Kiyo is Botchan’s maid servant who considers herself as a mother figure to Botchan due the death of Botchan’s actual mother. In the book Kiyo plays a modest role in Botchan’s transition from living in the big city to living out in a small town while working as a math teacher in the Matsuyama district. From having a family to only himself and his bother being alive in which they aren’t on the same terms on what to do with their parent’s belongings especially the house. There are two characters who would I think be more fitted as minor characters, however Kiyo plays more of a pivotal role on Botchan’s life after the death of his parents and the life journey Botchan was about to embark on. Thus, in return I don’t think Botchan thinks that same …show more content…
First of them being the honesty she shows towards Botchan. As seen on page 9 “Still, Kiyo kept telling me what a poor, unfortunate boy I was, and eventually I came to believe that I was really was as unfortunate as she said.” (Natsume & Cohn, 2012) Little does he know at that time of the story she was saying thing such as that to motivate him to achieve his goals even if others are telling him that it can’t be met once he has gotten older. Loyalty is another characteristic that Kiyo shows. After Botchan father dies her duties are over as you would think, however her next character trait is shown that of responsibility. Becoming that mother figure to Botchan on page 13 she gives Botchan these “a canvas bag with a toothbrush, tooth powder, and a towel she’d bought in n a shop on the way over.” This as well shows the readers that Botchan is declining the mother like figure Kiyo dawned upon herself after the death of Botchan father. She even sends him money often on which again at the start Botchan refuses to acknowledge the gesture Kiyo is continuing to give even after her services should’ve been