Curious Question

I also was wondering about that. I think the parents, the mother in particular, was too preoccupied with making ends meet, her two boys, and the ailing husband, she did not spend time worrying about her daughter and the gifts she received from Mr. Singer. She was only glad to have a tenant for the room.

Occurred to me, too. Of course, parents were strangely oblivious to a lot of stuff that went on--like fact that Singer had overnight guest (drunk guy who'd been in fight) who somehow got in and out of house with no one noticing. And outside of the mother's half-hearted admonition that it was a "sin," no one seemed particularly concerned that Mick announced she was considering shoplifting some clothing dye from a dime store, either.

I would say perhaps you aren't looking deeply enough, or not objectively enough. the user who said Singer is a gentleman nailed it. In addition, life as a deaf-mute has taught him not to expect much real caring from people. People are very into what he does for them, but he gets very little gratitude. Look at the scene where Blount comes to tell Singer he got a job and then runs off after canceling their chess game. Look at how Singer feels afterward.
When Portia comes running to embrace her father after Singer organizes a reconciliation, Singer is left looking on, forgotten. He is 100% a giver, yet he also has human needs. His need for companionship is fulfilled only by his big-and-little brother relationship with Spiros, who does show gratitude, albeit in a very childish way.
The relationship with Mick is complex. Clearly he has feelings for her. Look at what happens after she impulsively kisses his hand. Notice how he glances at his hand afterward. As a gentleman, and as a disabled man who has learned "his place," he would certainly never try anything with her, but of course he enjoys taking a pretty girl to the carnival and walking in the park with her on his arm. But he is also far too wise and sensible to fall for her. He takes it philosophically when he is displaced by a boyfriend Mick's age, and he tolerates the fact that without even realizing it and certainly not deliberately, Mick uses him as a prop in a silly game of "hard to get" with the boy. Mick does learn to care for Singer in a way, but being young, she tends to be self-centered. At the end, you get the feeling that only many years later will Mick realize what he was...

[deleted]

Back in the '60s in small-medium Southern towns, parents didn't even consider the possibility of pedophiles, molesters etc. attacking their children. And I'm sure Singer put them at ease quickly with his respectful demeanor, clean cut and quiet nature. Just my experience.

The father was in a wheelchair so confined downstairs, and the mother must have been oblivious. Most mothers would have something to say about their teenage daughter being in a man's room alone with the door closed. I wasn't sure whether he was giving her presents or just sharing his music. Maybe the book explains but I was a little unclear as to why a deaf person played music.

As others have said, I think the parents were too preoccupied with their own troubles to think anything of Mick's closeness to Singer. And besides, he was respectful and gentlemanly enough.

On a slightly unrelated note, in the book, one gets the sense that Mick has a little crush on Singer, at least when he first moves into the house. I didn't really get that from the film as much.