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Re: Selfishness vs selflessness
Posted: 22 Jul 2022, 12:04
by Cocobutta
Nazzo wrote: ↑05 Feb 2022, 12:28
JHING Estanislao wrote: ↑03 Jul 2021, 02:00
Maureen was consumed by her great love for Jamal that she married young and became a mother thereafter. After the sudden death of Jamal, she became a shell of a person just trying to survive. For eleven years, she just grieved for the love of her life that she forgot to bring-up the life of her own daughter. She worked tirelessly to provide food, education and shelter; but there is a great absence of deep love. Rarely did I see an encounter in the book in which Maureen tried to think of what would make her child really happy.
Was this because she was a young mother and not yet prepared for the challenges life threw at her or was this denial of responsibilities?
I think it's just her personality and the fact she always had people taking care of her, first her parents and then Jamal because even before Jamal's death, there were times when she would be so engrossed in her paintings that Kalayla and Jamal would be left to fend for themselves.
I agree, I don’t think her age had anything to do with it. She has never really had to do anything on her own even after Jamal passed, his family stepped in and took care of Kaylayla for her. It wasn’t until his mum threatened to take Kaylayla that she started trying.
Re: Selfishness vs selflessness
Posted: 29 Jul 2022, 02:14
by Jerry Anozie
I won't say it was selfishness nor selflessness. She was too young to bear the trauma of his death and also the fact she had no family. But she was able to recognize her error I was glad it wasn't too late.
Re: Selfishness vs selflessness
Posted: 30 Dec 2022, 11:23
by Odindi Omo
The change was too drastic for Maureen. And even before Jamal died, Maureen didn't know how to take care of her daughter, Kalayla had learnt how to cook for herself even when Jamal was alive. This was just who Maureen was.
Re: Selfishness vs selflessness
Posted: 11 Jan 2023, 23:36
by Alexandria Sarai Mitchell
Maureen was really neglectful of Kalayla's emotional development. She was consumed by her grief that she assumed Kalayla knew how to take care of herself because she was mature for her age. Not knowing that it is due to lack of parental guidance that made Kalayla self-sufficient. I don't know if it was the grief or just not having any maternal instincts that made Maureen a bad mom, but it was definitely something.
Re: Selfishness vs selflessness
Posted: 12 Jan 2023, 04:20
by Unique Mary Iloakasia
I feel Maureen was devoted to her daughter. She wasn't selfish in any way and loved Kalayla a lot.
Re: Selfishness vs selflessness
Posted: 31 Jan 2023, 05:12
by Agbata Trust
I don't think Maureen is selfish. Hers was an mistake I would say she wasn't prepared for the worst. She tried to give Kalayla a good life working different shifts which shows she was selfless. She later realized she wasn't giving her daughter enough time and she corrected.