The Theme of Motherhood in Obasan
Chinese writer Lin Yutang once said, “Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” However, the word mother does not always apply to a woman who gives birth to a child, but a woman who gives maternal love and tenderness. The role of mother in the novel Obasan was passed down to the three main female figures of the novel. Naomi’s biological mother, Obasan and Aunt Emily each took equal part in the raising of Naomi and Stephen in their unique ways.Naomi’s mother actions and manner of life makes her a good mother figure for the children in the novel. Naomi’s mother shows great compassion with her children and all other things. Compassion is an essential trait that one would most likely need to be a good mother. However, Naomi’s mother displays her affection differently than what we may normally consider compassion. She shows it as a Japanese mother. “Her eyes are steady and matter of fact – the eyes of Japanese motherhood. They do not invade and invade. They are eyes that protect, shielding what is hidden most deeply in the heart of the child. She makes safe the small stirrings underfoot and in the shadows.”(Kogawa, 63) By showing compassion within her subtleties, Naomi’s mother shows signs of motherhood. . . .
” (122) Obasan gives the mother of the baby what little she had to feed the child. However, she wanted to spare the feelings of the children even though they might have been ready to take all the horrible news. It is such a tangle to decipher the needs and intents of others. Even if you do not like the person, you should always show some respect to them. Naomi and Stephen were lucky though. If we don’t, we will pass our anger down in our genes. By orders from the children’s actual mother, Emily kept Mother’s fate a secret until she thought that they could actually handle it. Teaching them about life, how to be civil people, and how to show compassion. “Obasan teaches me not to be wagamama by heeding everyone’s needs. This quality is also showered upon Naomi and Stephen throughout the novel. Aunt Emily is best shown as a mother figure when she gives Naomi and Stephen all the letters that were sent to them. She kept up with the letters for almost six months. Naomi’s mother is very committed to her family, both extended and immediate.
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