the problematics of motherhood in twentieth century women's fiction

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comprehends that Michael's wife or Tim's mother are not the
real Kate. As soon as this realization strlkes her, she
unmasks her face in search of the real person beneath the
assorted masks. Unlike Mrs. Hill, Kate becomes wary at thls
stage and probes rnto the depths of her psyche In an attempt
to explore her hidden self.
2.9.5. Though Sethe in Beloved ldentlfies herself
prlmarlly as a mother, she is capable of trensmuclng
maternal sllence lnto maternal anger It is the v1ola:lon
of her motherhood that spurs her into taklng lndeperdent
declslons -- the first is displayed In her courage In
fleelng Sweet Home and the next in her slaylng of her lrfant
daughter, preferring her qulck death to a llfe ter, of
slavery
2.9.6. The mlnor characters -- representatlons of
fernlnlne morherhood -- are used for purposes of contrast to
the emerglng fernlnlst mothers Many of them -- Smita and
Padmakar's wlfe In The Dark Holds No Terrors, Brldle and
Susan Trevor rn The Diviners, Beatrlce in The Millstone --
are flat characters, perfectly fittlng Into the femlllne
mould without any compunction. Sarcasm and irony undcrlle
thelr portrayal.
2.10.0. Although all the femlnine mothers discussed here
Participate in the 'sacred calling' of feminlne motherhood,