Mothers and Children
The image of mothers and their children appears a number of times throughout A Northern Light. Mattie’s mother is dead before the start of the book, but she thinks back on her as she goes through her life, and feels obligated to her memory. Minnie feels an obligation to take care of her children, even though she suffers from post-partum depression and is traumatized by childbirth. Donnelly presents the mother-child relationship as being one of duty and obligation, even in difficult circumstances.
Female Authors
Mattie wants to be a writer, and frequently talks about authors like Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, wondering why they made the choices they did in their lives. A pivotal moment in the book occurs when she realizes that none of these authors had children or husbands, because if they did, they would never have had time to be successful. These authors serve as inspiration to Mattie that she can succeed, but also a reminder that if she does what is expected of her, she will never achieve that.
Money
Mattie and those around her encounter troubles with money constantly. Her family’s farm suffers because they don’t have enough money to pay for everything; even with a job, she struggles to save enough money for college; when college is within grasp for her friend Weaver, his money is stolen. The image of money represents how, for poor people, every aspect of life is dictated by money, because it controls their ability, not only to survive, but to make any choices.
Writing
Writing is an image that represents freedom and the ability for self-expression. Mattie reads books and plans to write someday as a way to get out of her oppressive town, and Miss Wincox writes feminist literature to educate an isolated community on social issues. Writing specifically represents a way for women to free themselves, because in a world that does not allow them much physical or vocal power, writing is one of the few methods of self-expression available.
