Student Question
What is the feminist issue in 'night, Mother'?
Quick answer:
A feminist issue in "'night, Mother" is Jessie's assertion of autonomy through her choices, such as prioritizing smoking over her marriage, which symbolizes her quest for personal freedom. Her decision to end her life further highlights her control over her destiny, challenging societal norms that often dictate women's roles and choices. By organizing her affairs and choosing her own end, Jessie demonstrates a woman's right to self-determination and empowerment.
One example of a feminist issue in "Night, Mother" is the choice that Jessie makes regarding her smoking habit.
"When Jessie is asked to choose between her husband and smoking, she chooses smoking. Quite simply, smoking became a freedom of choice that Jessie found lacking in her life; it represented autonomy in her life".
Another example of Jessie exerting her right to choose is her decision to commit suicide. Tired of her life, she decides that she will end it. Jessie takes charge of her life, showing the world that women have the right to define their own path. She does not have to be a victim of her circumstances. She very efficiently organizes everything and then kills herself.
She displays the ultimate power in deciding when she should die, something that most people, women and men, leave to a higher power.
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