A Conflicted "Mother"

"Mother" is a story in Winesburg Ohio that centralizes around Elizabeth Willard and her conflicted nature. Elizabeth was once very young and "dreamed of joining some company and wandering over the world" to express her interest in stage. However, her passion for it was always neglected by her father who claims that "nothing will come of it". It is this experience that causes Elizabeth to be insecure and selfish of the success of others. For example, Elizabeth claims, "If I am dead and see him becoming a meaningless drab figure like myself, I will come back," she declared. "I ask God now to give me that privilege. I demand it. I will pay for it. God may beat me with his fists. I will take any blow that may befall if but this my boy be allowed to express something for us both." Pausing uncertainly, the woman stared about the boy's room. "And do not let him become smart and successful either," she added vaguely." It struck me as very contradictory that Elizabeth does not want her son to represent her "drab figure", but also does not want him to become successful either. It seems as though George is representative of her former self. She wants him to follow his dreams, but is conflicted because she was able to achieve success in her own endeavors to become an actress. Thus, her selfishness and motherliness conflict to cause her uncertainty. 

Anderson provides a pretty interesting metaphor for Elizabeth's conflict when he describes the relationship between the cat and Groff the baker. For example, Elizabeth claims, "For a long time there was a feud between the baker and a grey cat that belonged to Sylvester West, the druggist. The boy and his mother saw the cat creep into the door of the bakery and presently emerge followed by the baker, who swore and waved his arms about. The baker's eyes were small and red and his black hair and beard were filled with flour dust. Sometimes he was so angry that, although the cat had disappeared, he hurled sticks, bits of broken glass, and even some of the tools of his trade about."Elizabeth has tried to pursue her passion but is constantly beat down by those around her who seem to disregard her. This is why she is able to identify with the cat who tries to pursue his desire, but is also beaten down by those around him. In fact, according to the New England Oxford American Dictionary, the denotation of dust is human remains. Thus, Anderson seems to be indicating that the failure to achieve one's desire may be the cause of Elizabeth's living death. 

When Tom begins to talk to George about his future and tells him to "wake up" to become successful in the future, Elizabeth has a frightening response. She begins to have thoughts of killing Tom Willard with scissors that were held in her hand like a "dagger". After having these thoughts she also decides to take out her old theatre make up and use it. I believe that she does this because she is trying to relive her  past as an actress. In a wider scope, it represents her inability to accept her son's success without her own success. It is this contradiction that causes her extraneous behavior throughout the story.