The Motherless Child in the Novels of Pauline Hopkins

Cover, Title Page, Copyright, Dedication

The Motherless Child in the Novels of Pauline Hopkins This page intentionally left blank The MOTHERLESS CHILD in the Novels of PAULINE HOPK INS JILL BERGM A N Louisiana State University Press Baton Rouge Published by Louisiana State University Press Copyright © 2012 by Louisiana State University Press All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First printing Designer: Barbara Neely Bourgoyne Typeface: Arno Pro Printer: McNaughton & Gunn, Inc. binder: Acme Bookbinding, Inc. An earlier version of chapter 4 appeared as “The Motherless Child in Pauline Hopkins’s Of One Blood,” in Legacy: A Journal of American Women Writers 25 (2008): 286–98, copyright © 2008 University of Nebraska Press. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bergman, Jill, 1963– The motherless child in the novels of Pauline Hopkins / Jill Bergman. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8071-4729-0 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8071-4730-6 (pdf) — ISBN 978-0-8071-4731-3 (epub) — ISBN 978-0-8071-4732-0 (mobi) 1. Hopkins, Pauline E. (Pauline Elizabeth) —Criticism and interpretation. 2. American fiction—African American authors—History and criticism. 3. American fiction—Women authors—History and criticism. 4. African American women authors—Intellectual life. 5. Children in literature. 6. Mothers in literature. 7. Parental deprivation in literature. 8. Identity (Philosophical concept) in literature. I. Title. PS1999.H4226Z57 2013 813'.4—dc23 2012007254 The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. ’ For Lois Peterson Bergman (1929–1993), who first taught me about mothering, and for Emma, who has continued the lesson. And above all, for Brady, who supports me and bears with me with kindness, patience, and humor. This page intentionally left blank Sometimes I feel like a motherless child Sometimes I feel like a motherless child Sometimes I feel like a motherless child A long ways from home A long ways from home —African American spiritual The desire of the mother is the origin of everything. —Jacques Lacan, Ethics This page intentionally left blank ...