The Mother · Chapter
Chapter XVII explained
The mother returns home after her blind daughter's death, consumed by grief and guilt.
What happens
The mother returns home after her blind daughter's death, consumed by grief and guilt. She blames her elder son's wife for the tragedy and curses her childlessness, though the community gently reminds her of her own hasty decisions. The younger son comforts her, and she begins to focus on his future marriage and children as her only solace. Her physical illness and old sins weigh heavily on her, leaving her weak and mournful.
Themes in this chapter
Motherhood and Sacrifice
The mother's overwhelming grief for her blind daughter and her desperate focus on her younger son's future marriage and children as her only remaining purpose.
Sin and Retribution
The mother believes her past sins—adultery, lies about her husband's death—are the cause of her misfortunes, including her daughter's death and her daughter-in-law's barrenness.
Family Conflict and Favoritism
The mother openly favors her younger son over the elder, blames the elder son's wife for the tragedy, and curses her childlessness, creating deep family tension.
Characters to notice
- The Mother
Grief-stricken and guilt-ridden after her daughter's death; blames her elder son's wife and clings to her younger son for comfort; tormented by her past sins.
- The Young Man
The younger son who accompanies his mother home, weeps from exhaustion and despair, and later sleeps on his sister's pallet to comfort his mother.
- The Elder Son
Defends his wife against the mother's accusations, reminding her that she acted hastily in sending the daughter away.
- The Woman
The elder son's wife, who tends the mother carefully but is scolded and cursed by her; remains childless, a source of tension.
- Cousin
The father's cousin who reluctantly agrees that the mother acted quickly; his wife later comforts the mother and advises patience regarding grandchildren.
Key passages
“She grew so low in mind that nothing cheered her much except to have her younger son about her.”
Her depression was so deep that only her younger son's presence brought her any comfort.
Highlights the mother's emotional dependence on her younger son after the daughter's death.
“But still the older woman never blamed the son’s wife any more that she was childless. No, she said no more of that, believing somehow dimly that her own sins might be the cause.”
The mother stopped criticizing her daughter-in-law for being barren, vaguely suspecting her own wrongdoing was to blame.
Shows the mother's growing guilt and superstitious belief in divine punishment.
“At last she even said to her own heart, “Aye, perhaps even what they say is true, perhaps it is better that my maid is dead. There are so many things worse than death.””
She finally convinced herself that her daughter's death might be a mercy, given the hardships of life.
Reveals the mother's attempt to rationalize her grief and find acceptance.