The short story The Giant Wisteria by
Charlotte Gilman narrates the tale of a young woman who has birthed a bastard
child. Her parents believed it best that she travel to England to wed her
cousin who was still willing to take her. However, this venture would require
the disposal of her newborn child. The reader is left with a sense of
uncertainty as to what happens to the family as the story abruptly transitions
to a group of romantic couples searching for a haunted house to reside in.
These couples then uncover the mystery of what unfolded in that house many
years before. The tree in this story encompasses the strength that motherhood
instills within a woman. This wisteria tree provides structural support to the
old house much like a mother provides structure to the home. Additionally,
trees are generative in nature, always producing new vines and branches, much
like a mother’s role in the family tree.
When the young mother was buried under the
roots of the wisteria tree, the tree began to embody this woman and her
characteristics as a mother. The wisteria plant structurally supported the old
home just as a mother provides the support to her children. Not only is the
mother, via the wisteria tree, supporting the house but also she is remaining
steadfast in her decision to be the support for her child. She has done so in
that she has remained with her child even in death. This can also be seen
through the depth of the roots of the wisteria tree; motherhood had taken root
in this young woman due to a connection to her young child regardless of its
societal status. The depth of her rooted connection to this child and her
devotion to its support even in death connect this wisteria tree to the
qualities of motherhood.
Women are critical to the development of
family lineage because they possess reproductive capabilities. This can be seen
by the rings found within a tree once it has been cut down; the pattern of
concentric circles continues to grow but still maintains a grasp on the older
generations. This wisteria not only embodies the life of this young mother but
the entire family line. In grade school students are often asked to depict
their family line through a tree. The great grandparents start as the trunk;
children, spouses and grandchildren sprout up to become the branches. This idea
is supported when the young woman bore a child out of wedlock because although
society believed she had bread poison into her family, the tree continues to
grow and thrive over the years. This shows that a mother’s love is the strength
that holds up the tree and cannot be broken by societies view on purity.
4 comments:
Ahh very interesting things you said about women being crucial to families. I brought this up in my comment on a previous blog post. The Giant Wistaria was a very interesting and motivating story and it definitely shed light on the importance of motherhood. She fueled a living creeper that more than 100 years later is thriving. The unnamed woman was very important in showing how although the child was bore out of wedlock, she still had love for the child even though her parents, especially her father, did not. I thought it was very interesting how her father was the one to show no sympathy for his own daughter. Her father was never capable of having children and although it is assumed that parents would give anything to protect their children regardless of age as depicted by the creeper keeping the house up, the father did not respect his daughter enough to show compassion and caring. We do not know exactly how she died but it would have been horrible if her father had something to do with her death.
I think the concept of the tree as the embodiment of the woman is interesting. As we've noted in other stories (Po'Sandy, Beloved) trees are associated with slavery. Could that extend into this situation? The woman was a slave to society. She had a child out of wedlock, which was not acceptable in such times. She was, essentially, being 'sold', much like a slave, to her cousin because nobody else would take her-- not even her own family.
It's also interesting that you tie the tree aspect in with family, as hers was lacking. Her family more or less abandoned her, yet she became a figure that is tied closely to family. Perhaps she was making up in her death for what was neglected to her in life.
Carter- Yeah it is really interesting how the unnamed woman was shunned by her family yet even after death, "protected" her child from natural decay to convey to the occupants the tragedy that occurred in that home.
Lori- The way the story played out was just like a CSI episode with the truth being revealed at the end and the justice (trial) is implied after the episode ends. Maybe this also relates to why the haunting took place. It could have been her form of justice, just revealing the truth. And often in societies finding “justice” involved hangings, which usually occurred in trees. That could definitely be revealing to the reader why the vine grew so large and strong like a tree to hold up the home. Unfortunately, the association of trees and slavery usually means lynching, which white people thought of as “justice” against their fear of what African-Americans might do. What kind of justice do you think the story established for womanhood?
I agree with everything being discussed about how gender roles and familial roles (more often than not) being mutually inclusive with one another. I think this definitely stems from the notion that women are expected to be mothers... Although now, in this century, that might finally be evolving.
I do also agree with see this within other historical contexts, like slavery... But what is REALLY interesting here is the point that no matter where we are historically, the gender role for women is the same: it is to have children, and continue the family.
I would say in some ways that is highly contrasted, maybe even rejected through the father's abandonment of his daughter.
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