Mediated Maternity: Contemporary American Portrayals of Bad Mothers in Literature and Popular Culture

Mediated Maternity: Contemporary American Portrayals of Bad Mothers in Literature and Popular Culture, Linda Seidel aims a discerning eye at those media narratives that compel us with their tales of motherhood gone awry and suggests that these stories not only expose the shortcomings of individual mothers but also reveal our collective fears about the role of women in contemporary culture. . . .What Seidel . . . offer[s] . . . is a series of revealing glimpses into popular representations of American motherhood. Our current media landscape, littered with images of deviant, neglectful, monstrous mothers, is reflective of a cultural moment in which women’s intellect, bodies, and economic and political potential are colliding with deep-seated visions of idealized motherhood. Mediated Maternity provides an important analysis of the critical and often contradictory media messages aimed at mothers and moms-to-be and points to the deep and powerful impact these representations have on the roles, rights, and responsibilities of all women.

Read Linda Seidel’s Mediated Maternity and you will never again think in the same way about ‘bad mothers.’ Her examination of cultural productions and events focused on bad mothers shows insight and compassion, balance and empathy. You will surely find yourself reassessing your own views of motherhood, the family, feminism, and community in an increasingly privatized American economy and culture.

Seidel’s book expertly interrogates the ideology behind the ‘bad mother’ as it is delivered in the media, film, and novels. Students of cultural, media, and gender studies will find it a thoughtful and thought-provoking read.