Summary Of Deborah Tanen Understanding Mom

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The present summary explores the idea that professional women face a difference of opinions when talking about their life choices with their mothers, who grew up accepting that the greater call of a woman was to marry, raise children, and run a household. Many women believe their mothers don’t comprehend or don’t value their essential and distinguishing attributes that they value in themselves the most. But how many of them would do the same for their mothers? Deborah Tanen the Author of “Understanding Mom” shares her experience as she relates her own life and the choices that she made and what made her able to understand her mother.












Understanding Mom
In the article “Understanding Mom” the author Deborah Tanen refuses to be pushed backwards as she provides adequate ground for her choice to divorce her husband and return to school; at the same time making an earnest and conscientious attempt to comprehend the worlds of gender and marriage from her mother’s point of view. In life Deborah …show more content…

Due to the family’s economic status she had to leave high school before graduating and get a job to provide for her family. As a mother she wanted common gifts for Deborah which would mean a husband, children and a comfortable home. However, Debora wanted anything but that. Growing up in the 1960’s Deborah had a strong attraction towards books that she would often read on her way home from school. At the age of 29 she got a divorce and made the decision to enroll in graduate school where she would perceive her PhD. During her educational life Deborah was sure that it was unfair that her mother despised her values. After receiving her doctorate degree Deborah believed that she could now stand her ground and prove to her mom that her life was good even though she hadn’t remarried. However, the conversation that followed would soon enough change her

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