Week 6 - Mary Moua

In “My Mother Not My Mother” by Caroline Valverde, the author describes some of the most noteworthy memories and moments she had between her and her mother. As you read the excerpt, you discover that the mother-daughter relationship between the two is not your usual and common one and the author’s mother never really felt like a mother in the first place.

While reading the excerpt, the dreams that Valverde had of her mother was really interesting to read. It made me just reflect and think about dreams and why we have them and of what importance they hold. In particular for Valverde’s experience, what did these dreams signify? Although Valverde attempted to eliminate her mother from her life at a really young age, did these dreams signify otherwise - that Valverde did yearn for her mother and wanted to have her mother care for her and love her? I believe that dreams - as weird and ridiculous as they can be at times - convey messages sometimes and in Valverde’s case, her dreams conveyed the lesson that giving life and life giving can be two very different things. While Valverde’s mother gave birth and life to her, she didn’t live the way she had wanted to or according to how she was supposed to as a mother and as a result, didn't give Valverde the life as a daughter she wished she had. The contrast between giving life and life giving could be demonstrated as seen through Valverde’s relationship with her mother. Sometimes not all life that is given is living.

Sources:

Reading: Kieu Linh Caroline Valverde. “My Mother Not My Mother.”

Image: https://clipartfest.com/categories/view/11f65310ccfd142b5b4552cfd2844b32b0d6d8ac/mother-and-daughter-silhouette-clip-art.html