"That Only a Mother" had a very interesting setting. That being that it takes place in a middle class suburban home, when most people assume that most science fiction stories are portrayed in outer space or another weird environment. I think the setting on this story makes it relatable to the reader in the sense that most people live in middle class suburban houses, so it gives the reader a sense of belonging in the story. With that being said, in the story the baby has no legs or arms because of a mutation so it gives the reader an eerie feeling of relating but not relating at the same time. Throughout the story the mother to the limb-less child is somewhat oblivious (to me) that her daughter has no limbs, but somewhat acknowledges she has no limbs when she says "why a child of your intelligence can't learn to keep a diaper on the way other babies do" (page 217) which to me signifies that she knew her baby had no arms or legs but ignored it to a point where she believed it and genuinely thought her baby had limbs. This story perfectly explains a mothers never ending and unconditional love. The child was perfect to her even though the baby came with flaws, which is what a lot of mothers still do till this day which is look past their child's imperfections and sees nothing but beauty. In a major way, this story and " We See Things Differently" both have to deal with the environment and post global war/terrorism.
In the story " We See Things Differently" it clearly shows the "future" America in decline, but how? To me it is because the Americans only seem to have one person to look at as a sign of hope; who is Tom Boston. The fact that we only have one person (or so it seems) as a beacon of hope means to me that America has been wiped out in the sense that it is no longer the dream machine it once was. That it is no longer the go-getter country, and it certainly wasn't the land of hope it once was. This "future" America had people from all over trying to tear us down, which come to think of it is currently happening nowadays, but we haven't let them conquer. But in the America portrayed by Bruce Sterling, we lost that battle and started to decline.
I also felt that the mother was in denial because mothers do love their child's with or without their flaws ! My mother thinks im perfection with my flaws also
ReplyDeletethat is the beauty of mothers; it is that with flaws and all you are beautiful in their eyes.
Deleteon the other side to this , some mothers (and maybe fathers) point out flaws on their children but this story is only analyzing how this mother puts those flaws aside
DeleteI think that Tom Boston embodiment of all dictators and charismatic speakers. His presence represents our willingness to follow any false prophet thrown our way.
ReplyDeleteTrue. Especially when this version of America was declining, people were listening and following this person who resembled "hope" to them.
DeleteTo me the denial the mother had towards the baby seemed less like unconditional love and more like a desperate attempt to believe that her baby was normal. It didn't seem like she ignored the baby's lack of limbs because she thought the baby was fine but because she refused to believe that her child was mutated.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. It's like her mind blurred out the fact that her baby isn't normal by ignoring the fact that her child had no limbs. The mind is a very powerful thing and can make us believe what we want to if we think about it hard enough.
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