Realism between mother and daughter
The first scene exchange between Wendla and Mrs. Bergmann establishes realism by showing a conversation between a mother and daughter about growing up. The scene is set in a living room which is a public space within a private home. There is a sense of frustration in Wendla’s voice when saying, “Why did you make me such a long dress?” (Franzen can be irritatng and frustrating because we, as growing girls, feel as though long dresses are for kids and since there is teen attached to fourteen, we should no longer be considered children. As the scene progresses we see the mother still identifying her fourteen year old daughter as a baby by the way she continually addresses her as baby, “Can I help it if my baby is two inches taller every spring?... I’d love to keep you just the way you are, baby… Baby, baby where do you get these ideas?” (Franzen 7-8). This suggests the mother’s unwillingness to let her daughter grow up. Mrs. Bergmann notices her daughter is growing up but is still not willing to accept this just yet. Wendla, after sassing her mother for a few lines, finally convinces her mother to allow her to wear the shorter dress. Mrs. Bergmann's quick reply, in what is seen as anger, “Put your pinafore back on for heaven sakes!” (Franzen 8). Mrs. Bergmann is seen to be tired of her daughter’s liveliness and decides to give into her daughter rather quickly and heatedly. Wendla ends the scene rather playfully, “Oh, Mother… You’re such a worrier… Don’t be angry, Mommy! No one will ever know” (Franzen 8). Wendla has just gotten her way and I imagine her skipping away with a grin on her face. She has just persuaded her mother that she is old enough to wear a shorter dress for now and how everything will be okay in the end. Having swayed my mother of the same thing I can see realism and naturalism throughout this scene. This conversation I have had dozens of times with my own mother, and it seems to carry a fluid exchange between a mother and child.
The relationship
The relationship