New York Day Women

This chapter gives us an insight into the relationship between Suzette and her mother through a series of miniature conversations and scenarios. From the tone of their conversations you can tell that their mother-daughter relationship is not strong or deep. We see Suzette following her mother in one scenario, and she even wonders to her self if she should say "hello" to her mother, or if her mother would stop and say "hi" to her. It seems so strange that a relationship with a family member could become so distant and awkward, like Suzette and her mother. Suzette's mother seems so blunt and straightforward, which seems part of the problem because she says things without thinking of the other person's feelings. She also seems stubborn and judgmental, which is a quality of a lot of cynical old women or mothers, and I can see a little bit of my own mother in Suzette's mother. Suzette's mother refuses to go out to dinner when invited, yet she gives the argument that if they really wanted to eat with her then they would come to her house. These random conversations with her mother that Suzette chooses to share are significant in the fact that they allow us to understand their characters. I do think that Suzette loves her mother in some way, and her mother does love Suzette, although they never say it to one another or allow themselves to share their feelings. Suzette seems to have accepted their relationship for what it is, and it seems that they have a relationship but it is not a deep emotional connection between most mothers and daughters. When Suzette follows her mother into the park, she sees her with a mother and child. Her mother watches the child while their mother goes on a run or possibly does errands. This is where the idea of “New York Day Women” comes from because these women come out during the day and meet up all together in circles. By Suzette following her mother, it seems that she is envious of the child and these other women for seeing a side of her mother she was never able to experience herself. I thought this chapter was interesting because the reader can relate this to some relationship in their life and I found the writing style interesting because you can tell a lot about the relationship through dialogue only.