ble occasions. He himself occupied a down-trodden position that had a private but distinct element of grandeur in its isolation. (13 - 14)As mentioned earlier, Jimmie is accepted as male head of the family after his father dies. Although Jimmie seemingly hated his father, he instantly takes over his spot as the mother's antagonist. Jimmie and the mother begin to parallel the father and the mother in their numerous battles, fortunately there are no more children in the apartment to scare.Jimmie sinks into the world his father knew all to well; that being a typical day of working at a job that promotes his rotten argumentative attitude, drinking, coming home just to fight with the mother, and never realzing there is any better in the world than this.In the end, Maggie commits suicide after realizing that she cannot escape her environment. Jimmie brings the news to the mother who begins to weep and while mourners gather in the apartment. The final lines in the novel provide an ironic insight into the character of the mother as:1The mourner essayed to speak but her voice gave way. She shook her great shoulders frantically, in an agony of grief. Hot tears seemed to scald her quivering face. Finally her voice came and arose like a scream of pain. "Oh, yes, I'll fergive her! I'll fergive her!" (58)The mother; while sobbing over the death of her daughter, still doesn't understand the situation. She never perceives that she is the bad and that Maggie is the blossoming flower from the mud puddle. Therefore, the mother should be apologizing to Maggie. Another ironic twist added by Crane in the bipolar world of Maggie's hopes and Jimmie's nihilism....
