Regional Cultures and their Effects on Caregiver Decisions in Early American Literature.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the misconceptions about “bad caregivers” in American literature written by various authors. In Bret Harte’s “The Luck of Roaring Camp,” Kentuck risks his life to save baby Luck in the flood and abandons the gold that would have brought them a better life. In Kate Chopin's story “Desiree’s Baby,” Desiree does not want her and her child separated or subjected to the unjust Louisiana race laws. Maxine Hong Kingston’s “No Name Woman” highlights the potential banishment and harsh life the narrator’s aunt would have faced if she kept the child alive in a culture that only supported men. While it can be assumed that the caretakers themselves chose the worst outcome for their child, their actions show more love than keeping the children alive.