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Summary Of Jack's Mother In Jack And The Beanstalk

Decent Essays

The act of believing that women have always been equal to their male counterparts

is certainly a bold statement to preach, especially since it is not true nor even relatively close

on what it is truly like being a woman and what expectations and regulations are constantly

being imposed on them by living in a patriarchal society. Much like in Jack and the Beanstalk by

Joseph Jacobs. Jack’s mother, a nameless woman who is either referred to as the “poor widow “

or “Jack’s mother”, is one of the two women in the story who has undoubtedly been

astronomically reduced to this weak and emotional character whose sole purpose is to be a

nurturer to Jack and fulfill her motherly duties at home while her young son is to get a job and

ultimately be the breadwinner in the family despite her being older and already being a

self-sufficient worker by possessing the specific skills . Therefore, after critically distinguishing

the importance and depiction and relevance of each character it is evident that Jack’s

mother is a victim of stereotyping and objectification in a patriarchal society.

Firstly, it is certainly obvious and definitely prominent how the widow’s character is

being unfairly justified as a woman .Much like other stories, she is this widowed woman

with no husband to support a child who will end up being their only chance of surviving despite

his age and maturity. “‘Cheer up, mother, I’ll go and get work somewhere’” (Jacobs 1). Even

though it

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