The image of the parent in children's literature

In Warner’s The Wide, Wide World, we are introduced to little Ellen Montgomery who has led a seemingly privileged life until she is told that due to her mother’s gradually failing health, she will have to travel to live with her Aunt Fortune while her mother and father journey to Europe to seek medical care. Though the story is largely centered around Ellen and her struggle accepting that she will be separated from her mother, Warner does a sufficient job getting her reader to understand the roles that parents played during the late 1800’s. The first major parental role that we see is naturally Mrs. Montgomery, Ellen’s mother. The reader gets the sense that Warner wants them to see mothers as kind, compassionate, and strong God-fearing women. During one of their many conversations about God and religion, Mrs. Montgomery says to Ellen, “you know the way to make him so, Ellen. He is willing; it only rests with you. Oh, my child, my child! If losing your mother might be the means of finding you that better Friend, I should be quite willing, and glad, to go—for ever.” (p.15) Mrs. Montgomery’s passion for the Lord is quite evident through out the book and leaves no doubt that religion was just as important as eating and sleeping. As stated earlier, mothers were also portrayed as being kind and even selfless. On their last shopping trip together, the pair venture into a jewelry store where Mrs. Montgomery exhibits a painful and yet endearing final act of love for her daughter; “Mrs. Montgomery drew a ring from her finger, and after a little chaffering, parted with it to the owner of the store for eighty dollars, being counted out, and she left the store. ‘Mamma,” said Ellen in a low voice, “wasn’t that grandmamma’s ring, which I thought you loved so much?’ ‘Yes, I did love it, Ellen, but I love you better.’” (p.21) What an incredible sacrifice Mrs. Montgomery made for her daughter so that she might have a few nice things to remember her by. The second parental role that we see is of course Ellen’s father, Captain Montgomery. Although he is absent for almost the whole section that we read, the reader can easily infer that fathers were to be respected and were lacking in compassion and empathy. There were several occasions when Mrs. Montgomery wanted to discuss a particular matter with her husband, but chose not to bother him so as not to upset him. A perfect example of this was when Mrs. Montgomery wanted to take Ellen shopping for a few items that she could have on her journey and the amount of funds that he had given her were not sufficient to cover what she wanted to give to Ellen, Mrs. Montgomery instead chose to keep the request for additional money to herself (p.21). Lastly, the way in which Captain Montgomery went about alerting Ellen to her date and time of departure was almost gut retching. Besides lacking in compassion and empathy, he was also completely blind to the emotional stress that he was causing his submissive and very ill wife. I can not even fathom a father not allowing his wife to console her daughter one last time before they would be separated forever (p.50-54). Lastly, the very small but crucial role of the older gentleman from the fabric store was also an important parental role. He was in fact a fatherly figure, but more so a God-sent heavenly father figure, as opposed to her earthly father Captain Montgomery. As the two returned to the fabric store there is a paragraph that stated, “Her hand was fast in his, and her tongue ran very freely, for her heart was completely opened to him. He seemed as pleased to listen as she was to talk; and by little and little Ellen told him all her history—the troubles that had come upon her in consequence of her mother’s illness, and her intended journey and prospects” (p.44). I saw this passage as Ellen beginning to have faith in God because she had no inhibitions as she told this stranger all about her life and troubles. This gentleman stranger also does a fine job of counter balancing the lack of fathering that Captain Montgomery does by simply listening to and protecting Ellen.

The text does a very good job of differentiating the roles of mother and father. Warner wants us to understand that mothers are these warm creatures that have a devout faith in God and teach their children right from wrong as they lead by example. Mothers are also respectful of their husbands and do everything in their power to not displease them. The image of the father is the classic bread winner, head of the household. But in Warner’s portrayal, Captain Montgomery is completely lacking in emotion and is even cheerful in parts where the women are depressed (p.50). It is a harsh image, but exact in the way that fathers behaved during the nineteenth century.

I believe that Ellen perceives her parents in very different lights. It is clear that she has an unwavering love for her mother, which can also be compared to the unwavering love that Mrs. Montgomery has for God. It is almost as if Ellen views her mother as equal in stature to the Lord. I believe that Ellen expects her mother to be nurturing and to protect her from all the world’s evils. On the other end of the spectrum, it seems that Ellen expects very little from her father. It appears that she knows that her father is the head of the household and she does the best that she can to be respectful of him, but it also seems that she really could careless about him being around.