Abstract
This research paper examines the literary function of the motherhood motif in Toni Morrison’s A Mercy. The paper analyzes the presentation of the major characters in the novel and their relation to motherhood. A Mercy is a multi-layered, imagery-laden novel containing hidden themes and social commentary. Analyzation of the motherhood motif reveals the subtle societal comments Morrison makes in the novel. The complex motherhood motif fuels the characterization of two of the main characters in the novel, Jacob and Florens. In addition, its multi-perspective nature comments on the influence of stereotypes and discrimination in society. The scope of the investigation includes the opinion of Toni Morrison critics and interviews with Morrison. Thus, my critical analysis can be synthesized with Morrison’s own opinion of her own works as well as the opinion of literary critics.Copyright for articles published in this journal is retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (linked here). By virtue of their appearance in this open access journal, articles are available for wide dissemination at no cost to readers, with proper attribution (acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal), in educational and other non-commercial settings. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository, in a journal or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal. However, for undergraduates authoring a manuscript under the guidance of a faculty member or research mentor, we strongly encourage the student to discuss with the faculty mentor and the Editor if prior publication in the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal will constrain future publication efforts in professional journals. To this end, all authors must submit a signed mentor consent form at the time of submission..