Comm 411 Final SMORE
By: Fallon Gordy
Mothers in Novels
Novel: "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
Mothers in Advertisements
Survey Results
Mothers in Television
Claire Dunphy
Claire Dunphy is an overprotective, high-string mother of three very different children: Luke, Alex, and Haley. Her overprotective personality is due partly to her own wild youth and as a balance to her husband, Phil’s, child-like and carefree personality. Claire is constantly playing the “bad cop” in order to help grow and encourage her children to be their personal best. She embraces her children’s individuality and excels at supporting them each on their own personal endeavors. Claire embodies a real-life mother because she is constantly jugging her many commitments such as being a daughter, sister, wife, mother, full-time employee, aunt, and friend.
Rain(Bow) Johnson
Rainbow or “Bow” Johnson is a very liberal-minded mother of four children and successful Anesthesiologist. Her high-stress and time-consuming career does not interfere with her ability to support and make time for her children and family. Bow is often the voice of reason to her husband, Dre, an outspoken VP of an advertising firm. The commitment and desire to teach her children that they live in a world that is not defined solely on their African American ethnicity is a central driving force for her actions.
Frankie Heck
Frankie Heck is a flustered, loving, and committed mother of three children. She makes many personal sacrifices for her children and family, while still advocating her own dreams and goals. Her desire to quit her job to attend Tech School in order to become a Dental Hygienist is eventually achieved in order to help better support her family. Frankie’s constant struggle to balance her career, husband, children, and friends makes her a relatable mother.
Mothers in the News
Baltimore Mother in Response to Riots
Mothers in Disney Films
Sleeping Beauty and other Disney Films
The Feminine Mystique
In the novel, The Feminine Mystique, it is clear that not all women are happy in their mother- and wife-roles only. The phenomenon that women felt before the release of this novel was an overwhelming sensation of guilt and hopelessness. By denying their needs and desires to have a role and life outside of the home drove many women near crazy. As a society, the depiction of the "perfect housewife" or "home-room mom" whose only needs were the latest and greatest gadget for the kitchen only fueled this growing epidemic. This novel shows the importance of challenging oneself and not ever becoming complacent in life. By not utilizing our brains or working to improve one, we are all destined to become victims of the Feminine Mystique.
Mothers in Films
"So This is 40"
"Moms Night Out"
"What to Expect When You're Expecting"
Mothers in Magazines
After researching and reading different magazines from different decades, it is clear that motherhood has evolved greatly over the past 100 years. The roles of motherhood have shifted and the articles that women's magazines publish reflect these shifts. From the 1960's housewife and stay-at-home mother to the present day "working mother" we can see how the interests of mothers have changed. The articles from the 1960's were centered on hosting business dinners for one's husband or baking the perfect homemade cake for a child's birthday party. Nowadays, the articles, generally, focus on a mother as a mom and an individual woman, which subjects like breastfeeding or formula, the best summer camps for kids and weeknight meals. This evolution is empowering and exciting, by writing articles about a mother's needs as both a mother and a woman, society can begin to view mothers in both roles.
Children and Teens
Mothers in Music
Through learning about motherhood and how it is portrayed in music, it was clear that there are not many songs that pertain to motherhood. The limited number of songs that do discuss motherhood, predominately, refer to the comfort of "momma's house" or are an ode to mothers. These songs about motherhood are sweet, sentimental and charming. However, as mentioned before, these types of songs are difficult to come by. The importance of songs like these is that is serves are a defense mechanism against the over-worked, constantly stressed out, and sometimes-crazy depiction of mothers that we see in mainly in most other forms of media. These feel-good songs provide a small buffer and reminder to us all that good, loving, supportive mothers do and will continue to exist.
Mothers in Surveys
Overview/Summary
Throughout this course, I have learned so much about what it means to be a mother in real-life and in the eyes of society. By researching and reading about the different ways that mothers are characterized and depicted in the media was shocked and empowering. After learning so much about the ways in which mothers are negatively, positively, or not at all shown in our society, I feel confident that I will be a more equipped, smart and understanding parents, someday. The lack of mothers in Disney films was one of the most shocking things that I learned in this course; as an avid Disney-movie watcher as a child, it was startling to realize how many movies have no mothering figure or an all-bad figure. Additionally, the over-glamorized depiction of motherhood in children and teen movies was alarming. Now, knowing how poorly and misrepresented some of these films and television shows are of mothers, I will like it will directly influence the way I raise my children. I grew up in a household with no cable and only a few Disney movies that we were able to watch. I always thought that once I had children of my own that I would make sure that they were not deprived of cable like I was, however, after this course I feel like I will not want cable in my household once I have children. This course made me appreciate my mother and all the hard work, sacrifice, and love that she showered over me as a child. I want to make sure that I play an active, hands-on role when I become a parent and make sure my children understand that the media, usually, does not depict people (and mothers specifically) in a holistic, truthful manner.