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Description of A Mother's Life
It’s 1926 in a small mill town in Maine when Helene, a 19-year-old mother of two, leaves her abusive, alcoholic husband, vowing never to return for the sake of her petits anges, her little angels. That first morning, she knew things would not be easy, but she never expected her wealthy in-laws would push for custody of her oldest daughter—or that her own parents would pressure her to submit to their request.
Soon, the Great Depression falls on New England like a bitter snow, making life a struggle for everyone including Helene and her family. Helene realizes that only she can keep her family together. Against her parent’s wishes, she moves from Maine to Boston, 100 miles to the south, alone at first, in hopes of finding new opportunities and establishing a good home. The hard times make it nearly impossible for anyone to find work, let alone a single mother in her mid-20s, Catholic and of French Canadian decent. Still, she marches forward in search of a better life. Although her path is tortuous, and painful choices must be made, Helene stays the course motivated entirely by the well-being of her daughters.
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