How would I create a character sketch of the mother in "The Umbrella Man"?

You need to consider the way that the mother is presented
through what she says and does. In this excellent short story she is initially
suspicious of the old man, being distrustful of strange men. However, she, like others
(as we find out later), is taken in by his story and believes him. Although she doesn't
like to take the umbrella for a price way below what it is worth, and initially just
wants to give the old man the money, she in the end accepts the umbrella in exchange for
the money and is happy with the trade. As the old man leaves, ironically she talks to
her daughter about the importance of judging people correctly, whereas, in fact, she has
not done that at all. It is the mother who decides that he is "up to something," which
leads them to follow him and discover what his "game" is. At the end of the day, the
mother, in spite of her talk of distrusting strange men and being a good judge of
character, is just as susceptible to being conned as anyone else, and it is this irony
that makes this tale so successful.