The role of parents in The Wide, Wide World has three functions: to enforce rules and to please, and protect their child. The Captain tells Mrs. Montgomery not to wake Ellen up because it would be bad for Mrs. Montgomery's health. The Captain tells her, "It would not do at all...it would not do at all; I cannot allow it" (72). Captain Montgomery is indirectly enforcing rules upon Ellen by telling Mrs. Montgomery not to wake Ellen up and grieve her leaving. He robs Ellen of getting to have a long goodbye with her mother. Next, the old man whose name we never know, plays a parental role in The Wide, Wide World to Ellen. He is very protective of her when he stands up for her in the shop and Ellen is shopping for merinos for her mother. This may have been highlighted because Ellen is losing her parent, so she will no longer have someone to protect her once her mother is dead and gone. Ellen even relates him to a father, "If you are a father, sir, you know better than I can tell you how grateful I am for your kind interference" (64). He has interfered with a shop worker who was treating Ellen like a child and treating her disrespectully. The nice man says, "I am an old man, and not good for much now, except to pleas young people" (64). Also, the author tells us about Mrs. Montgomery's efforts to please Ellen, "While Ellen was picking out her seal, which took not a little time, Mrs. Montgomery laid in a good supply of wafers of all sorts; and then went on further to furnish the desk with an ivory leaf-cutter, a paper-folder, a pounce-box, a ruler, and rubber, and sheets of drawing paper. She took a sad pleasure in adding everything she could think of that might be for Ellen's future use or advantage" (48). Clearly, Mrs. Montgomery is showering Ellen with gifts in order to please her and even to have Ellen remember her when she is gone. Once again the author may be conveying this desir e to please the child in order to emphasize that once the mother is gone Ellen will no longer have someone to nurture and please her.

In addition, the text helps us differentiate between the roles of father and mother by strongly contrasting the way they treat their child, Ellen. Earlier in the text the author states of Ellen's father, "Captain Montgomery was away, which was the case most of the time" (36). Ellen's father's treatment of his daughter borders on neglect since he is never there for her. The author is suggesting that the father is simply there to provide financially for his family and nothing else. In contrast, Mrs. Montgomery is with Ellen as much as possible, she nurtures Ellen to the fullest degree and finally, Mrs. Montgomery actually wants to be with Ellen as much as possible and this is why she buys all the items for Ellen from the shop. Because her mother is to be with Ellen allt he time, Mrs. Montgomery asks Ellen to "write every day, and all manner of things that concern you--just as particularly is if you were speaking to me" (35)
Ellen has no choice but to expect nothing from her father and everything from her mother because that is exactly how it is. Conveying how it is, the author tells us about Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery's argument over when to wake Ellen up and have her say her good byes. Mrs. Montgomery states, " 'It is time to wake Ellen!' but she had to repeat her efforts two or three times befor she succeeded in making herself heard... 'What is the matter?' said he, heavily, and not over well pleased at the interruption...'It is time to wake Ellen'....'No it isn't.' said he, relapsing; 'it isn't time yet this great while'...'Oh yes it is,' said Mrs. Montgomery" (73). Mrs. Montgomery has to fight just to get her husband to care about Ellen's feelings. Ellen needs proper time to say goodbye but he does not care whether she gets it or not.