Mikali is the protagonist of the story ‘Maternity’ written by Lilika Nakos. He is a flat character who displays qualities beyond his age, at the face of unnatural and extra-ordinary ordeals. He is a loving and caring boy, committed to protect his baby brother with unshaken sense of responsibility, facing adversities with fortitude and determination
The first thing that strikes any reader of ‘Maternity’ is Mikali’s unshaken love and commitment to his baby brother. Mikali’s mother had died at the birth of the baby and after that he becomes the parent of the infant. He carries the baby on his back and is desperately trying to get milk for it. Mikali is a poor homeless fourteen year old refugee living in inhuman poverty in insecurity in the suburb of Marseilles. Still, he takes the responsibility of the child and looks after it with a motherly care and affection.
Throughout the course of the story, Mikali undergoes sufferings and hardship beyond the power of a boy of his age. He is not called for any job because of the baby who is wailing non-stop on his back. Mikali starves. He is driven away by his own people and others. However, he displays extraordinary fortitude and strength. He receives these sufferings and pain -poverty, isolation, maddening sound from his back, humiliation and all- and never gives up his baby brother.
Finally, Mikali’s strength is not merely passive and receptive. He has the determination and firmness of purpose to set out in search of a solution. He reaches out the news that there is a feeding mother in the camp of Anatolians and goes to ask for her kindness. Having driven away from there, when he felt his ground was slipping away, the Chinaman calls him. Though desperate, he takes the risk to go with him and proves successful in getting milk for the baby
In a nutshell, Mikali rises outstanding out of the chaos and solves a problem that has nearly killed both him and his baby brother. He did this with his dedication, resoluteness and strength of purpose which are rooted firmly in unmoving love and care
