Throughout the novel so far, we've experienced quite an interesting bunch of characters. Some are historical figures, while others are completely fictional, and often-time the fictional characters are given basic names. In the very beginning of the novel we are introduced to a family Mother, Father, Mother's Younger Brother, and the Little Boy. Right off the bat we think we have a basic understanding of the characters as the opening chapter contains a lot of detail about how the family functions. Mother in particular has immense character growth as the novel progresses.
In the beginning of the novel, mother comes off as this passive 2D character. She doesn't seem happy nor does she seem depressed, she just simply goes through the motions of life. More than anything she just seems kind of lonely, being the only female in the household she doesn't really have anyone to relate to or confide in. Despite this, it seems like she somewhat enjoys her space perhaps because it gives her more room to be herself. Father is gone on business a lot and it even states that their marriage thrived when he went away. In fact, the novels plot and mothers character really kickstarts when father goes on the expedition to the north pole.
While father is away, mother comes across a new born child, finds its mother Sarah, and decides to take them both in without father's knowledge. Furthermore, she even tells the police she'll take responsibility for the both of them. Mother steps up to take care of the both of them much to the surprise of father when he returns. This is a side of mother we haven't seen up till this point. It seems as though Sarah and her baby give her a sense of purpose in life again. And I think this experience lightens up mother because there is now another female character in the house.
We continue to see mother invest in Sarah much to father's disliking by getting involved in her love life when Coalhouse Walker (the father of Sarah's child) is introduced into the novel. Mother doesn't really have business meddling but does so anyway. It gives her a sense of romance in the air and something to invest in. At one point she even takes a shot at father for not understanding the romance and complicatedness of the situation. Mother has had significant character development during the absence of father and continues to take care of the baby despite the odds increasingly stacked against her.
Mother's development as a character is definitely a major part of the book. We are introduced to her as part of a happy family, but once the story gets going, we see she is not happy, as you point out. As the story progresses, we see her feel more capable to take actions on her own, like with Father's business and choosing to take in Sarah and her child. We even see her feel empowered to challenge Father's opinions and actions. Great post!
ReplyDeleteInteresting analysis! I had not thought about Mother's potential depression being rooted in the fact that she lacks a female companion to confide in, which is why she takes in Sarah with open arms despite the unusual circumstances (an understatement, at best). Her lack of this connection ensures she does not know the common behaviors or actions found in a friendship, meaning she is desperate to maintain this relationship. This explains why she allows Coalhouse Walker and his story to enter her home. Additionally, her dramatic character development may be a product of her desire to sustain this relationship.
ReplyDeleteI like that your blog analyzes the development of Mother as a character. Mother, who isn't a historical figure, already didn't have much of an identity. You brought up how Father going on an expedition to the North Pole plays a role in Mother's maturity as a character. I think that Emma Goldman was another catalyst for Mother's growth as a character as she is with many of the female characters in the novel. In short, I think your blog articulates the changes in Mother's character based upon key events such as Father's departure and finding Sarah's baby.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your analysis on Mother. She does seem to start off as a pretty flat character, but throughout the novel she has a compelling character development. I enjoyed reading as she grew into a 3d person that had a purpose that she really involved herself in. Good job on your post!
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a perfect example of Doctorow's character development in general. He does this to Younger Brother as well, maybe in an even deeper way (I think we get to know him better than mother by the end), and he changes so much from what we know at the beginning. I think Doctorow just likes to keep us on our toes by constantly changing things.
ReplyDeleteNow that we've read to the end of the novel, I wonder if you'd view Mother's character as more developed and three-dimensional than she initially appears in the early chapters. Her relationship with Sarah and her adoption of her child seems to bring a new energy and sense of purpose to her character, and when she meets Tateh, the energy is undeniable. We might read all of this as implying that her very traditional marriage to Father serves to inhibit and limit her development as a character, keeping her in a traditional role that bores *her* as much as it bores us. Once Sarah and her baby enter her life, and she moves outside this traditional role, her character starts to come alive within the novel--she becomes more than just a placeholder, turning into a dynamic character who evolves with the times.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with your analysis of mother and her arc. In the beginning our introduction to her seems so flat that when her transition to a more empowered version of herself happens it's almost like we are introduced to a whole new character. And the first event that we are really shown with this new mother is her interactions with Sarah. I also think the fact that she began reading Emma Goldman lead her to view her relationship with Sarah and Father differently through Goldman's Anarcho-Feminist views. Good post!
ReplyDeleteIt's an incredibly interesting choice on Doctorow's part to make such detailed backstories out of nameless characters. Especially with your analysis on Mother as a character, she almost seems to parallel a lot of women in general during this time period. In the beginning, Mother is a very 2D character. But throughout the book, we see her fighting in the back to gain her own identity, ideals, opinions, and voice. It's almost resemblant of the women's rights movement where many others gained their own person.
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