The presentation of the matriarchy in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking'
I can explain the ways in which ‘Leave Taking’ is a social commentary on the experiences of women.
The presentation of the matriarchy in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking'
I can explain the ways in which ‘Leave Taking’ is a social commentary on the experiences of women.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- ‘Leave Taking’ is dedicated to Pinnock’s mother.
- ‘Leave Taking’ starts with two epigraphs from two feminist critics.
- Enid, Mai, Mooma and Del are all presented as strong matriarchs.
- Enid, Mai, Mooma and Del’s experiences could reflect the expectations of strength placed on Caribbean matriarchs.
- ‘Leave Taking’ could be interpreted as social commentary on the experiences of women.
Common misconception
'Leave Taking' is a commentary on the experiences of all women.
Pinnock presents the unique stories of her created characters. The centrality of women suggests she is making some sort of social comment, but she is not generalising about every single woman's experience of the world.
Keywords
Feminist critic - an academic who explores how texts present the role and place of women in society
Social commentary - a text which explores and critiques particular problems in society
Matriarch - a woman who rules, leads or controls a family
Epigraph - a short quotation at the beginning of a text which suggests some of its important themes
Centrality - the quality of being the most important or significant to something, or being central to it
Equipment
You need access to a copy of Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking' published by Nick Hern Books.
Content guidance
- Contains strong language
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
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