The Mother-in-Law

Often considered a thankless endeavor, motherhood typically calls for selfless sacrifice that leaves the mother abandoning her independence to live vicariously through the lives of her adored children. Through her portrayal of Diana, Lucy and Nettie, Hepworth examines the complexities of motherhood. She presents a stark examination of motherhood and offers a new definition built on communication and respect.

Diana finds herself thrust into motherhood at the age of 20. Exiled from her family for her choice to keep her child, Diana faces the bleak frontier of new motherhood alone. She finds guidance in the form of her divorced cousin Meredith who sternly pushes Diana to forge a new path for herself built on self-reliance. These experiences shape Diana’s future as a mother who refuses to allow her children to depend on her for emotional or financial support. Through Diana, Hepworth confronts the harsh realities of motherhood as Diana remarks on how “being a mother is impossible” (183) when faced with the unrelenting anxiety that accompanies it. Diana also notes the dehumanization of mothers whose children “will only see things from their own perspectives” (297). Emotionally detached and secretive, Diana struggles to connect with her children, especially her daughter Nettie.