Thursday, February 2, 2012

Post #3: Mary E. Wilkins Freeman: Women Through a Different Scope

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's story, "The Revolt of 'Mother,'" is the epitome of local color and regionalism. Regionalism being stories that focus on the characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other features particular to a specific region. Such stories had come about after the Civil War, ensuring that the American people still had a sense of identity, a culture that they could identify with. Freeman's work is a great example because one can clearly see traits central to the region and its limits. In local color and regionalism stories, the area that which the story takes place in acts as a character itself. It is essential to the story as a whole.

In accordance with "The Revolt of 'Mother,'" one is easily able to see the character of the West being played into the story. "The spring air, full of the smell of growing grass and unseen blossoms, came in their faces. The deep yard in front was littered with farm wagons and piles of wood; on the edges, close to the fence and the house, the grass was a vivid green, and there were some dandelions" (635). Through this characterization, one is able to see that the tale is set in a heavily farmed area, that farming is a daily affair for this family. That in itself is an imperative attribute of the West.

While regionalism and local color were easily spotted characteristics in Freeman's writing, the changing characteristics of the Western women were just as central. This can be seen in Freeman's story "A New England Nun." In a time when marriage, and the status and power gained through marriage was on every woman's mind, the character of Louisa was just a whole new kettle of fish. When reading it is easy to label Louisa with being OCD. "The little square table stood exactly in the centre of the kitchen, and was covered with a starched linen cloth whose border pattern of flowers glistened [...] Louisa took off her green gingham apron, disclosing a shorter one of pink and white print" (627). Not only does Louisa ensure that her home be in pristine order, she even goes as far as to include herself in the equation, layering her aprons for different occasions, while still in the setting of her own home! At the end of the story and the ordeal, Louisa decides to end her engagement to Joe Dagget. Some may blame her precise ways for her behavior, claiming that she was too high maintenance, that Joe was the one who was saved. However, what one must remember is that she had been separated from Joe for the last 14 years. Before that she had lost her mother and her brother. One must realize then that Louisa is merely holding onto the power and safety she has in being alone, a rarity in Freeman's time.

4 comments:

  1. Bushra, I agree with your assessment of Louisa striving to hold onto the order and power she has being on her own. I like the way you talk about her ordering of her aprons in her own home as well.

    Freeman certainly was a regionalist, but I believe she focused on New England, not the West. I agree that “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” definitely is set on a farm, which plays an important role in the story, but I believe it is in rural New England, not the West. To me, the regionalism really comes across in this story with the religion (Puritan/Calvin undertones) and the repeated references to their pilgrim heritage. Mentions of “Plymouth Rock” and “Pilgrim Fathers” suggest they share a religious and cultural heritage with Puritan ancestors (643). The setting is definitely important in influencing the story. In a Puritan-like community, Sarah’s rebellion is even more pronounced than in the West, which was perceived as more rebellious, so a wife questioning her husband would not have carried such heavy implications.

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  2. I like the details that you picked out, Bushra. Jessica's right about the setting, which is New England rather than the West, though.

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  3. I enjoyed reading your section on changing characteristics of women. You were right to use "A New England Nun" as a prime example. The character, Louisa, is a very orderly woman indeed, though obsessive compulsive is hardly the word I would use either. She is very in her own way and had leaned on herself and her routines for some time, so in a way neatness provided comfort. This kind of comfort filled the void of an actual human being since her family had gone and Joe Dagget had just returned.

    The end of the story is particularly intriguing because she, a WOMAN, turned away a marriage proposal: one that would at long last be fulfilled in just a few days time. It seems like an outrage in society's eyes since it is a woman's duty to marry, and though there might be social implications that question her true motives, her strength is what made this story matter.

    -Stevie Morrow

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  4. Hey Bushra! Thanks for offering a regionalism-centric analysis of this story. I need to learn to refocus my interpretations of this section's selections on regionalism because I find I get caught up in their humor, extravagant plots and other oddities. Maybe those details are also common within regionalism, but I enjoyed reading your notes about how Freeman's descriptions capture the West. I also loved your interpretation of Louisa. I focused my paper on her personality and argued Freeman detailed her to highlight her as autonomous specifically, but I think your own ideas about her habits as efforts to maintain personal power are definitely defendable. Personally, I just like to look at Louisa like a GDI.

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