The traditional role of the mother in the play is something that is altered from the first scene. Helen is sick and supposedly incapable of looking after herself, but her comments suggest that Jo will be no better a caretaker. Helen, as we see from the surroundings and what we hear of Jo's schooling, has never been maternal. Her frequent absences point to a pattern of abandonment that looks set to be repeated at the end of the play.

Jo has never known a mother and so, when she learns of her pregnancy, she panics having no frame of reference to draw on. During this period, when her own mother has once again vanished, Geof becomes the mother figure she can learn from. Geof's caring instincts bring some thing out in Jo, that later she even believes she could take care of her own mother, Helen. By this stage, the language has reversed from the first act as well, and we can see Jo warning Helen not to 'gas herself' by the end.

One other strange instance of the theme of 'motherhood' lies with Peter's references to Oedipus who, like him, is blinded. For Oedipus, this followed the revelation that he accidentally bedded his own mother. Peter is, likewise, attracted to older women.