Mary Whitman Research Paper

Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman was a prominent 19th century American writer who took full advantage of the American Realism period through her literature. Mary E. Wilkins was born on October 31, 1852 in Randolph, Massachusetts to Warren and Eleanor Wilkins. Randolph was a stereotypical New England town for the period; it consisted of an agricultural community centered on the Calvinist church, which in turn had a profound influence on Mary in her adolescence. In 1873 Mary fell in love with Hanson Tyler, but he did not reciprocate the strong feelings she had. This unrequited love was often reflected in the single women of her earlier short stories. In 1880, Mary reached her first success as a writer in a children’s magazine Wide Awake. After a few years of contributing short stories to various magazine she was finally able to publish her first major book A Humble Romance and other short stories (1887). This was the pinnacle of her writing and after she married in 1897 to the
hard-drinking Charles Freeman, the quantity of writing increased but the quality was inversely declining.
Mary E. Wilkins died on March 15, 1930 of heart failure. But Mary’s contribution to American literature, specifically that of the progressive feminist movement, cannot be understated. She was awarded the William Dean Howells Medal for distinction in fiction. Mary’s work has since gained renewed interest through the years whenever feminist criticism is being presented.
Mary E. Wilkins had many notable works from A Humble Romance to A New England Nun and other short stories but she is perhaps best known for her short story, The Revolt of Mother. The Revolt of Mother is a short story that focuses on a New England woman, Sarah
Penn, who takes a stand against her authoritative husband, Adoniram. Sarah Penn is a patient, hard working farm mother who supports and respects her husband. She is submissive in her desires, as most women were required to be in the 19th century. Adoniram Penn ignores the needs of his family in favor of his farm. Sarah desperately wants Adoniram to improve their standard of living especially for their daughter, Nanny, in time for her wedding. Whenever Sarah brings up the subject for Adoniram to live up to his promise of building a new house he obstinately refuses to discuss the subject with a repetitive response, “I ain’t got nothin’ to say about it” and continues to build a new and rather luxuriant barn for his livestock. When Adoniram decides to leave town for a weekend to go purchase a new horse, Sarah takes matters into her own hands and moves all of their furniture into the newly finished barn. The entire town is in awe of her blatant disregard for her husband’s orders. “There was a difference of opinion in regard to her. Some held her to be insane; some, of lawless and rebellious spirit.” (Wilkins 559). When Adoniram returns from his trip he is astounded but soon accepts and conforms to his wife’s wishes. He is defiantly apologetic, saying that he never realized how important it was to her. Many themes of American realism are reflected in this story; Rebellion, self-assertion, defying tradition, and the repression of women in a male-dominated society.

Works Cited
Wilkins, Mary. The Revolt of Mother. 1st. New York : Harper & Brothers , 1891. 553-561. Print
Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 6: Mary Wilkins Freeman." PAL: Perspectives in American Literature- A Research and Reference Guide. URL:http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap6/freeman.html Nov. 28, 2013.