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The Role Of The Mother In Alistar Maclead's The Boat

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"The Boat" is a short story by Alistar Maclead. Throughout the narrative the reader is introduced to several different characters. Who are unique and carry different personalities, that have impacted and are connected to the narrator's present state. The mother in particular named Jenny Lynn, plays an important role in this piece. What the mother says, does, and how, she interacts with others is a way one can interpret her as a person and really see her true colors and state of mind. In "The Boat" the mother is a powerful character; she is committed to her job, she has a strong opinion about life at sea, and through her devotion and drive she sheltered her kids; to the extent where it had a negative effect. It is through these measures …show more content…

From how the narrator explains to the reader how much she loved the sea, and how her daily actions were often surrounded by the sea. One has the feeling that she is ignorant towards other ways of life; and seems to think that the lifestyle she is living is the only way to live. This can be further shown when her daughter marries a man who knows nothing about the sea lifestyle; and as a result she saw him as lazy, dishonest, and the unknown. In addition to this her strong opinion seems to be keeping her state of mind in the past. In a sense it was what was holding her back, from comprising and working towards a better relationship with her husband. From this one can see that the mother is traditional in the way she acts, the way she lives, and the environment she wants to be surrounded by. This is another trait that allows her to embody a significant …show more content…

Is the fact that she sheltered her kids; to the extent where it had a negative effect. Her devotion and drive to keep her kids from becoming like their father may have been coming from a sincere place; however it only caused harm to their relationship. This can be shown when Jenny Lynn finds one of her offspring reading a book and decides to take matters into her own hands: (Pg.40) " my sisters one by one discovered my father's bedroom...my mother's reaction was always abrupt, bordering on the angry...and once I saw her slap my youngest sister so hard." Despite the fact that she disliked books and sees it as a waste of time. If she were to change her point of view or look at it from another angle, she might have seen books as a door to opportunities and other possibilities. Nevertheless her close mindedness is what pushed her kids away, caused the death of her husband, and left her living alone. Moreover, Jenny, throughout the majority of the story gives the reader the ability to sense that she is scared. This fear is what caused her life and most of the people that are in it to take an unfortunate turn, which is what makes her such a powerful character.

When one reads the story "The Boat" from the portrayal of the mother through the narrator. One can see she is stubborn, controlling, ignorant, devoted, and traditional. Yet despite this, the attribute that describes her

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