At the end due to the inability of Abby to succeed in her liberty, she witnesses lack of strength and the fear her mother has at the Blarney Stone. In Morrison’s Sula, the mother’s emotional and nurturing detachment from the daughters through generations helps all of them create a female-self identity. This lack of nurture may be a direct result of the maternal figure's focus on survival, as Eva can't take time to show love for her children but is able to sacrifice a leg to ensure physical endurance. In her mind these acts confess her love for them while in Hanna's head, the emotional connection that she needs from her mother is not present. As Hannah becomes a mother herself and a mother being the first model of love that the children experiences, she emotionally detaches herself from Sula as she was detached from her mother.
Emily’s mother was only nineteen at this time. She has the struggle of deciding to stay home with her child or to work during this depression. This decision causes the mother to always feel a sense of regret. She hopes her daughter can feel beautiful on the inside despite what she sees on the outside. The mother reflects back to when Emily was a baby.
The Mother is a static character who remains unchanged throughout the story. Olsen paints an image of herself as that of a strong and caring Mother with a lot of guilt. The conflict for the Mother is the remorse for neglecting her first born child even though the neglect could not be helped. Olsen states, “I will become engulfed with all I did or did not do, with what should have been and cannot be helped” (290). Emily is a minor character in the story and is the Mother’s first born child.
Her sense of not belonging makes her feel rejected by her own peers. Marguerite’s only way to escape from the torture she lives with day after day is to imagine her life as a “... sweet little white girl who [is] everybody’s dream of what [is] right in the world” (). Although Maya’s childhood is filled with embarrassment and shame, she learns from her grandmother that a strong woman should never settle for less. Though Marguerite has difficulties in her childhood, she considers her Momma a role model in her life. Her grandmother is constantly faced with racism and because of that she has learned that dignity is more valuable than anything.
This situation in her life makes her look down on herself and results to changing her name from Joy to Hulga, which according to her mother is an ugly name. She also comes off as someone who is naïve, rude and lacks respect. Her mother on the other hand is very patient kind and has a heart to help people hence the name Mrs. Hopewell. Mrs. Hopewell is able to withstand the constant visits from Mrs. Freeman who like her name goes by is very loose with her mouth, always talking about the shortfalls of her sick daughter, Carramae (193). Mrs. Hopewell comes off as a model character that the author uses to demonstrate ‘good country people’.
In the beginning having a baby brought joy to her life and Sally wanted to provide for and love Katie. Katie told herself she would do a better job than her mother did. Her own mom either yelled at her or ignored her,(page 13). David Hughes writing of the Abuse and Neglect of Katie gives so much insight into all the issues that set up the early years of Katie. A Mother who was neglected, young and depressed dealing with a new baby with little support, in a bad marriage.
Growing up, Alice and her sister functioned as the caretaking unit for their mother since their father was emotionally unavailable. Alice’s job was to smooth over any disruptions and assure her family everything would be okay during her mother’s panic attacks. Everyone in Alice’s house was quite and reserved, leaving Alice feeling lonely since she describes herself as loud and weird. Keeping up appearances was very important to the Sebold family and Alice was told as a young girl not to share family secrets, such as her mother’s struggle with alcoholism. Alice was raped and beaten by an African American man on May 8th 1891 at Syracuse University.
Reader Response Analysis of “Suicide Note” The poem “Suicide Note” describes the emotions and true feelings of a young girl student who thinks that suicide is the only way left for her to please her parents and others and escape the pressures of student life. The note has an apologetic quality to it, which is her way of acknowledging her imperfection and not fulfilling her parent’s expectation of a perfect 4.0 grade. Whatever effort she puts in, she can never satisfy her parents for their expectation are unreasonably high. Her parents’ words repeat in her mind – “not good enough not pretty enough not smart enough”(Mirikitani 750). At that moment she genuinely wishes she were born a son, which would have equipped her better in dealing with the challenges of her life.
It’s not easy for Connie to live with her mother, who constantly harps on the way Connie looks and how she doesn’t live up to her sister reputation. “If Connie’s name was mentioned it was in a disapproving tone.”[453]. Every time Connie’s mother comments anything about June’s profile, it pushed Connie unconsciously to be nothing like her sister. Mother usually complained about her about habit of looking into a mirror. The narrator states the mother’s resentment of Connie’s beauty because “her looks were gone and that was why she was always after Connie.”[451].
Kin Ho is stuck in her lonely difficult life reluctant to make changes. Even though her life is hard at times she keeps her faith. She is a single mom who loses her trust in men when her husband runs away after finding out she was pregnant. She is very hard working. Kin Ho works two jobs to obtain enough money to take care herself and her daughter.