Because she washed up on the shores of Tupelo Landing as a baby, Mo in Three Times Lucky struggles with her identity and figuring out where she really belongs. Everyone in Tupelo Landing treats her like one of their own (with the exception of Anna Celeste and her mean family), but Mo still feels like maybe she doesn't belong here, and maybe she needs to find her birth parents. Eventually she realizes that Miss Lana, the Colonel, and all of her friends in Tupelo Landing are all she needs, though, and that she's just as integral to the community as the people who were born there.
Questions About Identity
- Why does Anna Celeste's family care so much about Mo's origins? What does this tell you about them?
- Are Mo and the Colonel treated like outsiders? Why or why not? Remember to give evidence from the book.
- What does Mo think will change for her if she finds her "real" mother? Do you think she's right? Why or why not?
- Why is Mo working on an autobiography?
Chew on This
Mo has a super strong personality, but she still suffers with self-doubt and confusion about her identity because she doesn't know where she comes from.
Miss Lana constantly changes into different wigs and outfits—not because she doesn't have a strong sense of her identity, but because she knows herself well enough to be able to play with her appearance and reflect different parts of herself.