The Revolt of Mother, by Mary E. Wlkins Freeman

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American women have not always been free, bold and audacious like they are today. They have a long history of being oppressed, abused, and discriminated by the male dominating society. They have undergone an extended period of struggle for their rights, freedom, and better living conditions. Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, in her story, "The revolt of mother”, attempts to mirror the problems, hardships and social struggle of women living in the 19th century. Sarah Penn is an obedient wife and a hard working mother living in a small farm house with her husband and two children in the rural New England. She feels that the house is not decent enough for living and for the wedding of her daughter, as it is too old and worn out. Instead of building a new house, Sarah's husband builds a new barn. Dismayed by the negligence of her husband, Sarah musters up the courage and shifts into the new barn with her children during her husband's absence. When the husband comes to know about this, he is shocked but soon surrenders. This story is a story of women revolution where Sarah Penn is a representation of the 19th century women who were expected to be submissive to their husbands and to the society, and her courageous action of shifting into the barn parallels with the rising women liberation movement of the late 19th century.

Sarah voices the general status of the 19th century women when she says, "we know only what men-folks think we do, so far as any use of it goes, an' how we'd ought to reckon men-folks in with Providence, an' not complain of what they do any more than we do of the weather". This shows that the women in the 19th century were not expected to question the authority of men. Their business was limited to the...

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...er husband and son. The ending of the story shows that the patriarchal society is too weak to stand against courageous women.

“The revolt of mother” is a story of a woman's revolt against the male dominating society. Sarah Penn is a 19th century woman who cautiously fulfills all her obligations and duties as a mother and a wife. Adoniram is a 19th century man who is dominating and does not like to be questioned by his wife. Despite of having such a perfect wife, Adoniram never pays any attention to Sarah's demand of changing the house. Tired of being oppressed and ignored by her husband, Sarah decides to take the matters in her own hands. During Adoniram’s absence, Sarah moves into the barn for living and therefore frees herself from the clutches of male dominance. Her bold action represents the beginning of women liberation movement of the late 19th century.

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