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Hi Chandra, Rasik and other members list, I read 'A Mother' a while back and it made a strong impression upon me, because I know a lot of parents like Mrs. Kearny and a number of event organizers like Mr. Holohan. It might interest you to know that the Little League (local baseball leagues for children) in the US has excessively interfering parents as a big problem (parents have assaulted bad coaches and pulled their children off non-performing teams). So Joyce's portrait of 'A Mother' is quite relevant to our times! Having said that, my sympathies lie with Mrs. Kearny. She obviously has high hopes on Kathleen whom she had put through a decent education and musical training. She wanted to give her daughter choices she never had in her youth. This is the reason why Mrs. Kearny was the mover and shaker behind the concerts. She did everything but sing on stage. When she realized that she was getting very little in return, she threw a fit and that was the end of Kathleen's short musical career! Mr.Holohan can be described as the "Pasha of A Fashionable Cause". The Irish Revival is the event du jour in Dublin and my opinion is that he wants the reflected glory of a glamorous cause. But he is quite incompetent when it comes to any organization. He is also in a better position, in society and financially, as compared to Mrs. Kearny and can thus afford to dabble in these things. He uses Mrs.Kearny's ambitions for Kathleen to put together the event and then treats them badly leading to the incident. He doesn't need them, but they need him. The two lines : "I am not done with you yet", she said. "But I'm done with you 2, said Mr. Holohan. ..just about sum up his supercilious attitude. Roopesh Beth continues: Yes, you should see some of the mothers during our elementary school "seasonal events" practically directing the show right behind the teachers! To be sure, Mrs. Kearney was more than a wee bit interfering, but I agree with Roopesh that Mr. Holohan, after botching things up, acted in an extremely condescending manner towards her. I am curious as to why Joyce included a second daughter in the story when she remains unnamed, uncharacterized and not even present at the concert. Is this purposeful lack of inclusion representative of the mother's favoritism? I can't believe Joyce wrote her in and then just forgot about her. What does anyone else think? --Beth, no longer absent |
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