Archetypal Mothers Role

A mother’s role impacts the child’s life and plays a huge part in deciding what type of person the child grows up to. Many twentieth century children’s literature demonstrates archetypes, including the mother, and how this helps the characters to succeed and find happiness. Children seek for this maternal figure if it is not found in the birth mother, or is lacking completely, as it is a natural instinct that a child relies on upon entering this world. The role of the mother figures in the children’s books; Charlotte’s Web by E.B White, The Root Cellar by Janet Lunn, and The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett, is not seen in the birth mothers of the main characters in the books, but rather in other characters who nurture and take care of them.
In The Secret Garden, Burnett demonstrates the role of mother as one that has a great value, and a role that is not confined to a woman. She presents the mother archetype in this story through the character of a man and through nature, showing that the mother role is in fact a conscious role that is not limited to the women gender necessarily. This story demonstrates that the role of mother includes being in touch with the procreative and nurturing power of
In the beginning of the book, Fern is the one who saves Wilbur’s life by arguing with her father and then looks after Wilbur, even after he is to live with Fern's uncle. "Fern loved Wilbur more than anything" (2.1). this shows that Fern really liked Wilbur and cared for him. However, as the book progresses, Fern changes into a different person, mainly after meeting Henry Fussy. She abandons Wilbur for him, and this contrasts to the role of Mrs. Lennox in the secret garden, who neglects Mary. Fern is a motherly figure, but she doesn’t fit the Jungian archetype, as she leaves Wilbur for a boy and doesn’t continue helping Wilbur. Charlotte illustrates the archetype of the mother figure. Charlotte works tirelessly to save him and even though she is dying at the end of the novel, she is still thinking about the well-being and safety of Wilbur, and motivates herself to write the word that will secure his safety. Charlotte acts like the mother figure for Wilbur, just like a mother would. When Wilbur says, “May I go out to my trough and see if I left any of my supper”, (64) to which Charlotte replies, “Very well, but I want you in bed again without delay” (64). And again after getting his food, though he asks if he can get milk, and Charlotte tells him “No… I want you to go to