# What Motherhood and Family means in The Little White Bird

> Motherhood is a central theme, seen in Mary's deep love for David, her desire for a daughter, and the bittersweet relationship between mothers and children, as well as the narrator's surrogate father role to David.

## Explanation

Motherhood is a central theme, seen in Mary's deep love for David, her desire for a daughter, and the bittersweet relationship between mothers and children, as well as the narrator's surrogate father role to David.

Mary A⸺'s devoted yet anxious parenting is central, especially the ritual of the evening hour when a mother is judged by her son.

The chapter centers on the transformative power of motherhood, as Mary A⸺ becomes 'another woman, glorified, mysterious' through childbirth, and the narrator reflects on the bond between mother and child.

Mary's maternal instincts drive her to uncover the anonymous gift-giver, while the narrator's paternal feelings are expressed through his care for Porthos and his invented son Timothy.

Mary's sacrifice of her watch to buy baby linen highlights her devotion to her family.

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