Oh, for crying out loud! I don't think it is a reasonable interpretation of the original essay to characterise it as "anti-woman" or "anti-mother". The question was not, "are mothers bad?" but "is Pam Marlow a bad mother?"
Actually, I think compared to Helena Merrick or Mrs West or Madame Orly (and absolutely one hundred percent as compared to Mrs Frewen) she's a shining example of motherhood (and that in relation to the Prosser she treats Nick as an adult, and, at least if Jan Scott's analysis is correct, allows Nick, by giving her access to relevant information, an opportunity to play a part in shaping her own destiny).
But I think that "Is Pam Marlow a bad mother?" is an invitation to debate, not a statement which is in and of itself objectionable.
If you want to debate motherhood in the Marlow books, there are much worse examples than Pam Marlow to consider, in my view, and I'm posting a separate essay on the topic above.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2005-08-31 11:16 am (UTC)Actually, I think compared to Helena Merrick or Mrs West or Madame Orly (and absolutely one hundred percent as compared to Mrs Frewen) she's a shining example of motherhood (and that in relation to the Prosser she treats Nick as an adult, and, at least if Jan Scott's analysis is correct, allows Nick, by giving her access to relevant information, an opportunity to play a part in shaping her own destiny).
But I think that "Is Pam Marlow a bad mother?" is an invitation to debate, not a statement which is in and of itself objectionable.
If you want to debate motherhood in the Marlow books, there are much worse examples than Pam Marlow to consider, in my view, and I'm posting a separate essay on the topic above.