The Constant Struggle :: English Literature

The Constant StruggleTo be or non to be, that is the question. Indeed, this is thequestion Barbara constantly asks herself, whether or not she has to bea amenable florists chrysanthemum to Jodie, or to try and have a life of her own. Inthe short story Over the Hill by Lynne Schwartz, Barbara is a mavenm opposite struggling between the difficult tasks of being a mom and ofbeing a single cock-a-hoop. Barbara faces a dilemma that many other singleparents also faces, and that is their desire to date other peoplebecause they take for grantedt want to be a single parent for the lodge in of theirlives. However, her responsibility as a single mom doesnt perpetuallyallow her to do that. As a result, Barbara is a creditworthy, fun benignant mother torn between her duty to her daughter and her need foradult companionship.Like many other single parents around the world, the income Barbaramakes is not everlastingly enough to take care of her family. Consequently,being the responsible mom that she is, Barbara is pickings a shortcourse, one darkness a week on bartending along with her friend Pat inhopes of having a supplementary origination of coin (pg 208). They thinkthat they could make a lot of money on the side doing bartending atfancy parties (pg 208). Barbara hopes that her income working as a draftsman in an architects office in addition to the bartendingmoney she hopes on making will be enough to support her family (pg208). Although Barbara thinks that beneath certain circumstances stillbirth might be a mature idea, she did not get an abortion when shewas pregnant with Jodie (pg 209). Why didnt she get an abortion?Barbara didnt get an abortion because she is a sound person thattakes responsibilities for her own actions, charge though she knows thather life would be suddenly transformed when she becomes a singlemother. Although Barbara feels depressed at the end of the night whenshe thinks that James isnt coming over, she still plays her role asthe res ponsible mother and reminds Jodie that she should be going tobed, because she has a dentist appointment tomorrow (pg 217). Bytrying to make more money, not getting an abortion when she waspregnant with Jodie, and reminding Jodie that she has a dentistappointment the next day even though shes depressed about James showsjust how dedicated and responsible Barbara is to being a mother.In addition to being a responsible mother, Barbara is also very funloving. She enjoys fooling around with shakers and glasses like kids