This article examines one of the essential types of the mother figure in 20th-century American and Uzbek novels namely, the vulnerable and suffering mother—using a comparative-typological approach. The objects of analysis are the characters of Anney Boatwright and Qurvonbibi in Dorothy Allisonʼs novel “Bastard Out of Carolina” and Abdulhamid Cholponʼs novel “Night and Day.” Drawing on the views of A. Rich, N. Chodorow, and P. H. Collins, who interpret motherhood as a socio-cultural phenomenon, the article highlights the protagonists' maternal responsibilities, their attitudes toward their childrenʼs fates, their internal psychological experiences, and the factors that cause their vulnerability. The results of the study show that although both mothers love their children boundlessly, they are unable to fully fulfill their duty to protect them. However, the roots of this vulnerability differ: while Anneyʼs tragedy is linked to economic and emotional dependence as well as domestic violence, Qurvonbibiʼs powerlessness is determined by the patriarchal family system and national traditions. A number of differences are also observed in the authors' methods of artistic expression. While Allison reveals the protagonistʼs psyche through dialogue and explicit psychological depiction, Cholpon creates psychologism through silence, gestures, and everyday details. The article substantiates that the vulnerable mother type does not stem from a lack of affection or irresponsibility, but is rather a complex psychological state shaped under the influence of external social conditions.