THE REPRESENTATION OF MOTHERHOOD IN THE PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY IN SAMANTHA SCHWEBLIN

Abstract

In this article, we will analyze the short story "Mouthful of Birds" (2009), present in the eponymous book, by the Argentine writer Samantha Schweblin. This reading will be carried out in light of the theories of the fantastic, for which we will use critics such as Todorov, Davis Roas, and Felipe Furtado as theoretical contributions. Contemporary writer Samantha Schweblin is one of the authors who produce female-authored literature focused on discussing important issues present in patriarchal structures rooted in society. Within the structural characteristics, the most important aspect of "Mouthful of Birds" is the unusual element linked to human relationships, especially motherhood. The unusual is related to the grotesque as a central idea, and by using this style, it becomes possible to question the way in which motherhood and domestic care tasks are portrayed through the grotesque, arousing reflection on female anxieties and abandonment. Schweblin is a writer who causes unease by using fiction to explore social issues, her writing is full of tension and mystery, and her stories keep the reader trapped long after finishing the reading.