Mom Luby and the Social
Worker
Presentation
Kenila Brown, Aaliyah Reynolds, Rajhni Raxton, U’Anique
Dixon, Jamelia Montaque
How does the title relate to the
plot?
The short realistic story “Mom Luby and the Social Worker”
written by Kristin Hunter born Semptember 12, 1931 is an
African American author from Pennsylvania. The story’s title
reflects the central conflict and contrast between Mom Luby
a practical hard-working woman in her community and the
social worker, an official figure found by formalities. It
emphasizes the differences in their approach to helping
others.
Summary
Mom Luby, an elderly woman who runs a speakeasy while raising two foster children (Elijah and
Pudding). She is portrayed as a hardworking, witty, resourceful and caring mother.
She is visited by a social worker Miss Rushmore to assess her in taking ‘proper care’ of her
children. She questions Mom Luby’s ability to provide for the children due to their living
conditions.
In order to prove her capabilities, Mom Luby takes Miss Rushmore through her demanding daily
routine of practicing law, medicine and ministry without a license while being a singe mother.
Miss Rushmore, overwhelmed by the physical and emotional work of Mom Luby’s routine, fails
to keep up, highlighting her inefficiency compared to Mom Luby’s resilience.
The story ends with Mom Luby humorously commenting on the ineffectiveness of welfare
systems, as she completes in one day, a paper work Miss Rushmore was supposed to do in
weeks.
Description of Characters
Miss Rushmore- She works at the Department of Child Welfare, Bureau of Family
Assistance. She is very thorough in her investigation of Mom Luby. She is awed by Mom
Luby’s productivity. She is described in the story as being a little brown skin lady with
straightened hair with glasses and black high-top shoes and is dressed in all dark blue outfit.
Mom Luby- Mom Luby is a strong, resourceful, and independent woman who defies
stereotypes and takes charge of her own life despite the challenges she faces. She is
compassionate and nurturing, often looking after others while maintaining her sense of
dignity and pride. Her resilience and determination shine through as she navigates a system
that often underestimates her abilities. Mom Luby understands the limitations of social
worker. She symbolizes the strength and perseverance of individuals going through similar
situations.
Description of Characters
Elijah- In “Mom Luby and the Social Worker” by Kristin
Hunter, Elijah is one of the young children Mom Luby fosters.
He is mature beyond his years, caring for his younger sister,
Puddin’ and navigating their difficult circumstances. The
story explores the bond between Mom Luby and the
children, focusing on Elijah’s perspective as he adapts to his
new life while dealing with the pressures of being in foster
care. His character adds depth to the themes of family and
caregiving in the story.
Themes
Love and Family Relationhips- The love that Mom
Luby has for her two young charges is appparent by her simple act of
fostering them. She is a poor, elderly woman who runs a speakeasy
to survive. This is not the profile of someone who should be willing to
take care of two young children, as well as a whole community, yet
she does. The act of visiting the Social Seccurity Office is a
testament to her commitment to taking care of the two children. The
great irony in this short story is that a poor, old lady, is able to take
better care of two little children than the State agency that is
assigned to do so. This is because she can get more accomplished in
two hours, to benefit them, than the agency can accomplish in two
years with their most motivated agent.
Themes
Poverty- The story is set in the Great Depression when job opportunities were limited and
few. The cost of limited and few. The cost of living was high because there was a financial
decline in the period. The reader sees this through Mom Luby’s customers being unable to pay
for food, alcohol and other services she provided. The welfare system held to the belief that
the government was misguided in the way it helped the citizens to provide for their basic
needs. Mom Luby’s story is significant as it stresses the challenges that citizens faced as they
attempted to gain assistance from the government.
Misjudgment and Stereotyping- The social worker’s assumptions about Mom
Luby’s life and needs reflect a broader issue of stereotyping by those in positions of authority.
The story critiques the lack of understanding and empathy from people tasked with helping
others.
Themes
Resilience and Independence- This is a central theme in
Mom Luby and the Social Worker, as it portrays Mom Luby as a strong,
self- reliant individual who refuses to conform to the social worker’s
expectations or judgement. This theme is expressed through Mom
Luby’s actions, dialogue, and attitude. She does not see herself as a
victim of her circumstances despite the systemic barriers she faces.
Instead, she relies on her own resourcefulness and inner strength to
navigate her life. Her independence is evident in the way she interacts
with the social worker,who likely assumes she is helpless or in need of
saving.
Narrative Techniques
Situational Irony- The use of situational irony in the story highlights the contrast
between expectations and reality. Situational irony is evident when the social worker Miss
Rushmore who is supposed to be an expert in child welfare is portrayed as ineffecient and
out of touch with daily struggles unlike, Mom Luby who though unconventional,successfully
manages multiple responsiblilities and cares deeply for children. The irony lies in how the
person who is expected to an expert on caregiving is the one who lacks practical abilities.
Humor- Humor is used to showcase ridiculousness of government systems and is used
to emphasize Mom Luby’s straightforwardness. For example, when Mom Luby spends 2
hours getting more things done than the social worker has ever done in two years, this
makes the situation comical as it highlights how incompetent the beauracy system is
compared to her own hands on methods.
