The Odyssey: The Challenges Of A Single Mother

Maybe having a single mom is better than having a mom and dad. Some would say that is not correct, that having one parent makes you hate the fact that they have to work

In addition, the author helps the reader understand the selfishness of the mother when the reader finds out she have stole the Persian Carpet “several months before” (230) the divorce and puts the blame on Ilya, the poor blind man. Furthermore, the visit of the children is supposed to signal a fresh start for the family. The mother even emphasizes she wants the girls to come “live with [them]” (229). Yet again, even if they meet in order to reunite, characterized by a situational irony, they see themselves separated because of her mother selfish decisions.

However, with her alcoholic dad who rarely kept a job and her mother who suffered mood swings, they had to find food from her school garbage or eat expired food they had previously when they had the slightest bit of money. In addition, when bills and mortgage piled up, they would pack their bags and look for a new home to live in, if they could even call it a stable home, since they would be on the move so often. Jeanette needed a dad who wouldn’t disappear for days at a time, and a mom that was emotionally stable, but because she didn’t have that, she grew up in an environment where she would get teased or harassed for it. Jeanette suffered so much, that even at one point, she tried convincing her mother to leave her father because of the trouble he had caused the family already. A child should be able to depend on their parents for food and to be there for them when they need it, and when that part of a child’s security is taken away, it leaves them lost and on their own, free and confused about what to do next.

28)”. He describes her as compassionate. This section of the novel encompasses the attitude of most women, nurturing and caring. Although she was compassionate, Victor explains that his mother had a hard life, “Her health, and even the tranquility of her hitherto constant spirit, had been shaken by what she had gone through (pg.26)”. He describes the relationship his parents had by saying, “There was a show of gratitude and worship in his attachment to my mother, differing wholly from the doting fondness of age, for it was inspired by reverence for her virtues (pg.26)”. This specific part of the novel is significant because it shows that Victor was taught how to treat a woman by watching his father and mother, but it makes you question where his opinions on women came from.

This quote leads me to believe the father will be leaving in the future and I think Jeannette knows this too so she tries to take care of the family more and more. Some clues that I have picked up on in the text that makes

She becomes independent because of her parents neglect. Jeannette learns to address problems in a direct way. Because Jeannette’s parents were so absent in her life, she learns to problem solve various aspects of her life efficiently. Financial independence is very important to Jeannette because her parents are never independent financially during her childhood. Jeannette’s motivation to get

Firstly, Every hardship and obstacles she endured throughout her childhood helped Jeannette to become a successful adult.Jeannette’s parent were very unpredictable, her mother was self absorbed in her hobbies, and her father was an interminable alcoholic. Even though her parent neglected and gave less attention to Jeannette,

The lesson of independence, taught from swimming, taught Jeannette not to rely on her parents. Unlike Maureen who did not grasp the lesson, Jeannette knew not to rely on them and to instead go away from the trouble. She resulted in moving to New York, to follow her ambitions and not get entangled in her parent’s tide, as unfortunately, Maureen did get caught and therefore not become independent. Also, Jeannette used the advice to prevent her from taking in her homeless family when they asked for a lot. For example, Jeannette’s mom asks for a wholesome of money, for art purposes. However, since Jeannette learned independence, she denied her mom and that helped prevent Jeannette and her mom from wasting money. Jeannette had many applications of how to live independently, which helped her

Thea becomes independent when she finds out she is pregnant with a child of Arius, a famous gladiator. While Thea is still getting over a separation of her and Arius she finds out she is pregnant, and Thea feels alone. She must put herself in the mindset of self reliance in order for her to be capable to raise a child, “No child of Arius the Barbarian would ever be scared away by a little blood” (page 97). Thea tells herself that she will not disappoint herself

Along with her parents, Jeannette has taken part in raising her family too. "Mom says I'm mature for my age," I told them, "and she lets me cook for myself a lot." (Walls 2.1.14). Jeannette was neglected as a child, having to prepare meals on the table, raise herself, and such which caused her to quickly mature taking care of her siblings and herself. “I liked knowing that I could do what grown-ups did for a living.” (Walls 2.18.9). Jeannette did many things her parents did not do. She was a young girl living as a grown up, helping her parents raise a

To complete her journey, she had to make a great sacrifice. Cleófilas had to sacrifice being in a marital relationship for being a societally unacceptable single mother. Cleófilas once believed that it would be a “disgrace … [to come] home … with one baby on her hip and one in the oven” (50). It is hard enough that Cleófilas is a married woman who is leaving her husband, but to make her situation worse she is pregnant and already has a young son. People can be very mean especially to single mothers. Cleófilas was also concerned about being the center of gossip (50). It was not the norm for wives to leave their husbands and domestic abuse is not a topic that is frowned upon in the work because men saw their wives as disposables. Because Cleófilas was absorbed into the novelty of marriage that telenovelas, Hispanic soap operas, depicted, she had to learn that soap operas poorly depicted real relationships the hard way. Consequentially, she also understood that there are some circumstances like marital abuse that warrant the need to leave a relationship. When Cleófilas’ father bid his farewell upon her initial departure her promised her that he “was [her] father, [and he] will never abandon [her]” (43). Cleófilas’ father is an admirable figure because no matter how far his daughter is, he is willing be there for her. His promise serves as the motivation

Thesis/Central Idea: To understand that there are many parents raising their children alone with no help at all. Many single parents have different circumstances that cause them to raise their children by themselves. Being a single parent is not easy there are good days and bad days and most single parents must make it through no matter what. Many single parents do not realize that their children are looking at them for the rest of their lives.

The mother is a complex creature proven throughout the story. These actions all help express why mothers and their presence are so important. As shown, they are very crucial in the development of younger beings. The mother is a helper by nature, impacting by teaching its child to survive at life. Independence is the arch lesson that is taught by the mother. Harlow enduringly grasps the cardinal meaning of why it is inhumane to destroy any kind of maternal bond. Mothers are not people to depend on, but are people to make depending not

However, at the end of the story this stereotype is completely contrasted following the passing of the mother. When the boy, who is now a grown man and father, returns home to his newborn daughter it is he who displays a nurturing and affectionate relationship between a father and his daughter. This role reversal developed by Munsch effectively casts aside the stereotype that women are better suited to raise a child, and demonstrates that affection and the ability to nurture are not qualities that are able to be defined by a persons gender. Munsch instead shows how these qualities are learned by a person and are displayed as they mature with age. Munsch effectively represents this progression though maturity when showing, the love the boy has for his mother is not absent during his childhood, but simply something he does not display as well as he does when he becomes an adult.

Throughout history a one-parent household has been deemed as a nontraditional family, but in today’s society it seems more and more common with every day. Although the reason and causes vary, each year the number of children raised by a single parent increases. Most people don’t seem to realize how much this can change a child’s future. The impact of childhood experiences simply set the disposition of adulthood and the rest of their lives. There is not one sole factor that affects child development, but one very important one is the role and relationship created with one’s parents. How a child is parented and raised leaves a lasting impression on them, commonly for a