rose's only wish is to make Charlie normal. She sends him to many doctors and tries to teach him how to behave as he should. When Norma is born and Rose is sure she is normal, she becomes violent with Charlie and beats him if he doesn't act normal. Knowing that his son is abnormal, he begins reading books and magazines on the subject. So he believes that being hard on him and punishing him will help him improve and become like others, and even better. When she gives up trying to make him normal, she threatens to kill him if he isn't sent away. As he gains intelligence, Charlie is haunted by memories: “It was Rose's face that brought back frightening memories. To me she was two people and I never got to know which one she would be" (Keyes 167). When he goes to visit her, after being separated from his family for a long time, she is a different person. Charlie talks to Rose and tries to make her understand that he was the subject of an operation that made him intelligent. By saying this, Charlie wants her to be proud of him; however, she does not understand him brother is back. He spends time talking to Charlie and catching up on the years they spent