Child Of My Heart

   Katie

April 2, 2007 @ 10:01 pm

So far in Child Of My Heart, there are several female characters who show different ways that women can be depicted. Theresa, although she is only 15, is intelligent and is a role model to the children she babysits. Theresa is in charge of her life and the children she is with. She is also conscious of what is right and what is wrong. She makes an effort to do the right thing and encourages others to also.The Mothers of the children Theresa watches are often the opposite of Theresa. All three Mothers that have been mentioned so far in the story seem to pay little if any attention to their children.

For example, Flora’s mother is always busy with her own things and doesn’t pay any attention to Flora. She is very self absorbed and also seems to be dominant in her marriage. It seems she will do whatever she wants whether her husband likes it or not.

Daisy’s mother also shows a different way women can be depicted. She is always busy because she has so many kids. Since she is always so busy, she has become impatient and spends little time paying attention to her younger children like Daisy.

Mrs Moran is a woman who is too busy with relationship problems to pay attention to her children. Her children are left on their own and depend on Theresa to take care of them.

Theresa seems to be learning what not to do by being exposed to wealthy mothers like Flora’s Mom, less wealthy mothers like Daisy’s Mom, and poor mothers like Mrs Moran. She sees how neglectful these mothers can be of their children and will avoid being like them.

   Nicole

April 3, 2007 @ 7:10 pm

After reading pages 1-86 of Child of My Heart there isn’t much depiction of women in the media. Other than the parents of the main character, and their hopes that she will marry rich, and have a better life than the middle class life they can give her.

However, women are portrayed in many different ways in the novel. I feel that the wives of the rich, successful men in long island are portrayed accurately. We see the wife of the artist, who is married for money, and neglects her children. The mother of the Moran children is also portrayed as a woman who neglects her motherly duties for adventures in the fast paced society of New York. I feel that so far the author portrays the rich “brooks brothers” wives of Long Island in a negative light. Which seems to contrast the main character, Theresa’s wisdom and compassion for children.

   Mrs. P

April 4, 2007 @ 9:48 am

Katie and Nicole,
You have made some interesting comments about women’s portrayal in Child of My Heart. I am wondering if you find yourself connecting easily to Theresa. Why, do you think, McDermott includes such contrasting characters? Do you think all readers should be able to identify with the characters?

I look forward to your next posts.

Mrs. P.

   Julia

April 11, 2007 @ 5:51 pm

I agree with Katie in that there are several characters showing the variety of ways women can be depicted in the media. For example, the 15-year-old babysitter Teresa is an independent young girl with a lot of intelligence for someone her age. She is always conscious of her actions around the children she babysits because she wants them to learn what is right. She serves as a role model for these children who do not have mothers to fit that position adequately. The children love her because she provides something for them that their parents do not: compassion. She is basically the only positive depiction of women in the story so far.

Daisy’s mother is preoccupied with all of her other kids so Daisy feels left out. Her mother does not seem to care enough about her as an individual, simply another one of her many children. Teresa makes Daisy feel special.

Flora’s mother does not seem to care for any of her family members very much at all. Not only does she basically ignore Flora, but she does not pay much attention to her husband, the artist, either. She doesn’t care about what he does, which is very apparent after the words of advice she gives Teresa. Flora’s mother is a negative depiction of women.

   Katie

April 25, 2007 @ 6:32 am

Julia, I agree with what you that in the beginning of the story Theresa is a positive role model and wants to teach the children she is with what is right. As the story continues though, we notice that Theresa is less conscious of her actions and begins to have a bit of a relationship with Flora’s dad, the artist. Why do you think Theresa goes from being so aware of her actions and teaching children what is right to having a relationship with Flora’s dad? In the beginning we see Theresa as the only positive depiction of a female charater. Does she change so much because of the other female characters she is exposed to?

   yhscarolinablue

April 25, 2007 @ 7:20 am

Child of My Heart seems to be similar to Bastard Out of Carolina in the way the mothers are neglectful. In Bastard Out of Carolina Anne, Bone’s mother, finds out that Glen is beating Bone, but she keeps returning to him and just tries to get Bone to stop upsetting Glen so he doesn’t beat her. She puts her needs of having a husband abover her daughter’s safety. From what I’ve read of your comments it seems that the mothers in your book are also neglectful or unaware of their children, though perhaps not to as much of an extent as Anne is in Bastard Out of Carolina.

-Sarah