Mother Images Represented in Native American Literature

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This project analyzed how women, and especially mothers, have been represented in Native American literature and how Native American traditional matriarchal or matrilineal models have been reflected or strategically used. I focused on the contemporary authors such as Leslie Marmon Silko, while paying attention to previous Native American literary works as well. I used mother-child psychological models and motherhood images that have been widely used in feminist criticism, and concluded that these models and images should be used critically and should be revised in order to include multicultural literary works.In 2000, I created a bibliography on Native American literature focusing on the women, motherhood and matriarchal issues and collected the material. I started to read and analyze the material and did the oral presentation on part of the result in June. In August I visited Professor Susan Gubar and other specialist, who discussed and reviewed the ongoing project.In 2001, I continued to collect and read the material and started to write essays, part of which I read at a conference in January. I visited Professor Gubar and other specialists, who reviewed the essay manuscript. I completed the essay, which is attached in the booklet and which I am submitting for publication. I did another oral presentation on part of the finished project in February 2002.