Pressures of WOmanhood

Being a nineteen-year-old woman, I find myself on the precipice of girlhood, and below me, off the edge, womanhood. I have begun to contemplate what it means to be a woman, for myself. There are numerous novels about what it means to be a woman, particularly in moments of transition. What I mean by that is the moment a girl becomes a woman, a woman a mother, and such. Topics surrounding what it means to be a woman are very prevalent in our in-class discussion because they are prevalent in the novels we read and prevalent in the author's lives.

In The House in Paris, Henrietta and Karen are facing these transitions; Henrietta is creepy towards womanhood and Karen to motherhood. Henrietta observes women. She observes Naomi and her table manners, for example. She is growing to be very aware of the world around her and the role she has. When Henrietta and Leopold spend time together Henrietta makes note that Leopold is the first boy she notices. Within her, innocent sexual curiosity is beginning to bloom. Karen, on the other hand, is struggling with her identity. Will it be lost when she gets married? She is an artist, but what does that mean for a woman during this time? For a young woman that wants more out of her life, she is struggling with her options. Due to her role as a woman in society she is confined. It seems that motherhood and wifehood is the only transition she can in fact make.

In the novel, Herland the men struggle with the women not defining motherhood and womanhood as they do. The dissonance of their family structure and beliefs around femininity and masculinity causes some conflict. The men in the novel believe that sex is inherent to womanhood and motherhood, but the women in the novel do not think so. However, both parties do believe that bearing children defines womanhood and motherhood. The men in the novel are conflicted with the fact that the women of Herland are able to have a larger role in society outside of motherhood and womanhood.

In The Price Of Salt Carol notices when Therese grows up and truly becomes a woman. After Carol abandons Therese on their road trip they do not see each other for some time. When Therese returns Carol’s car to her Carol tells her that she looks different and grown up. Therese makes note that Carol looks just the same. Carol is an older woman and she has already transitioned from girlhood to womanhood and then to motherhood. Therese has only reached womanhood, and Carol notices the shift. Only when Therese makes the shift to womanhood does her relationship with Carol workout.

In all three novels, women have expectations and pressures surrounding their womanhood, motherhood, or lack thereof. The people surrounding the women, who are at the center of these novels, notice their roles as women. Often times the women themselves do not even get to choose their role; they cannot choose their sexuality, often their marriage partner, and the expectations the rest of society.