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History and meaning of 'Mother' symbolism
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Mother
Mother. The word is one of the most important words in the language. There are multiple ways to refer to a mother: Mom, Mommy, Mamma, and Ma. Even in other languages, the word is easily recognizable for what it represents: mamma, madre, matre, maman. The actual definition of the word mother is easily enough to state: a mother is a female who has given birth to offspring. However, if this limited definition is used, it fails to reflect what and how we actually define a mother in human society. There are many cases, sadly enough, where a woman gave birth to a child and many would not consider her a mother. In addition, if a woman adopts a baby and does not actually give birth to the child, she is
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Sadly, these cases often reflect the abuse or neglect of the child. If a woman abuses her child or neglects the child’s physical and emotional needs, many individuals would not call her a mother. The stories of child abuse and child neglect horrify us as a society. One can never imagine taking a woman who beat and starved her children and using the word “mother” to describe her. The word is required for the story because it implies that there was a greater requirement for the woman to care for the children or child. Most of the world could not beat or starve a child who has no physical or emotional relationship to us; we still find these actions beyond despicable. However, when we indicate that a “mother” did this to her children, there is a particular horror on the part of society. We use the word mother to imply that she had a greater moral and ethical responsibility to protect these children. When we say the word in reference to these stories, we italicize if verbally. The way the word is said out loud often indicates that we do not believe this is the word for a woman who would do this. We expected more of the woman because she had the title, only if in theory, of mother. We demanded that she put the child’s needs above her own. The woman does not earn the title of mother by giving birth. She earns the title of mother with her actions towards her children. We are particularly anxious to reject the title of mother for a woman who abused the children or neglected them. We apply the term to the woman in a disgusted manner. We are negating her write to the title of mother in the way we say it. The word and its definition is much stronger than its basic definition. It implies trust and
Are all mothers fit for motherhood? The concept of motherhood is scrutinized in the stories “The Rocking Horse Winner” and “Tears Idle Tears”. In “The Rocking Horse Winner” by D.H Lawrence the mother, Hester, unpremeditatedly provokes her son into providing for her through gambling. In the story “Tears Idle Tears” by Elizabeth Bowen, Mrs. Dickinson disregards her son’s emotions and puts more emphasis in her appearance than her son’s wellbeing. Hester and Mrs. Dickinson both were inadequate mothers. Both the mothers were materialistic, pretended to love their offspring, and their dominance hindered their children’s progress in life.
Women who wanted to play a more active role could serve as nurses. This poster showed nursing as the natural extension of motherhood. A Red Cross nurse, “our greatest mother,” shelters a young girl from the war raging in the background. “Our Greatest Mother,” play an active role as nurses during the war.
Fathers every year in Washington go to jail for nothing more than being broke (Deadbeat). They are called “dead beat dads” by their peers, scorned by society, and treated as subclass citizens (THE, ASSOCIATED). This is a very grim reality that men of every age range face daily. Both men and women make the choices that result in babies. However, women are given a choice at every stage of the child’s development to adopt out, abort, or even use contraception (Why).
Sethe is an extremely devoted mother who is willing to go great lengths to protect her children. Although she cannot even recognize her own mother from anything besides a scar (72) she still understands the importance motherhood can play in a woman’s life. As a slave, Sethe is stripped of her rights to obtain an education, a career and so much more, however, she does not allow her rights to be a wife, a mother, and to bear children get taken from her because she knows these are a few things in life that are only granted to women. When she d...
Whenever someone mentions the word “mother”, one always tend to think of a very kind and caring figure who always whishes the best for her children. In the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Huges, a mother is telling her son about the obstacles she had to overcome in order to get to the position she is in right now. There comes many moments in our life when we just want to give up and let fate handle everything. We face many difficulties that may not seem we can overcome but we should never give up right away. The mother in the poem is trying to convince her son to keep pushing and at the same time she is trying to set an example though her own past experience.
Admittedly, too many young mothers find themselves in unwanted situations which carry with them very difficult and painful decisions. This we cannot overlook. They deserve our mercy, compassion, and love rather than harsh words and uncharitable judgment. Nonetheless, their difficult plight can never warrant an unwarranted solution; the extermination of their defenseless baby. Eliminating the problem resolves nothing, but instead often triggers a long path of guilt and depression. In a haste to solve the problem, we ignore the long term consequences for both mother and child. Both will inevitably suffer. Ours has become a culture of death for the child..and the mother. One dies physically, the other begins dying spiritually and emotionally. Thus under the banner of freedom we enslave souls. In a thirst for "rights" we respect no one's rights. And in a frenzy to respect a woman's choice, we impede her from making a choice according to the truth which would free her from a false sense of liberty, from the lies of propaganda, convenience, and our me first generation.
Being a mother is a lifelong job that requires copious time, energy, and money. There are myriad different reasons in which a woman would consider getting an abortion. The decision is often tragic and painful for the mother. It is one of the biggest choices a woman will make. Many people have strong beliefs about abortion, and if a mother makes a decision that they do not agree with they sometimes turn against the mother, and enkindle egregious feelings about their decision for the rest of their life. Indeed a woman may not get an abortion for selfish reasons or out of convenience, but out of a desire to protect certain important values such as her own health or a decent standard of living for the other members of the family. Additional intentions for having abortion include rape, financial difficulties, obligation by family members, or danger to the baby’s health (Roleff
Lemmey, D., McFarlane, J., Willson, P., Malecha, A. (2001). Intimate partner violence: mother’s perspectives of effects on their children. The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 26(2), 98-103.
When a child is born people normally think of that as a positive and wonderful thing happening in a person’s life. It should be a paternal instinct to love and cherish, and protect this little person’s life. Unfortunately sometimes this is not always the case, and those parents mistreat or allow someone else to mistreat their children. There also those parents that it happens to their child that gets neglected or abused without their knowledge. The issue of child abuse and neglect is something that happens every day to children and ruins their childhood and makes a big impact on them for rest of their life.
"[M]otherhood was invented by someone who had to have a word for it because the ones that had the children didn 't care whether there was a word for it or not," Addie Bundren reflects from beyond the grave in As I Lay Dying (171). Though she can hardly be considered the paragon of motherhood, Addie 's words have a degree of truth to them which can be interpreted in more than one way. Perhaps mothers don 't need a word for motherhood because their experience is one that transcends language. Or perhaps it is only men and childless women who care about defining motherhood, because those who are mothers have realized "that living [is] terrible and that this [is] the answer to it," and thus have no desire to concern themselves with the definition of a meaningless term (As I Lay Dying 171). The latter appears to be the case for Addie, whose favoritism and passive aggressiveness lead to the horrible neglect of almost every one of her five children, but specifically of her only daughter, Dewey Dell. In contrast, Ellen Sutpen 's understanding of the terribleness of living and her own dysfunctional relationships lead her to seek happiness in an illusory world of wealth and status, to the neglect of her only daughter Judith. Both
The greatest woman I’ve ever known always told me that education was important…and she was right. I came from a small town in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri prior to becoming a teenager. At the time, education was abundant in St. Ann, where I lived. I attended a decent elementary school and made good grades, despite mathematics not being my cup of tea. I have
Becoming a mother has been the best part of my life. I became a mother at a very young age. I had no idea what to expect and was not in the least prepared for the journey that lie ahead. I have truly embraced motherhood and enjoy all the wonderful things it has taught me. While living through motherhood, I have found that it can teach you the most valuable lessons there are to learn. Being a mother has taught me how to have patience. I have also learned that being a mother takes a lot on mental and physical strength. My children have been the best to teach me how to juggle many tasks at once. They have made me strong. Even through some unexpected turns, I have learned how to get through hard times and really learn what it means to never give up. My children are my biggest blessing, and I hope they will learn valuable lessons through me. The skills I have learned from being a mother have helped me in my college journey.
Women are blessed with what I consider is the biggest gift in the universe and that is to give life to what once was part of them. At some point in our lives we ask ourselves……. What is a good mother? Although there can be endless definitions, my definition of a good mother is based on what I consider to be morally right. A good mother always thinks about her children first, a good mother is always willing to give her life for her children, a good mother is soft and gentle with her children, but a good mother becomes aggressive and protective when her children are exposed to potential threats and a good mother will always want the best for her children.
A mother is a woman in charge. By definitions created by other civilians a mother is a compassionate woman who gave birth to you and always wants to protect you. Most of the time it is an unspoken rule that the female rules the house. As the joke states, “happy wife, happy life”. The mother carries the baby in her womb for nine months and goes through hours of excruciating pain to bring the child into the world. People typically see the mom as the more caring and compassionate parent.
Has anyone ever asked you: “Who is most important to you”? To me the most wonderful mother in my life, no one can replace her in my heart. My mother, who is very nice and gentle, helps me and has always been there for me when I need her. My mother loves me very much. She is strict and educated me to become a good person. I can’t say how much love her. I am grateful to her because she gave me birth, brings me love and helped me grow up. But you know she just takes care of me a lot. Every day she tells me the same words. If you were me, you would feel very tired. I am a very happy child having my mother. I feel too tired to listen to her words, but imagine one day I don’t see her any longer and listen to her voice. What would I feel?