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The Widow's Might by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1911) - Coggle Diagram
The Widow's Might by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1911)
Historical / Social background
feminist author - wrote about the challenges of women in a patriarchal world
in 1911 women in Europe and in many America states were not allowed to vote
When they got married everything thet owned was taken over by the husband - if the women chose to divorce she wouldnt be alowed to keep the children
women of the middle and upper classes were not expected to work and they were completyl dependant upon first their fathers and then their husbands
Style of writting
Text is mostly dialogue
conversation reveals their selfish nature and their reluctant to care for their mother
they believe they know what their mother wants - during the first part we do not hear mothers voice so we automatically assume they are right - also reflects how women in those times didnt have a voice
in the last part we mostly hear the mother - she is finally given a voice - uses it to show how determined she is to live the way she wants
Narration
Third person fly on the wall
The narrator as it is an observer he is allowed to add his own opinion on the matter and through his interaction the story becomes more powerful in its message
Themes
Money - the business world
siblings worried about how much it willl cost them to maintain their mother - they seek profit from their fathers death / mother is the most savvy from all - managed to turn the business of the farm around - mother mapped out her savings this shows independance - not common in women in the 1900s
Female emancipation
from beggining to where they meetthe lawyer the siblings think that mother will be happy being moved to a similar residence where she is totally dependant on them - she is not happy with that and explains how she is going to live her life in the next few years - independance - then she leaves in the opposite direction to her children
Obligation
the siblings dont want their mother living with them but they say so because they feel obliged to. Society says that mother has to be cared for. Mother says no and talks about how she has done her duty and now wants to live life freely
Freytag's pyramid
Rising action
sibling didnt love their father they were never affectionate + they didnt like living in the farm / lot of biterness in the family mother has to escape from it - during this part mother remains upstair + sense of mystery as we dont know what she is feeling / at this point we think she is overwhelmed / lawyer arrives - siblings learn value of estate is lower than what they expected / mother walks in misteriously ans says father gave her the property deeds to her - children say she is to weak and she should give the deeds to them - mother says no
Climax
sibling ask what she is going to do with the money - she oopens the blinds and emerges as a new women when she takes off the black veil - at this time she reveals her new emancipated self
Narrative hook
children cant decide what to do with t heir mother - neither of them willing to have her move in with them as they are aware of the costs / they say she will have a negative impact on the dynamic of their new family
Falling action
Mrs McPherson gi ves details on her plans - she has 6000 USD of her own and has put some away to go into care she has also made plans for her own cremation - she will use the money to play around and go travelling / the children are shocked and at the end they leave in separate ways
Exposition
man had large farm in colorado 3 kids and a wife died after a life long illness - Children now grown up and have their own family and live in far away parts of the country / parters of the children didnt come to the ceremony they gave feeble reasons / sibling wait to know the reading of the will - they all expect to get something
Characters
James
son lives in New York - wife refused to leave the city except for summer vacations - he knows it is up to his wife if his mother can move in with them - relieved when ellen says she can take her / James has a clear sense of duty but show little love or empathy towards mother
Ellen
one of the daughters who lives in Cambridge with her husband - she offers to take the mother
Adelaide
the other daughter who lives in Pittsburg with her husband - she doesnt offer to take mother - she is critical of the mothers outfit and appears to be quite judgemental
Mts McPherson
mystery at first - free thiniking independant woman who is able to manage her own financial affairs - rejects she has children because she has already done her duty
Mr Frankland
The lawyer
Mr McPherson
father who is now dead - showed no affection towards any family member