Essay Questions

What is the role of women as shown in the novel, Autobiography of My Mother??

Women's roles are shown by Ma Eunice who raised Xuela, Xuela who is the narrator, Madame Labatte and the narrator's stepmother. Their roles are bearing children to continue their husbands' family line, raising children, performing household chores and assisting professionals.

In the novel, Xuela's mother had died at her birth and therefore she had only her father left to take care of her. Her father gave Xuela to another woman, Ma Eunice because he thought it a woman's duty to take care of children. Xuela's father took her back when he had married again.

Women are also assistants to various professionals in the novel. For example, Xuela worked as a doctor's assistant when she left her father's house.

Explain how witchcraft or superstition was used in the society illustrated by, Autobiography of My Mother

Superstition and witchcraft were common in this society.They were used to mostly scare away or kill enemies and as a way to raise children by explaining natural phenomena in the society.

Witchcraft was used in the following instances, Xuela's stepmother tried to kill her by giving her a charmed necklace that would have made her mad and eventually kill her. Another instance is when Madame Labatte enchanted her husband using her menstrual blood.