We’re all entitled to have certain expectations of each other and ourselves. Motherhood is no different. We all expect to have, and to marry, and to be, good mothers.”
-- Blythe (Chapter 1)

Importance: This quote directly addresses the expectation that all women are suited for motherhood. Blythe acknowledges that women and men alike can expect women to be “good mothers,” meaning they want to have children, whom they love and nurture. This also means that there is no acknowledgement of the existence of bad mothers. The string of flashbacks from Blythe’s maternal lineage are proof otherwise. Etta, Cecilia, and Blythe are, by societal standards, bad mothers. They all carry forward some form of abuse of their daughters. Fox expects that Blythe will be a good mother without ever discussing her feelings about the matter. Blythe also expects this for herself, even though she did not have a mother who loved and nurtured...