The Revolt Of Mother

Mary Wilkins Freeman is considered part of a second wave of women writers who rose up after the Civil War, when women’s spheres became wider and fiction started to reflect their real lives.

“The Revolt of ‘Mother’” alludes to Freeman’s childhood. Freeman grew up in a town much like the one from the story, with traditionally gendered roles for men and women, a close-knit community, and a concern over others’ opinions. Her father, Warren Wilkins, was a carpenter and housebuilder, but he was an apparent failure at business ventures who was unable to provide a stable life for his family. To pick up the slack, Freeman’s mother Eleanor became a housekeeper.

Critics have said “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” may be Freeman’s attempt to give her mother a voice and have women’s work and independent agency recognized. They also say the story came from Freeman’s desire to imagine a possibility of a fulfilling marriage or an expression of nostalgia for certain elements of the patriarchy, which often took care of women even as it repressed them.

“The Revolt of ‘Mother’” explores women’s role in rural, late 19th century New England. It also features a complex, ambiguous ending. There are parts that may read as comic, but overall it is a dramatic story full of symbolism and regional references that bring it to life.

The feminist theme is clear and straightforward. Sarah Penn, or “Mother,” has toiled on the family farm faithfully for 40 years, waiting for her husband Adoniram to make good on a promise to improve their living quarters. When he fails to live up to that promise, instead building a barn on the space that had been reserved for their new domicile, Sarah ultimately rebels. Living in a patriarchal society, she has no other recourse after her repeated attempts to discuss this betrayal of trust were shut down. So, when he is away, she stages a rebellion by moving into the barn without his permission. In one fell swoop, Sara asserts herself and uses her tenacity to rebalance the power dynamic in her marriage.

Throughout the story, Sarah’s independent demeanor is compared with that of historical and religious figures. Her face is like “one of the New Testament saints” (54). She “stood in the door like a queen” (66). She “pleaded her case like a Webster” (81), a reference to Daniel Webster, an attorney and politician who was known for his oratorical skills. Sarah’s action is “equal in its way to Wolfe’s storming of the Heights of Abraham” (132), referring to a battle during the Seven Years’ War when British General James Wolfe resisted the French and Canadian militia. Freeman also equates the barn, and Sarah staking her claim to it, to Plymouth Rock.

These comparisons serve several functions. First, they liken Sarah and her actions to historic and successful pioneers, implying she has made the right choice. Second, these comparisons imply there were no present-day actions that matched Sarah’s independence. At that time in the late 1800s, such assertive actions from women were unheard of; in fact, Sarah Penn would have been considered crazy and unhinged for this rebellion.

The story draws a clear distinction between the domestic, more delicate women’s sphere from men’s rougher but lauded life as farmers, workers, and providers. The barn is the significant symbol of this, as it represents both the male and female domains at different parts of the narrative. In fact, the barn’s symbolism transforms for both Mother and Father over the course of the tale. For Sarah, it begins as a point of contention, symbolizing Adoniram’s duplicity, but ends as the home of her dreams. For Adoniram, the barn is initially a representation of his success and dominion over his life, but in the end, it is a sign of his defeat and potential replacement as the head of the household.

Other major influences are Calvinism and religious faith. Sarah mentions “Providence,” or God’s protection and care, several times. According to Calvinist thought, because God guides man’s action, Sarah is perfectly within her rights to take advantage of situations she deems Providential. Other Biblical references include most of the characters’ names and the repeated mentions of 40 years, which represents a period of testing or trial followed by a reward.

Freeman uses several literary devices and techniques to craft an effective story. The most noticeable technique is the application of regionalism, or the use of local color. “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” is actually part of the “local color” movement, which took place in the latter part of the 19th century. Freeman has characters speak in the era-appropriate dialect and tones of New Englanders to lend authenticity to her story. Some readers may find the dialogue hard to read, but it certainly evokes a certain feel and mood—as well as a healthy bit of nostalgia. Additionally, it provides context that helps readers understand how different society was back then, allowing them to better see the significance of Sarah’s actions.

Freeman also uses oxymorons, onomatopoeia, and alliteration throughout the story. These create atmosphere, engage certain senses, stress particular sounds and rhythms, and add emphasis and distinction. Irony is another literary device that Freeman utilizes. There are numerous examples within the text, including an apparent role reversal between Adoniram and Sarah the unexpected way the story ends with Adoniram agreeing to all of Sarah’s demands as he weeps.

“The Revolt of ‘Mother’” opens a window into a very particular time in American history—a patriarchal existence that was already dying out when the story was published. The society Freeman writes about features an ineffectual minister and a closed-minded community shocked by Sarah’s transgressions. Additionally, Nanny’s fiancé George Eastman may have been named for the inventor of the Kodak camera—a reference to the new, more urban ways taking root within the U.S., as well as the only non-Biblical character name. In a way, this tale is presented in contrast to the reforms happening away from the big cities of this time.

While the feminist perspective is dominant, the narrative still expresses a sense of nostalgia for patriarchal authority. One example of this is the Battle of Quebec reference. Given Great Britain’s violent role in the colonization of America, and the Revolutionary War still on the minds of New Englanders, this allusion reflects ambiguous feelings about the patriarchy and the assertion of female power.

That ambiguity comes into play in other areas as well. Adoniram, for example, is a capable and strong man who regularly benefits from the patriarchal paradigm. He is successful, upstanding, quietly ambitious, and knows what he wants. He has taken good care of Sarah or Nanny and, other than this story’s one large transgression, not given them any reason to complain. At the end of the story, instead of forcing Sarah to return to the norm, he acknowledges his error and gives in to her will. Though it is not totally clear why he weeps during this final scene—whether because he feels guilt over his wrongdoing or because he is lamenting the rebalance of power—he is obviously a good man who takes his responsibilities seriously. Still, he is clearly an active participant of the patriarchal society; he blames Sarah when Hanson runs off to avoid work and refusing to talk about his plans for the barn. His character shows that there is a lot of grey when it comes to the inherent nature of men in power.

On the other side of the coin, Sarah also displays ambiguous qualities. Her overly-organized house, solicitousness over Nanny’s health, and regimented lifestyle can be viewed negatively, as they indicate conventional and domineering behavior. Readers might see Adoniram as a henpecked husband. In fact, Freeman’s other stories often include weak or distant fathers who regret their downfalls. Sarah rebels, yes, but her goal is simply to serve her family better. 

In this way, Freeman expresses nostalgia for a simpler time or perhaps for the stable fatherly influence missing in her personal life. Though this particular sentiment could be construed as anti-feminist, her narrative remains unabashedly inspirational for those who value women’s strength and contributions throughout history. Freeman also creates more full and complicated characters who do not easily fall into a particular category of feminist or submissively traditional.

Interestingly, in 1917, Freeman published a repudiation of “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” in an edition of the Saturday Evening Post. She said, “It was an evil day I wrote that tale,” claiming she would feel a sense of freedom if she had never written it. She wrote that the story had no truth to it, which she considered an essential aspect of fiction. She describes Sarah’s character as “impossible,” writing:

New England women of that period coincided with their husbands in thinking that sources of wealth should be better housed than the consumers. That Mother would never have dreamed of putting herself ahead of Jersey cows which meant good money.

Freeman also noted that if Mother had been more effective, Father would never have erected the barn:

Father would have adored Mother, but have held her in wholesome respect. She would have fixed his black tie on straightly of a Sunday morning and brushed his coat and fed him well, but she would have held the household reins….and with good reason. [Women] really can drive better.

This implies that respected, dominant women were the norm, even in patriarchies, making Sarah unrealistic because she suddenly became a different person after 40 years of accommodating her husband.

This reflection, however, does not weaken the narrative’s themes—especially considering Freeman dealt with women’s rebellion in other stories, including “A New England Nun.” Despite her later dismissiveness, “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” remains the story most identified with Freeman’s writing career.