Mother’s Day is a wonderful way to not only show appreciation to mother figures around the world and recognize their impactful role throughout various lives, but also to explore how mothers are portrayed across literature. Books have long captured the complexities of motherhood — especially the formative and occasionally fraught relationships between mothers and daughters.
These three books are the perfect excuse to kick off the summer and grab a picnic blanket to enjoy some sun and a good read. Each book chosen was written in different centuries and features mother relationships that reflect its time. From timeless classics to emotionally charged memoirs, the stories invite readers to revisit the power of mothers who truly shape the narrative.
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott (1868-69)
One of the most adored and well-known classics, “Little Women” tells the heart-wrenching and wholesome journey of the March sisters — Jo, Beth, Amy and Meg — who are united by their mother, Margaret March, whom the sisters affectionately call “Marmee.” Set in the 1800s during the Civil War, the story follows the sisters’ growth into adults as they experience themes of love and grief, all under the guidance of Marmee.
Marmee oversees her daughters and their home for the majority of the book, while also displaying characteristics of a caring mother who struggles with the complexities of raising four very different daughters. While the March sisters are the center of the novel, Marmee is pivotal in molding their journeys and ambitions. She is most notable for her kindness and charity work, as she shows the sisters at a young age to give back to others in times of struggle and to respect different perspectives. Her love for the family is contagious and she acts as the open arms that uplift anyone around her.
Marmee truly fits the mold of the more classic mother who cares for the family, but her character is notable in that she reminds her children of societal expectations as they grow older, while simultaneously encouraging them to explore their own lives. Even when tragedy strikes the family, Margaret remains a light for them and continues to push her daughters to adhere to her lessons of gratitude.
“Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery (1908)
Set within the community surrounding a small farm in the fictional town of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, this book follows the life of orphan Anne Shirley and her evolving relationship with Marilla Cuthbert, a stern yet caring mother figure. Anne was mistakenly assigned to live on a farm run by the middle-aged Marilla and her brother, who had asked for a boy to help tend to their farm work due to their old age, but received Anne instead.
The story illustrates Anne’s time on Prince Edward Island, which she calls Green Gables due to the abundant green fields, as she grows older and creates lasting connections with the people there over five years. Although Marilla is not Anne’s biological mother and has trouble caring for her in the beginning, her cold character changes with the warmth Anne brings to the farm and an endearing relationship is established. Her willingness to ground Anne back to the world while also learning to admire the young girl’s hope to build a family, shows her ability to change one’s perspective on life even at an older age.
Marilla also stands out as an individual with routines and dedicated work that shape her more independently than some of the other mother figures in the story. Throughout the many years Anne spends at the farm, Marilla acts as a found family and learns to encourage Anne not to back down from her beliefs and goals.
“Crying in H Mart” by Michelle Zauner (2021)
“Crying in H Mart” departs from fiction in a memoir about grieving the complex relationship between mother and child. Michelle Zauner retells her mother Chong Mi’s life through an emotional journey of revisiting memories and family recipes. Chong Mi Zauner was born in Seoul, South Korea, before travelling more in her adulthood and eventually settling in Oregon to raise her family. She received her last name after marrying a Jewish car salesman named Joel Zauner, so Michelle describes how her ties to Korean culture were only through her mother.
Michelle explores her childhood and adulthood to wrestle with the feelings she has towards her mother’s passing and how a parent’s love can sometimes feel like a double-edged sword. She begins her memoir by illustrating how she felt othered growing up Korean in a small Oregon town and how this disconnectedness with her culture, along with her desire to pursue a music career, caused a tear between Michelle and Chong Mi.
While sharing stories of her mother’s journey, Michelle weaves Korean culture in “Crying in H Mart,” giving examples of meals and ingredients her mother used to engage her daughter with her heritage. She recalls trips to the Asian supermarket with her mother and later returns there to try and reconnect with the food and culture she had grown away from after her mother’s passing.
Each of these books reflects how mother figures can mold the narrative of literature, whether through quiet discipline, nurturing care or the lasting imprint of memory. While the mother and daughter dynamics differed in various aspects, all three stories display themes of finding love through those who care for you and that mothers truly change your growth as individuals.
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