Voices project
Research question: How does the representation of women in literature and media affect the importance of their roles as mothers and criticize the actions they may take surrounding motherhood?
One of the most interesting things I learned was how prevalent and polarizing the idea of motherhood is in modern feminist movements. Some activists argue that motherhood as a uniting force among women, and it is defining in the struggle for gaining rights and respect as a woman. However, others argue that women have been reduced to their roles as mothers for so long that true empowerment comes from the ability to decide whether or not to be a mother. These contrasting ideals in feminist theory have been at the forefront of discussion for a while, and are likely to continue to be discussed as the movement continues to adapt and change. Another influential idea regarding the topic of motherhood came from the Ted Talk source that I included, which argued that having a working mother bestows many positive qualities on the children, even though many women are criticized for wanting to work instead of being stay-at-home moms. I thought this source was particularly interesting because of the nuances in the argument; its important that every woman does what is best for their family. If staying at home is the best option and the family has the means to do so, that woman should not be judged for not working. Further, a working woman should not be villainized for her decision to work if that is in the best interest for the family.
Motherhood is an extremely individual experience; there truly is not proper way to handle being a mother. The sources I found showed me a wide range of the expectations placed on mothers, and the decisions they choose to make for themselves and their families. Though some of the sources are relatively extreme examples, I hope that those viewing my project can experience this wide variety of motherhood, and consider their own perceptions surrounding the experience. Even small comments or pieces of advice from family members can make a mother feel as if she is not filling her role properly and diminish her confidence, but as mentioned, there is no single way to mother.
Reflection
The most important thing I learned for myself throughout my time at North is resilience. It is not surprising to anyone when I say that we have an incredibly competitive school that creates very high expectations for the students, and sometimes, these expectations very easily become pressures. While it is good to have these goals to aim for, they can sometimes be incredibly overwhelming, and I have had to teach myself how to recenter my focus and keep working through things. Even if I am occasionally turning things in that I would not consider my highest quality, I have still learned how to put a maximum amount of effort in to every project, while still balancing my other academic, athletic, work, and social responsibilities. I think it is very easy for new and experienced students to get overwhelmed by the many influences of their lives at this time, but finding the thing, person, or place that makes you happy and recenters you in your work is extremely beneficial to staying sane throughout the four years. In senior year especially, balance is important. While it is important to stay on top of your academics, finding time to experience being a senior (whether that be hanging out with your friends, going to sporting events, etc.) will help you create memories that you’ll actually want to look back on, instead of only experiencing the homework you were doing that will soon fade from memory. The year should be at least partly celebratory for all of the work you have done.
mefitzgerald says:
Megan, I never thought about how polarizing the role of a mother is until I read Hamlet! The balance of power and servitude is simply unseen in any other role. I also focused my research on the disparity between men and women, however I chose to look at a religious setting. Although I had a different topic, the idea that women are often criticized and held up to unrealistic standards in the media is universal. I agree with you that North is competitive, and as someone who didn’t/doesn’t care about my standings compared to others, it is honestly so relaxing. I think it would be beneficial if everyone remembered that we learn to grow, not to compare ourselves to different people. Good luck at college!
May 28, 2021 — 4:27 pm
emgasperec says:
Hi Megan,
I first have to say thank you for writing about this topic because it is extremely relevant, as everyone has a mother figure in their life and most likely has an opinion on it. Not to mention, one day I will be facing a choice of whether or not I want to be a mother, and I hope that things will become a lot less judgmental by the time I make my decision. I find it so sad that women are judged by so many different things in their lives, when instead, everyone should be accepted as doing what is best for their family, as you said. I really like how you used sources that are familiar to us, such as the novels Beloved and As I Lay Dying. I think it was really effective that you compared the character from your novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, to characters we were already familiar with. It made your project effective and informative. Thanks for sharing!
May 28, 2021 — 4:42 pm
gmkampschroeder says:
I didn’t know that those counteracting ideas were present in the women’s rights movement. I never thought that the moms out there who are being praised for the hard job they have as a mother could actually feel stuck and detained from doing what they really want to do. Very interesting topic!
May 28, 2021 — 4:57 pm
rbazarcon says:
Hello Megan. I like how you took the time to do a deep analysis of your book and how it relates to the research question. It shows that you truly understand your book and topic you are researching. Additionally, your incorporation of As I Lay Dying and Beloved into your project was really interesting and helped me relate a lot more to your project. Lastly, your project, which relates to motherhood, broadened my perspective on this particular topic.
May 28, 2021 — 4:57 pm
clsummers says:
Hi Megan, the first thing that I noticed about your blog/project is that your research question is so interesting! Motherhood definitely has challenges and societal obstacles that are not talked about enough. I also take issue with some of the ways motherhood/pregnancy are spoken about in feminist circles. I have been moving away from feminist ideology recently and instead of advocating for equality advocating for liberation- which is kind of a lost message in modern feminism that has a lot to do with establishment democrats and politics. Your take & research are super interesting and it is really cool to explore the ways in which motherhood can be uniting as well as reductive.
May 28, 2021 — 5:06 pm