Mothers play a very influential role in a young mans life. Even though Sogolon Kedjou and Sassouma Bérété both had an impact on there son's life, their character traits were at different ends of the maternal spectrum. Despite minuscule similarities Sogolon Kedjou and Sassouma Bérété were depicted in direct contrast in the epic Sundiata. When comparing the two Sogolon Kedjou and Sassouma Berete both did what they thought would help to get their son's to become king. Sogolon knew everything that Sassouma was capable of doing to hurt her family, so she came up with the idea to leave the kingdom. Soglon said, "Lets us leave my son" (113). She thought this would be the best thing to do for all her children so she could keep them alive. "Despairing of ever injuring you, Sassouma will aim her blows at your brother or sister"(115). Although it was Sundiata's destiny to become king there was no set time placed on when this would occur. Therefore traveling to different kingdoms gave them time, and allowed for the fulfillment of not only Sundiata's destiny, but the destiny of his sibling too. Sassouma on the other hand wanted her son Dankaran to reign as the king of Mali after his father passed away. Sassouma knew her late husband would not pass the throne to her son, so she decided to banish Sogolon and her family to the backyard. Sassouma thought this would help her son's path to becoming the next king of Mali. She thought Sundiata was competition and a distraction to her son, so she wanted him dead. "I want to kill Sundiata. His destiny runs counter to my son's and he must be killed while there is still time" (115). Although Sogolon and Sassouma Berete were both wives and mothers, Sogolon was portrayed as a good mother... ... middle of paper ... ... to mine" (111). From this quote, it clearly shows how much arrogance and vanity the queen really had. In contrast to this, and despite the intense humiliation that she went through, Sogolon humbly left Sassouma's home "with a lump in her throat."(111) She never talked back to Sassouma, and she would never let Sassouma see her cry. Since Sogolon and Sundiata let his fait play out, they ended up on top. Sundiata takes his rightful place and becomes the king of Mail which he was born to lead. In conclusion, despite minuscule similarities Sogolon Kendjou and Sassouma Berete were depicted in direct contrast in the epic Sundiata. It is obvious that, despite the fact that both queens wanted the best for their sons, their characters and methods were different. Since they were so different it influenced not only Sundiata and Dankaran but all of the king's children.
Many great rulers have been tempted by the authority of absolute power. In Antigone, by Sophocles, Creon, the Theban king, will do anything in order to earn this absolute power. Creon’s prideful attitude, disregard of the authority of the gods, and failure to listen cause him to fail as a statesman, demonstrating the nature of kingship in Sophocles’s Antigone.
In the novels, Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, there are similar conflicts between the parental figure of a main character and the main character. Both conflicts in the novels stem from the parental figure not having control and authority over their family and forcing their beliefs onto those they are raising.
The chapter “A Fathers Influence” is constructed with several techniques including selection of detail, choice of language, characterization, structure and writers point of view to reveal Blackburn’s values of social acceptance, parenting, family love, and a father’s influence. Consequently revealing her attitude that a child’s upbringing and there parents influence alter the characterization of a child significantly.
...heir mother presence, they were happy, but still resented their mothers. Resenting their mothers for not being able to take care of them, they both ended up in an opposite appearance compared to their mothers. Roberta’s mother being religious and conservative led her to being freer about her sexuality. While Twyla’s mother being more open led her to be more conservative, working a regular job, and having a normal family. Problems for women or anyone being able to express their sexuality can come from their upbringing; whether
In both these works, the mothers play the most important role in the development of the plot. They represent the pillars of strength and they are the ones that hold the family together and the hope alive. In Lorraine Hansberry's work, Mama is a widow, mother of two children and the head of the household: "There are some ideas we ain't going to have in this house. Not long as I am at the head of this family." (Hansberry 51) Mama is aware of the high position she is awarded in the family, since her husband is dead and she is left in care of the family. Qualities like independence and strength surround her and give her and air of authority. She takes charge when others hesitate and she gives courage to the insecure. "You just got strong willed children and it takes a strong woman like you to keep'em in hand, (Hansberry 52) her daughter-in-law tells her at one point. This symbolizes the love and respect she carries for her, but also the power that Mama radiates over the whole family.
“A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. . . . And that is why we say that mother is supreme” (p.134). In Achebe’s 1959 “Things Fall Apart”, female figures appear to have minor domesticated roles; however with these words Achebe calls attention to female strength within the tribe. Feminine power is recognized within the tribe, and fear of this power provides the foundation for the male obsession with displays of masculinity. Achebe highlights significant female goddesses, displays a solid feminine role in education, fully develops strong-minded female characters, and demonstrates masculine catastrophes, therefore establishes female as the stronger gender in the tribe.
Throughout The Odyssey by Homer, many women, if not servant girls or deities, are assigned to the powerless role of mothers or seductresses. In most instances, the women are in need of support and guidance as they are weak and fragile. Without a steady male hand to guide them, these women appear to be lost and heartbroken. Women serve little function aside from mourning their men and urging them to remain safe. In many ways, the value placed on fathers and sons in The Odyssey is far greater than the bonds with mothers or daughters. Anticleia, Odysseus’ mother, cannot even exist without her son as she dies after waiting for years for him to come home. For Anticleia and other women, the entire purpose for existence is to look after, nurture, and protect their sons and husbands. However, no female character in The Odyssey is quite as complex as the grief-stricken Penelope. Some women are known for the deeds of their sons or husbands, but never for a heroic deed of their own, their personalities, and what they do them...
The mothers, throughout the Odyssey, are insistent figures that are shown to give plenty of grief and pity, instead of supporting their husbands and/or sons, as far as in quests of personal or military matters. In many of the occurrences of these figures in the story, they are the same women who need support and guidance, themselves, because they are shown to be of the fragile and timid type. Deprived of the men that, normally, are helpful in their guidance, these motherly figures are brokenhearted and have gone astray. There is an excerpt from the epic that reveals Telemachus asserting his manhood as he orders his mother, Penelope, from staying away from the rooms in the palace, occupied by the suitors, because they still have, yet, to show reason to claim his father’s throne. In another instance, Homer mentions Anticlea, the mother of Odysseus, as dying because she longed for her son, as opposed to dying from any sort of illness; these two parts show a dependency from their mothers and how devot...
Sophocles’ Antigone is one of the most famous plays of all time, and has been debated upon for centuries. One of the most interesting topics within these debates is the idea that Antigone may have been a better ruler than Creon. However, this is not true. Antigone’s personality and inherent nature would have prevented her from ever being a successful ruler of Thebes. She is fiercely independent and passionate about her family and getting justice for her brother. While these may be good qualities as a person, being a good person does not lead to being a good ruler. Antigone is ultimately too stubborn, emotional, young, and inexperienced to be queen. These qualities not only lead to her own downfall, but that of those around her.
In the biography, the narrator writes about his childhood life, and how he tries to live up to his dad who he never met. In theory, mothers and fathers are very essential in child development. Mothers are there to nature and provide for a child; while fathers are there to give guidance and be a role model. There are two kinds of
neglected by her father, denigrated by her mother, compared to her sister and her desire to be
As the eldest person in the Younger household, Mama is the authoritative figure and has the most traditional views. Being a part of the GI Generation, she shares the
Mothers tend to place a much firmer hand on their sons hoping that if they hold on tight enough that they will never leave. And when they start to date mothers become shadows in a young man’s life. Many mother have an almost psychic symbiosis having to keep their sons in a safety net forever. One mothers quote saying “she wants to throw her arms around he...
Valmiki's Ramayana was written around 300 B.C.E. (Carrier 207). Typically, the character of Rama is seen as the hero and the character of Sita is seen as the hero's wife. In this essay, I will compare Sita's journey of capture and inner growth with the "save the kingdom" journey of Rama, show how the two correlate, and eventually connect in the influential chastity scene. I will also prove that Sita is the "hidden hero" of this epic even though she is seen as taking a secondary role to Rama and show how this reflects women's secondary roles in society today.
It is inferred that the parents should take care of their children and have their best interest at heart. This however, is not the case in Greek and Roman mythology. The killing of ones own children, or filicide, was not viewed as negative upon in their era. The contemporary times contrast with the ancient Greek and Roman’s because it was justified to use any means necessary to obtain a higher status. The Greeks and Romans valued keeping a high social reputation and having respect for those of great power. The motherly union between their children conflict with the reality that the father strives to retain or gain control. These circumstances cause a tense bond between the members of the family. The strained parent to child relationship in Greco-Roman myths is prevalent in the fact that the parents are fearful of being overtaken by their children, and endeavor to limit their upbringing.