Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum, Article Critique Example

The difference of how women see each other based on the environment that they were brought up into is specifically shown through the article of Deborah Tannen entitled “Understanding Mom”. In this article she points out how to two women from exactly two different generations see the meaning of success, financial stability and the overall meaning of being a fulfilled individual. Given that her mother came from a different time and is honed through different cultures and different environment, it was accepted that somehow, her idea of success would be based on how the society defined womanhood at the time. Being married was a valued statute for women especially because this meant being supported by a man, worked for by a man and assured of security and safety by the one they have been married to.

Relatively, Deborah’s lifetime was a lot different from such social distinction of women. She presented her argument through creating a scenario that actually happened to her life. She got divorced at 29 and pursued a much better career than what she was expected by her mother. For her, this was a sense of achievement, but for her mother, it was a mere deflection from what a woman should be. It was as if she was torturing herself. Has she remained married, she did not need to work harder and find a life of her own.

This article shows two aspects of realization. One is social-based which indicates how the change in reaction and assumption of womanhood is better defined through time. The role of women changed and their opportunities have broadened. Women of the new age society accepts these matters fully, whilst the other women from the olden times may not fully understand the aspect and the fulfillment that working for one’s self brings. Another aspect of realization it imposes is the connection of daughters and mothers and why they sometimes acquire misunderstandings based on the time frames of cultural differences they belong to. Respect of each other’s view about life was then dimmed important as part of the process by which the relationship between mothers and daughters are better established.