The Power of Decision
Decisions shape our lives. In history , the decisions of leaders and generals
have changed the course of mankind. In today's world , multi-billion dollar corporations
rest on the decisions of a few select executives. On a smaller but no less important
scale, acting on decisions can liberate people from stagnation. In the story "The Revolt
of Mother" the main character shows us the power of acting on decisions. Mother
recognizes the wrongs of her situation and weighs the effect on her family. In the end
she acts to free herself and her family from forty years of wrong.
Mother lives forty years with a suppressed dream-a new house promised to her
after her wedding. She lives with the everyday routine of cleaning the house and cooking
pies for the family. This shows the stagnation of her everyday existence; an existence
brought about by forty years of non-decision. Mother stays content with her shack. "She
was a masterly keeper of her box of a house. Her one living room never seemed to have in
it any of the dust which the friction of life with inanimate matter produces"(LACpg.284).
This shows the lack of empowerment mother has at this time of the story. This state is
partly due to the society-a time that was male dominated and discouraged the wife to
speak out-and partly because mother just feel into a routine that included everything
except her happiness. I felt that mother centered her life around providing for her
family but forgot to look towards her own needs. She bakes pies, cooks dinner and it
everything else except things that made her happy. Mother discovers disturbing news when
she learns that her future house is giving way to Father's new barn. Mother would have
probably let her dream die if it were not for a conversation with her daughter. Mother
realizes that it's not just her happiness involved. This breach of contract now involved
the happiness of the family. Mother does something that changes her state: she decides
and acts on it.
Many times our personal happiness takes a back seat in a busy world. I
forget my own need sometimes just trying to please loved ones-mom, dad, mom, dad.
Sometimes when someone else's happiness is in jeopardy I'm more inclined to act. Mother
is ashamed that her daughter is going to be married in such a small, drafty house. "I
want you to look at the stairs that go up to them unfinished chambers that are all the
places that our son an' daughter have to sleep in all their lives. There ain't a
prettier girl in town nor a more ladylike than Nanny, an' that's the place she has to
sleep in"(LAC pg. 286). Mother does something remarkable. Though she vehemently denies
to doing so, Mother decides to complain. She complains to father and break the monotonous
silence and complains. As far as we know Mrs. Penn has failed to do this for forty years.
Though she gets a less than favorable response from her husband-"I ain't got nothin' to
say"-it is the first response about the subject in years. It's a very important event
because Mrs. Penn gets the answer to her forty year question-no. The house is not going
to be built. Mrs. Penn's dream dies for now. Then a new opportunity shows the power of
acting on decision.
There is an old saying that says: When God closes a door he opens
a window and a back door and a manhole and a secret entrance. There are always different
solutions or second chances to resolve problems. Mrs. Penn acted on her first decision
to confront her husband's neglect of the family's comfort. She tried and failed to change
her husband's mind. Opportunity presents Mrs. Penn another chance to set things right.
Father leaves the family and newly built barn to take a buy a horse in Vermont. Earlier,
Nanny, with gentle pettishness, suggested to have the wedding in the barn. This helps
fuel a bold decision by Mrs. Penn.
"S'posin' I had wrote to Hiram, she had muttered once, when she was in the
pantry-"s'psoin I had wrote him , an' asked if he knew of any horse? But I didn't an
father's goin' an it ain't none of my doin'. It looks live a providence"(LAC pg.289).
Mrs. Penn decides a divine opportunity has been presented to her. Again the power
of acting on decision motivates her to do something radical-a move into the barn during
the absence of Father. Mrs. Sarah Penn has no second thoughts as she orders her children
to move the furniture into the barn. This act has the local population in a state of awe
and confusion. How could this woman go against the standards and the norms of the time?
Mrs. Penn simply decides to act towards the happiness a herself and her family.
Sarah Penn decides she is sick of watching the death of dreams. This act empowers Mrs.
Sarah Penn in the end. As Father enters the barns she makes it clear that the family
intends to stay.
" I ain't crazy. There ain't nothin' to be upset over. But we've come here to
live , an' we're goin to live here. We've just as good a right as the horses and cows.
The house wa'n't fit for us to live any longer, an' I made up my I wa'n't goin' to stay
there"(LAC pg.292).
Sarah Penn has acted on a decisions. Mother forces Father to do something that
has been put off for forty years-a choice between his personal needs and the needs of
his family. Sarah Penn has created a situation where father can't escape change. Father
can either loose his family or meet their needs. Either way, Sarah forces a change in the
forty year stalemate. Ultimately Father decides to meet the needs of the family. Sarah
Penn stood up and produced the most important thing-results. I believe the author gave
Mrs. Penn a name-Sarah-in the end because she claims the god given right to be noticed
and heard.
Sarah Penn reminds me of another historical figure that forced a change-Mrs.
Rosa Parks. Mrs. Rosa Parks decided that she was tired so she sat in the white section
of the bus. Her decision to sit and her act of defiance forced us to re-evaluate Civil
Rights. We were forced to know her name and realize her wrong. The power of acting out a
decision gave Mrs. Rosa Parks a name and a voice that others rallied around to right a
breach of contract. A decision that is made and acted upon has no other outcome but
results. It forces a change to happen and sets us free from a circular trap of inaction
and indecision. I decide tonight to break a cycle of indecision by calling someone. For
an entire week I was thinking up reasons to call this person. For an entire week I was
caught in indecision. In the middle of writing this paper, I decide to bite the bullet
and call. Sure enough, I broke the cycle and received some results. The results raised
some new problems-a decision of where to bring her for lunch. I will take this kind of
decision over a week or wondering any day.
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