The Feminist Mother Figure in the Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾
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Tarih
2022
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Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Özet
Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ (1982) is the first book of an eight-books set. The complete set is in the form of a diary and each book presents the title character Adrian Mole’s life and changing perspectives. This article focusses on the first book of the set. Even though the diary entries contain Adrian’s thoughts and reflections on various issues such as literature, friendship, love, sex, marriage, parenting and motherhood, his frustration about his mother is worthy of more attention. Adrian’s mother Pauline Mole can be considered as a perfectly fitting example of a feminist mother, who wants to be economically self-sufficient, reads influential feminist books of the second-wave feminism, joins feminist gatherings and meetings, and gradually transforms her life. However, Adrian compares her mother to the maternal ideal that is a selfless, altruistic and an unconditionally devoted figure. The contradiction between the maternal ideal he has internalized as the patriarchal norm and the way his mother behaves disappoints and frustrates him. The aim of this article is to discuss patriarchal notions of motherhood and the maternal ideal from a feminist point of view and Pauline’s representation as a feminist mother in the diary.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
Maternal ideal, diary, Sue Townsend, patriarchy, Adrian Mole
Kaynak
Trakya Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi
WoS Q Değeri
Scopus Q Değeri
Cilt
12
Sayı
23
