Commentary on Lorna Sage’s Bad Blood Essay

Goodwin’s memories of the 1950s were very positive, however the family life made growing up somewhat negative. During most of Goodwin’s life, her mother suffered from different illnesses that would cause problems in the household. Most of the time, her mother, Helen, was too sick to have company over, which was very stereotypical during that time. When television came around, the family would host gatherings. When Helen was asked if she could have more gatherings Helen would reply, “but I simply can’t do it. Even now, I am so exhausted just from having everyone here that I’ve got to lie down for a little while” (Goodwin 122). Goodwin’s sister, Jeanne, took many roles that Helen could not because Helen was so sick. Goodwin stated that, “For as long as I can remember, she was a surrogate mother, looking out for me, taking care of me when my mother was sick” (Goodwin 37). Goodwin would recall many stories of Jeanne doing tasks that their mother would do. This made her Goodwin feel embarrassed, which is where the negative

All three of whom are presented as posing a collection of traits and behaviors that cause Jim a great amount of frustration. Which after being analyzed in regards to the issue’s historical context reveals several instances in which the established gender roles were to some extent largely being ignored, or in the case of Jim’s mother and father are largely reversed. A creative decision that presents a family dynamic in almost direct opposition with the ideals of the era, such as those that describe the proper livelihood for a women being one of a supportive wife and loving mother. Or as it came to be known as the notion of the “eternal female”. In regards to Judy’s position on the spectrum of conventional deviance in gender her character is portrayed as exhibiting more behaviors socially specified, all of which draw a notable amount of influence from the concept of “normal femininity”. However, in the same vein as Jim and the other students Judy does conversely demonstrate a degree of rebellious disregard in her behavior. Leading such a phenomenon of recklessness to be attributed to an entire generation by their

Mrs. Hopewell is a hard working widow who assumes the male role by being the primary care-giver and supporter to her special needs daughter. Hulga, despite her independence streak is determined to make a life on her own; she gives almost a reversed protest against her mother despite the care she receives. Her education does not lead her to live a more successful life, she fails to live up to her mother’s example and expectation that Hulga’s sisters, Glynese and Carramae, have already successfully copied. O’Connor writes that “Glynese, a redhead, was eighteen and had many admirers; Carramae, a blonde, was only fifteen but

During the punishment of Hester, the countrywomen with “...stone on broad shoulders and well-developed busts... “(48), and “...a boldness and rotundity of speech…”(Hawthorne 48) stand under the platform and gossip about Hester, such as the woman like  “... a hard-featured dame of fifty…”(49), “...a third autumnal matron…”(49), “...the ugliest as well as the most pitiless of these self-constituted judges.”(49). Those old countrywomen observe how Hester harms public behoof, how to put a hot iron on Hester’s forehead, or Hester brings shame and ought to die. Most of the readers of the twenty-first century think how ironing it is that the countrywomen laugh at Hester who contains unique temperament. Nevertheless, the Puritan culture natures those countrywomen who are in the crowd since their births and Bible is the only source of truth in their lives. Environment and culture cause illiteracy of the women in the town. The development of stereotypes leads the ladies to have stubborn but reasonable boundaries of good or sin in their minds which are unusual than people in today’s world. Other than the town people, Pearl also has interesting reactions towards

In this story, the characters cope with good and evil differently. Mrs. Hopewell’s perennial optimism is balanced by her daughter’s self-chosen misery. Mrs. Hopewell doesn’t understand her daughter and is insensitive to Hulga’s bitterness at her maiming. Hulga sees herself a liberating people from their illusions, believing she has none of her own. Hulga has a wooden leg, which is her most valuable possession because it is her mark of her difference. She prizes this because she considers herself more intellectual than all of the “good country people” around her, especially her mother, their neighbors and finally Manley Pointer, a Bible salesman. Mrs. Freeman sees through the illusions of the Hopewell household. She knows her place in the economy of the household and hers if the final comment in the story.

We first meet Maggie. Maggie is not so bright, shy girl, scarred for life in fire which burned their house about ten years ago, who still lives with her mother. She is ashamed of the way she looks, hiding in shadows. Ever since the fire she walks with “chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle” (240). She envy her sister Dee, smart, bright, educated, young women who likes nice thinks. Distant maybe even ashamed of her family, never brings friends for visit. Dee’s mother doesn’t even know if the men she come to visit with is her friend or husband.

In comparison to, Mrs. Freeman who is the complete opposite of Mrs. Hopewell whom she has worked for, for four years. O’connor does not show her point of view in this short story only what Mrs. Hopewell and Hulga describe her to be. She is described as very outspoken on whatever he thoughts are. She is very familiar and used to the unexpected due to her daughter Carramaes early marriage and pregnancy at the age of fifteen.

Jamaica Kincaid's capricious one-sentence, no frills account is a start tale about a young lady's transitioning set right now of division between the period of honesty and the befuddling, changing passage into grown-up understanding. It is the account of a mother's endeavor to prepare her youthful little girl to learn suitable social traditions and more imperative, the guidelines of social conduct, particularly that of legitimate sexual lead befitting an all around raised young lady.

Jamaica Kincaid’s story of “Girl,” is a mind blowing experience between mother and daughter. “This Essay presents a plot summary of Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” as well as providing historical, societal, religious, scientific and biographical context for the short story. Kincaid’s unusual land difficult to classify piece of short fiction consists of a brief monologue by an Antiguan mother to her adolescent daughter” (Kim Bencel, 2) This is a story, not in verse or order that will remind you of days gone by. The mother is hell- bent on making a respectful young lady.

My Mortal Enemy was written by Willa Cather in the early 1900s. She wrote this novella after dealing with S.S. and Hattie McClure. She actually worked for McClure at one time, and this is when she experienced their lives the most. After learning all about their lives, she decided to write about them. In substitution of the McClures she used the Henshawes.

helps show Edna a carefree spirit she is lacking. Her reactions to these characters outline

Commentary on Lorna Sage, Bad Blood (2000) This passage revolves around a young girl's life, how it has changed and what it has become. It is ironically, how a friendship has evolved into something that the two girls who are exposed in this passage have never thought it would become. Sage introduces us to what we can conclude to be herself in the first paragraph of this passage, whilst introducing us to her dear friend (or shall we say greatest enemy?) in the second paragraph.

When Geraldine was a girl, about 12 years old, her mother (who she considered as a world’s cynics) advised her to read the novel, Little Women and take it with a grain salt. The Little Women has reached a great boom and it is still famous;

Although the daughter’s shame in her mother is evident, she is also prideful of her as well. The strong love that the mother and daughter share is pervasive throughout the story. The story is being told by the daughter after she is all grown up. The fact that Jones uses such vivid detail on the mother’s preparation for her daughters first day of school shows that the daughter loved her mom and all that she did for her. The daughter recalls that her mother spent a lot of time preparing her when she says, “My mother has uncharacteristically spent nearly an hour on my hair that morning, plaiting and replaiting so that now my scalp tingles.” (Jones) She also remembers that her “pale green slip and underwear are new, the underwear having come three to a plastic package with a little girl on the front who appears to be dancing.” (Jones) The daughter having remembered details like these illustrate that she has an immense love and takes pride

Sometimes her mom would make her help with cutting onions or peeling peaches and as soon as she was done she would run out the door when her mom’s back was turned. She viewed the chores inside the house was endless and depressing and would much rather work outside. She hears her mother stating that she can’t wait till the son, Laird gets bigger so he can do the chores outside and the girl can do the chorus inside with her. The mother states, “I just get my back turned and she runs off. It’s not like I had a girl in the family at all.” At this point the girl feels like she can’t trust her mother, she knows her mother loved her yet she feels like her mom is always plotting against her to keep her from working with her father. She didn’t expect her father to really listen to what her mother was saying, Laird, in her mind wouldn’t be able to do the job as well as she does. Looking at her father’s bloody apron she reminds that reader that the foxes were feed horse meat, other farmers whose horses will get old or injured would call her father and him and henry would go kill it and butchered it. However, if they already had a lot of meat they would keep them for a while. The winter she turned eleven they had two horses, Flora and Mack. It was this winter where she heard her mother go on more about her helping in the house. She states that she no longer feels safe because the people around her who thought the same way. She stated, “The word girl had formerly seemed to