Nnu Ego example essay topic
504 words
The Joys of Motherhood... (... Or Not) Buch i Emechetas choice of title for her book The Joys of Motherhood is very ironic. I believe she chose this title in order to make the reader reflect upon the various meanings this book takes on, one of them certainly being how much of a struggle motherhood is for anyone, but particularly Nnu Ego... it occurred to Nnu Ego that she was a prisoner, imprisoned by her love for her children... Nnu Ego is a loving mother, and this is expected since the birth of her son is what earns her some face in this village. And yet her love is so utterly and entirely devoted that she loses respect for herself in the struggle ensure the flourishing of her children. She realizes this, but her plummet toward insanity is already on its way, so she goes on without making the changes that would be necessary in order for her to continue a healthy life. Nnu Egos journey in search of happiness ends with her becoming a mother, and after that she seems happy through her thoughts, but when one takes a step outside her little world and point of view, it becomes quite apparent that she is living in physical misery. Nnu Ego... crawled further into the urine-stained mats on her bug ridden bed, enjoying the knowledge of her motherhood. This quote illustrates the fact that Nnu Ego lives a very unhealthy life whether she is happy or not.
Her children are everything to Nnu Ego, and since she sacrifices everything for them, she must experience happiness through them. She wants them to be successful, and cares not about her life and whether she is successful or not. A quote that represents this idea very well is on p. 202, Her joy was to know that she had brought up her children when they had started out with nothing, an that those same children might rub shoulders one day with the great men of Nigeria. A very ironic theme in the book is the role of men and women.
Toward the end of the book when Naif e is old and fat, he grows angry at Nnu Ego and tells her... I was not created to suffer for you till I die. Ironically, Nnu Ego suffers for her husband and her children till she dies, and even in death she suffers for them. She understands that men own everything, including her children and herself. The joy of being a mother was giving all to your children... Nnu Ego believed this and obeyed it and still she ended up dying in a ditch.
But was her life as a mother a failure Not to her children, but to her. And, according to this quote thats how it should be. Im not so sure I want kids. I might be a little too selfish.
