The Biracial Population and Personal Identity - 2260 Words

In today’s society the high influx of interracial marriages between Black and White individuals has resulted in the biracial population increasing significantly over the past 30 years (Roth, 2005). According to the 2010 census, the number of American children that categorize themselves as biracial has increased to 4.2 million, making it the quickest emergent youth group in the United States (Census, 2010). This has led to interest in the biracial population; recent literature has shown that amongst many studies, â€Å"individuals perceive the relationship between their mixed parentage and their self identity differently† (Rockquemore Brunsma, 2002). This is significant in the area of child development and family studies because self-identity†¦show more content†¦Although this study furthers the understanding that the process of racial identity formation in biracial children may begin within the family it does fall short addressing some issues. By using Census data researchers could not foresee if the racial categories that were opted by families changed over time. Also this study lacks discourse on the influence that the factor of appearance can have on shaping racial identity in biracial children. To further explore the various ways biracial people understand their racial identity Rockquemore Brunsma (2002), suggested that there is a multidimensional model for biracial identity, with biracial individuals creating numerous ways of understanding their racial identity. According to this model, biracials can choose to racially identify exclusively with one of their parents, that is they see themselves as exclusively White or exclusively Black. The border identity option is when individuals choose to blend their dual heritage and categorize their racial identity as exclusively biracial. The protean identity option suggests that biracials have multiple choices and can move freely between black, white, and biracial identities. They use whatever racial identity seems suitable depending on the situation/context. The last option identified by the multidimensional model is transcendent identity. Biracial who have a transcendent identityShow MoreRelatedSelf Identification : Impact On Trait Anxiety, Social Anxiety And Depression1245 Words   |  5 PagesBiracial Self-Identification: Impact on Trait anxiety, social anxiety and depression is a journal article that discusses the causes of social anxiety and depression amongst biracial individuals. This scientific study was designed to determine if the ethnicity that biracial individuals chose to identify themselves as impacted their psychological test scores. This study was also designed to observe if the pressure from other individuals of which race is accepted upon a biracial person causes high orRead MoreMultiracial Families : Multiracial People1174 Words   |  5 PagesCompared to Single race individuals, multiracial people have a wider variety of ways to define their ethnic identity. For example, a multiracial person who has two or more races could choose to identify exclusively as one race, or identify with both groups. Another option would be to go beyond the standard individual race options and identify a s â€Å"multiracial† a category that defines ethnic characteristics in terms of the shared experiences of people who are multiracial, as distinct from individualRead MoreDifferences Between Multiracial And Single Race Development1762 Words   |  8 Pagestheory. It takes language development, the development of an identity, and the interactions with society in consideration when comparing biracial and monoracial peoples. At the end of this research period, it was found that those of multiple ethnic backgrounds had a general advantage in many different areas when compared to those of a single race. Differences in Multiracial and Single-Race Development The Multiracial population within America is a rather large and, in terms of psychologyRead More The One-Drop Rule2273 Words   |  10 PagesThe growth in the multiracial population in the United States of America since the 1970’s has greatly increased and is continuing to increase. Although the number of biracial and multiracial Americans is relatively small to the total population at 5 million, the multiracial population is growing at a rate of ten times faster than that of the White population (Stuckey 2008). These facts weren’t officially known until the United States government’s verdict to allow individuals to claim multiple racesRead Moreculture diversity1404 Words   |  6 Pagesrelate to others in ways that you may not have in the past? Have you learned something new about your own racial, ethnic, or cultural history? Trends in immigration will continue to shape the demographics of the United States. What will the U.S. population look like in the year 2050? Why do you think so? What challenges does the United States face due to the diversity of its people? What are the benefits of such a diverse society? How can we foster a climate of acceptance and cultural pluralism inRead MoreInterracial Relationships1553 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica has had a long history of racism. This fact is more easily understood if racism is understood for what it really is. It is more than just personal hatred. Racism is the â€Å"belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics† (What is Racism). The 21st century has brought a lot of changes to the American society. Nevertheless, racism still exists owing to the truth that itRead MoreMulticultural Counseling Is Becoming A Imperative As A Part Of Counseling Professional Essay2184 Words   |  9 Pages​Multicultural counseling is becoming more imperative as a part of counseling professional’s training and education due to the continuing increase of diversity within our population (Sue Sue, 2016). The European Western frame from which counseling professionals have based their practices on, are not adhering to the different cultures and how different cultures respond to these practices. Each person belonging to a different culture can often respond negatively to the non-cultural specific practicesRead MoreMixed Culture And Mixed Race Identity970 Words   |  4 PagesThis section seeks to understand how mixed race individuals’ social identities are shaped by their multiracial heritage by focusing on the growing body of research on development of mixed race identity in a multicultural society. In contrast to traditional, monoracial models of social identity development, a multiracial approach has been necessitated by the expansion of globalization and interracial relationships (Kellogg Liddell, 2012, p. 525). In Paragg’s (2017) study â€Å"What are you?†: Mixed raceRead MoreDiversity and Difference in Early Childhood Essay1148 Words   |  5 PagesTOPIC: Diversity and Difference in Early Childhood Education Personal interest: My first awareness of racial identity and diversity occurred when I was in Year 3. Having being raised acknowledging acceptance of people of racial or cultural difference my thoughts of children of colour were positive and impartial. However, one day a boy in my class of Sri Lankan descent got into trouble with another student, but only the Sri Lankan boy was asked to go to the principal’s office. During our lunchRead MoreThe Poston Biracial Identity Development Model1742 Words   |  7 PagesPersonally I feel that I identify myself within the Poston Biracial Identity Development Model. This model is focused for individuals that identify with multiple racial or ethnic groups. The stages of this model are the personal identity stage, choice of group categorization stage, enmeshment/denial stage, appreciation stage, and the integration stage. The personal identity stage is when an individual is independent of race or ethnicity. When I was in elementary school probably around 5 or 6 years

The Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan - 1163 Words

Communication is one of the most vital aspect of everyone’s life and that is often hinted at in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club. Throughout the book, we encounter mother-daughter relationships that are ultimately impacted due to linguistic roadblocks. The mothers are more proficient in Chinese, sometimes struggling to have their daughters completely understand their dialect. This, in turn, poses as a barrier in regards to conserving a cultural connection between the mother and daughter. Delving into Suyuan Woo’s experience, she encountered mistranslation after immigrating to America and being inclined to adapt to a new culture. Suyuan proclaimed, â€Å"This feather may look worthless, but it comes from afar and carries with it all my good†¦show more content†¦The USA-born twin pandas are experiencing mistranslation as they are unable to understand the Chinese dialect that they are being spoken to. In fact, â€Å"the worry about the panda’s transition is that they both love American crackers so much that everything they eat must be mixed with the crackers.† This goes to show that the place in which you were born has such a tremendous effect on who you are as a person. In addition to the twin pandas, â€Å"[they] cannot understand Sichuan dialect; only hearing their names can make them raise their head.† The fact that even animals experience mistranslation is really fascinating. In terms of cultural identity, both the article and book go hand in hand, Waverly Jong states that she would blend in while in China and not be mistaken for an American. Lindo, her mother, responds with, â€Å"How can think she can blend in? Only her skin and her hair are Chinese. Inside – she is all American-made.† For instance, my parents and siblings were born in Monterrey, Mexico, spending a chunk of their lives there. I was born in McAllen, disconnected from my family in Mexico, which, in turn, resulted in me being â€Å"American-made† as I developed different dislikes and likes as my siblings and parents. This shows that the customs, traditions, and language in which you were brought up are an immense influence in your way of being and physical appearance. Word Count: 585Show MoreRelatedThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan1192 Words   |  5 Pages(H) The life of women has drastically changed throughout the ages. (CIS) The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan portrays life in America and in China in the 1930’s for wome n. (GS1) When stories are true, there is more power behind them. (GS2) Novels need accuracy for the book to have feeling. (GS3) A rave-worthy novel needs truth to really draw the reader in. (thesis) Author Amy Tan accurately portrays life for Chinese women in the 1930’s and it enhances the power of the novel because the stories have trueRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan963 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan shows the past and present experiences of several women including An-mei Hsu, the mother of Rose Hsu Jordan. Beginning at a young age, An-mei has to endure many situations. Her grandmother tells her that her mother is a ghost but she comes back to take care of her grandmother when she is ill. Due to the absence of her mother during her childhood years, she tries to be there for Rose as much as possible but is pushed away. An-mei believes she has nengkin, theRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan Essay913 Words   |  4 PagesThe Joy Luck Club is the first novel by Amy Tan, published in 1989. The Joy Luck Club is about a group of Chinese women that share family stories while they play Mahjong. When the founder of the club, Suyuan Woo, died, her daughter June replaced her place in the meetings. In her first meeting, she finds out that her lost twin sisters were alive in China. Before the death of Suyuan, the other members of the club located the address of June’s half-sisters. After that, they send June to tell her half-sistersRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan2055 Words   |  9 Pagesopinion. This is the case within the novel The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, as the American daughters of the China-born mothers grow up in perpetual disconnect because of their cultural differences. Consequently, the daughters’ view of their mother’s love is distorted. Without a clear comprehension of their mother’s love, which is shown in forms of her words and actions, the daughters are constantly haunted by li fe’s difficulties. Thus, The Joy Luck Club emphasizes that a bond between a mother and daughterRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan Essay2289 Words   |  10 Pagesarticle was written by Amy Tan, who is an English major and an author. Tan originally spoke about this topic at a group discussion about her book, The Joy Luck Club and later turned it into an essay for The Threepenny Review. She wrote this article to explain to writers everywhere that there are many different styles of English and that even someone who has majored in English and has published works can speak unconventional English. In â€Å"Mother Tongue† from The WakeTech Reader, Amy Tan (1989) examines theRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan841 Words   |  3 PagesIn the Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, tells stories of four Chinese mothers and four Chinese-American daughters and their mother-daughter relationship. The four mothers met in a San Francisco church in 1949. Suyuan Woo, founder of the Joy Luck Club, convinced the other mothers An-Mei Hsu, Lindo Jong, and Yingying St. Clair to join the club. The club would meet every week at one of the mother’s house where they eat food, play mahjong, and brag about their daughters. The Chinese-American daughters tellRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan930 Words   |  4 PagesMerriam Webster’s dictionary defines sacrifice as â€Å"the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone†. In Amy Tan’s novel, The Joy Luck Club, a central theme present throughout is sacrifice. This novel depicts the sacrifices made by a group of immigrant mothers in order for their daughters to have a better life in America. Although the daughters do not realize the reasons behind their mothers motives until their stories and personalRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan Essay1377 Words   |  6 PagesThe Joy Luck Club is a novel by Amy Tan which tells the individu al, cohesive stories of Chinese American daughters and their Chinese mothers. In each story, the cultural differences between mother and daughter acts as a wedge between them. The conflicting cultures of descent and consent causes a conflict between mother and daughter; although they ultimately want to have a relationship with each other, the differences in values make coming together harder. For the mothers, their expectations for theirRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan1459 Words   |  6 Pages 12/1/15 JLC FLE First Draft English 8-6 Clear Reflection, of Personality The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan follows multiple Chinese-American women who struggle with their self-identity and creating a balance between American and Chinese culture. Because of their immigration and many hardships in life, many of the women feel like they cannot trulyRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan1164 Words   |  5 PagesThe Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan is about four Chinese immigrant mothers and their four daughters, who were born and raised in America. The mothers, through their experiences in China, have attained vast knowledge that they now wish to pass on to their daughters. One mother, An-mei Hsu, wants to pass on her knowledge to her daughter, Rose Hsu Jordan. Rose is worried about her inevitable divorce with her husband, which was caused by her indecisiveness. An-mei hopes that by giving Rose advice, she can

An Interpretive Two Kinds by Amy Tan Essay Example For Students

An Interpretive: Two Kinds by Amy Tan Essay Turning through pages of stories the words within them appear to be dimensionless and static. As one begins reading, a discovery of a spirited journey is made. In the story, Two Kinds written by Amy Tan a crucial component she created was the narrator. The narrative voice develops the tone, symbolism, language, and characters in the story which make the story come alive in your thoughts. Jing-Mei is the narrator who is a daughter of a Chinese immigrant. As the story advances, her journey of struggle through the relationship with her overbearing mother is unraveled. Instantly there is a closeness felt with Jing-Mei. This is because of the part she plays as a protagonist. You can understand what she is going through because she is portraying a storyteller. She is a first person narrator who helps you see out of the eyes of a young Chinese American girl. The way in which she addresses herself with the pronoun I and her mother as she show that the words and thoughts are a part of her. As Jing-Mei speaks about a time in her childhood when her mother pushed her to become a prodigy, there are recognizable immature qualities she possessed. She was highly imaginative and satisfied with the ongoing process to become perfect. The words she used were highly vibrant images. She fantasizes of being like the Christ child lifted out of the straw manger, crying with holy indignity. Her hope is to be perfect, not for the reward of fame, but for the love of her parents. She wanted to make them happy and please them. This is something that almost all children want to do. As Jing-Mei wished more and more to be this type of super kid rebellion was inevitable. This was also a trait borne out of her childishness. While her mother wanted to create a genius, she wanted to demolish her dream. This change of heart occurred after numerous tests her mother had given her to memorize bible passages and world capitals. Each time she was wrong and faltered in remembering there were continued looks of disappointment from her mother. By this time she stopped fantasizing about being something special. She desired independence from her mother and resists the high standards her mother has set for her. Jing-Mei thought, I wont let her change me, I promised myself. Moreover she rejects the hope of being the child prodigy. With a childs perspective we can be given the truth. Jing-Mei has an honest view of the world, so we can trust what she is feeling. Her reactions and emotions are blunt. During the showdown after the talent show fiasco she protested that she was not going to anymore piano lessons. She exchanged heated words with her mother. After knowing her mother had lost her twin daughters she said the meanest thing she could. Jing-Mei shouted, I wish I were dead! Like them. Her words displayed every ounce of strength and anger she had. The dialogue exchanged between her and her mother are sound very realistic, so trust has been established with the reader and the narrator. Jing-Meis mother has jumbled up English words with some Chinese words. This alternation of mostly choppy English and her cultural dialect makes her mother sound like an authentic Chinese mother. She called her daughter ni kan and commented that Auntie Lindos daughter, she is only best tricky. Jing-Meis words are also not too simple, but not complicated either. You can sympathize with her situation and the choosing of her passionate words. She sobbed and said during an argument, Ill never be the kind of daughter you want me to be! This exhibited how strongly she felt about expressing herself. .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b , .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .postImageUrl , .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b , .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b:hover , .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b:visited , .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b:active { border:0!important; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b:active , .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1f7f9bea2ed7092edac1ed02e236ba9b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Robert Frost?s ?The Road Not Taken EssayDuring most of the story the tone is set by the anger and disappointment. This is characterized by the daughter feeling that she was never acceptable to her mother. She asked, Why dont you like me the way I am? The only way she could handle her mothers expectations was to always succumb to defeat. By the end of the story the tone takes a different turn. In addition, the voice has matured from a girl into a woman. Jing-Meis mother offers .

The final mother-daughter relationship Essay Example

The final mother-daughter relationship Essay Jeanettes mother is a powerful woman in her home and church and forcibly puts forward her views. She is selfish and ruthless and sulks if God does not concur with her will for destruction making her an outside target for mockery. Jeanette is a pawn in her mothers tag match against the rest of the world (p. 3) She does not let her maternal role hinder her career in the church. It is only with Jeanettes shock revelation of Lesbianism that her mother seems to change a little nearer the end of the novel: Her awareness that oranges are not the only fruit seems to suggest she has changed her one mindedness, especially as she becomes more like Elsie in the end and is able to express love and acceptance to Jeanette; However she will always be at war with the world and homosexuality with always be demonised and could never be accepted in the eyes of the lord I love you almost as much as I love the Lord. We see the constraints in Jeanette and her mothers relationship when Miss Jewesbury has forced Jeanettes mother to get medical attention for Jeanettes deafness. Her mother has little comfort and simply writes her a letter prods (p. 27) and leaves her alone. Her mothers devotion and infatuation with the missionary has forced Jeanette to originally believe she was filled with the Holy Spirit however, when medical authority overrules this Jeanette feels her mothers abandonment. Jeanettes mother offers little maternal care and brings oranges as a substitute for the maternal longing Jeanette wants and the short, bluntness of So I was alone. emphasises the isolation Jeanette feels. The lack of involvement and emotional distance in this familys personal relationship is iterated by the fact that Jeanettes mother could not attend and would send her husband usually with a letter and a couple of oranges (p. 29) The use of the word husband also could be an expression of Jeanettes sense of her fathers insignificance in terms of his influence in the family, or source of support. We will write a custom essay sample on The final mother-daughter relationship specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The final mother-daughter relationship specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The final mother-daughter relationship specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The final mother-daughter relationship we are made slightly aware of is that of Rubys and her little nut-brown girls (p. 381) Ruby as a mother in present generation is able to rule her individual life, the expectance of womens roles through the generations are all contrasted here as Ruby gains her own confidence to be the mother figure she always aspired to be, and has the courage to, when she realises shes leading the wrong life (p. 360) completely start again and thus not become the foolish mother (p. 381) bringing the whole cyclic focus of the book to an end the endless repetitive cycle of family history is finalised with the notion that women now have the chance to change roles from a martyred wife (p. 170) to ending the novel on a strong confirmation of personal identity; I am alive. I am a precious jewel. I am a drop of blood. I am Ruby Lennox. (p. 382). In OANTOF the main character, Jeanette, and her mother are engaged in a quest to attain a sense of identity beyond the limitations placed on them as relatively poor women in a male dominated, class prejudiced society. Both women are put in a place of lesser importance and unaware segregation Jeanette for her sexuality and her mother because of her faith. This indifference from society causes them to be almost in exile also seen in BTSATM but their sense of being called to be apart (p. 42) simultaneously enables them to forge an identity for themselves in defiance of the culturally, compulsory prescribed roles for women of the time. Jeanette and her mother could be said to be orphaned as her mother was abandoned by her middle class family when she marries Jack, and Jeanette is given up for adoption. This seems the opportunity for self-creation, as it does for many of the orphaned characters of nineteenth century fiction, among them Jane Eyre, whose life story seems to echo that of the real and imagined stories of Jeanette and her mother. The tale of Jane Eyre is essential in understanding the key themes and meaning of OANTOF as Jeanettes mother is able to revise the plot to perfection, it seems, however we later learn how this account is a flawed perception in order to shelter Jeanette from the realities of sin outside the missionary Jane Eyre (in Jeanettes mothers version) marries the ambitious missionary St John Rivers rather than the passionate almost Byronic hero Rochester, this could be interpreted as Jeanettes mothers plan for a devoted life to the missionary for Jeanette. The opening of the book immediately engages the reader and makes us aware of the strong sense of Jeanettes mothers personality and outlook on life; my mother liked to wrestle; it didnt matter what. She was in the white corner and that was that (p. 3) this quote suggests that the novel will deal with typical issues of growing up in a nuclear family. The dual narrative Winterson uses here mocks Jeanettes mothers doctrinaire, narrow minded views and is expressed through a typically childlike list of friends an enemies reducing Jeanettes mothers status and importance. Jeanettes mothers confrontational attitude is demonstrated by the fact she wanted the Mormons to knock on the door (p. 3) so that she could wrestle with them. Automatically we realise Jeanettes mothers struggle with the Rest of the World to assert her devout convictions. We see the difficulty in Jeanette and her mothers relationship in that we are, significantly, not only told that Jeanette was on her mothers list of friends only at first, but the layout of the text reinforces Jeanettes relegation of me predictably to the enemies list; It is this anticipation of the plot that prepares the reader for mother-daughter conflict. Jeanette will only stay on the friends list if she conforms to her mothers plan for her to become a missionary. Her mothers desire for power and influence is mocked here as she aspired to be the first virginal pregnancy; she was very bitter about the Virgin Mary getting there first (p. 3). There is much irony directed against Jeanettes mother due to the comparison between her bitterness and selfishness against the sympathetic qualities of the Virgin Mary. Winterson uses the Bible to undermine its authority and her mothers views; We had no wise men because she didnt believe there were any wise men, but we had sheep (p. 4). Both novels employ an immediacy structurally to highlight the nuclear dysfunctionality for example both books start the central theme on their first pages, even by a Foetal Ruby. Ruby in BTSATM illustrates her fathers drunkard like qualities and unloving routine like quality to the act of making love with her mother as he rolls off her mother and plunges into a dreamless sleep thanks to the five pints (p. 1). This structural immediacy is seen in OANTOF also as the first page sets out the tone for the rest of the novel and includes humorous narrative in order to mock her mother and her innate combative nature. Jeanettes father, Jack, contrasts his wife strongly in that he is the Joseph to her Virgin Mary. He occasionally will rebel against his wifes authority, for example watching the wrestling on a Sunday however he is still presented as a passive figure to her mother. Jeanette feels sympathy for her poor dad (p. 11) and realises his dissatisfaction and inferiority to her mother, he was never quite good enough (p. 11) and did not push himself (p. 8). His absence from the majority of the novel illustrates the unimportance of him as a source of paternity. Both fathers are rarely mentioned in both novels, representing the authors feelings as fathers being the lacking role, the two books can almost be seen as feminist in this respect. In conclusion both texts have obvious similarities in relation to the representation of family relationships, as both Atkinson and Winterson use two mothers struggles with society to exaggerate their dysfunctionality within their family and both mothers also suffer from the yearning for another man, with Jeanettes mother wanting Pastor Spratt and Bunty wanting the life she was about to have before being deserted by her fianci. However there are differences also in that Jeanette learns from her mothers authoritative confidence in qualities to help herself with her lesbianism whereas Ruby learns from her mothers mistakes, and vows to change her life unlike her mother did.