Analyse af Jane Rogers' 'My Mother and Her Sister'

The life as a child is above the worries and problems of the adult life. We all have a certain memory from our childhood which we cling to and think about from time to time when reality gets too harsh. Why? Because we want to experience that innocent feeling again? because for a little while we want to shield ourselves with the childhood world image and the ignorance and naiveness that follows?. And what happens when a memory from our childhood is suddenly scattered and revealed as an illusion?

The are all questions raised in the short story My Mother and Her Sister written by Jane Rogers in 2006. With themes like the pursuit of happiness, transiency and vulnerability of life, disillusion of childhood and experience vs. innocence Rogers mirrors the clash between reality and childhood.

On the first 3 pages there is a noticeable difference between the language in the past and the language in the present. When the narrator thinks about her childhood, it is lively described and with many details. Already in the beginning we see an example of the using of colorful adjectives. When the narrator accounts for her memories of Lucy words like safely, cheerful, merrily and comfy (p.1 l. 9-12) give the reader a strong picture of a typically happy, loving and caring housewife. When the narrator returns to the present the reader notices a radical change in the language. It changes from descriptive and happy to straightforward and without any emotions what so ever (p.1 l. 33-36 )