A Brief Review Of Mary Wilkins Freeman's 'Revolt Of Mother'

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman was an exceptionally impressive author during her time. Her numerous works and short stories have caught the eyes of many simply because of her strong willed female protagonists and the way she historically documented early New England village life within her stories. Freeman is widely considered to be an influential contributor to the creation of short novels, especially short novels written for or about women. She was also very dedicated to her work and was extremely motivated by her need to portray her own ideas of feminism. The different kinds of relationships explored within Freeman’s works also seem to take us deeper into her own idea of independence. Freeman also attacked themes such as realism, human nature,
Freeman also spreads the idea that women can be independent and still be content. A reader will be able to point independence out in every story written by Freeman. In “The Revolt of Mother” the reader can see independence come in the form of free thinking. The mother in the story actually makes a plan for herself and acts on it, without being afraid of the consequences. She even tells her husband it is his own fault for not listening to her wishes. This shows that the mother is not afraid of her husband, she sees herself as his equal. She does not need him to justify her actions, like many other women did during this time period. In “A Mistaken Charity”, independence is obvious. The two women are living together as companions and sisters, which was very unusual for that time period. In most cases, the women would be living with or married to a man. However, the women love the way they are living and do not accept when a man or women tried to change their living situation. The women do not accept living in the ‘home’ that is unfit for their lifestyle. Within the short story Charlotte says, “let us go home. I can’t stay here no ways in this world. I don’t like their vittles, an’ I don’t like to wear a cap; I want to go home an do different. (Freeman, 14) Charlotte is expressing herself and telling her sister that she just wants to be exactly where she belongs, in her own home living
We see the women seek a life of independence. She decided to go against the normal and decides what would be best for her in the long term scheme of things. She knows the way she wants to live, and a man does not fit in with that. As stated by Pryse, “Louisa Ellis rejects rather than embraces the idea of manifest destiny when she chooses her solitary life over marriage to Joe Daggert.” (Pryse, viii) All of the stories obviously state that women can live alone and be content without a man. It is stated that “Freeman’s strong New England women make us realize that one mark of independence and free thinking, in a century in which many were followers, was to remain behind with the challenge of rebuilding a postbellum world.” (Pryse, ix) It is very obvious that Freeman believe in free-thinking and