Motherly Figures in Children's Literature

In Beyond the Apron, Gibson highlights several stereotypes and archetypes of motherly figures in children’s literature. These examples include: Wendy from Peter Pan as the nurturing mother, the Duchess from Alice in Wonderland as the horrifying/terrible mother, Mary from Mary Poppins as the wise and witty mother. These different portrayals of mother archetypes mainly serve to instruct children, especially girls, the proper behavior of being a mother, preparing them for entering womanhood.

Wendy: The nurturing and caring

The motherly figure who tucks everyone in bed, darns their socks, tells them bedtime stories and prepares imaginary meals.

Mary Poppins: The stern but loving

The beautiful nanny (motherly figure), strict but loving, who teaches children to function within paternal order.

The Duchess: The bad and irresponsible

The mother who tosses her child around, beats her child when he is crying, gives the child away when she has a game to attend to. She is the one that one should not become.



However, in recent children literature, those engaging with postmodernism, the purpose of motherly figures seems more ambiguous. Their presence seem to portray an example of existing mother, rather than teaching children how to behave correctly as mothers.

Mrs. Coulter from Pullman’s Golden Compass:

Despite being greedy and ambitious, she knows her duty as a mother. In addition, she is capable of exhibiting every quality of a dear nurturing mother when circumstances require her to. When seducing children, Mrs. Coulter will put up her sweet, nurturing front. This applies even when she is interacting with her own daughter Lyra. However, her display of affection for children is a mere tool for her to get to her goals, which she eventually does.
Mrs. Coulter is illustrated as a dangerous seductress/enchantress. Her danger to children lies in the fact that she manipulates her motherly and nurturing side to appeal to the children. She uses care and affection to mask her evil intentions. These motherly behaviors of hers are not presented in the novel to make a statement on how mothers should behave. Her role as a motherly figure in the novel becomes more ambiguous. Though she fulfills certain roles and behaviors that a mother should possess, she does not use them with a motherly purpose. These nurturance acts thus cease to have any significance to what it means to be a mother.

Works cited:
Gibson, Lois Rauch. “Beyond the Apron: Archetypes, Stereotypes, and Alternative Portrayals of Mothers in Children’s Literature.” Children’s Literature Association Quarterly 13.4 (1988): 177-81.
Pullman, Philip. The Golden Compass. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996. Print.