In the short story “Mother Superior,” by Saleema Nawaz, the narrator is a lesbian secretly in love with a young pregnant woman by the name of Joan. While this story is simple and presents relevant information in a straightforward and sensible manner, it is nonetheless quite predictable in regards to plot. Additionally, there is little insight given into characters other than the narrator.
Both the language and style of this story are almost painfully simple. Her vocabulary and even sentence structure are bare and to the point. This allows the reader to perhaps give more attention to the story itself, and a little less to the exact form with which it is presented. Given the controversial subject matter, from homosexuality to a mother-to-be who smokes and drinks alcohol, this basic approach seems quite appropriate.
Nawaz quite carefully arranges the information in “Mother Superior,” likely in an attempt to disguise the exact plot of the story. She certainly gives enough detail for the reader to understand what is happening in the moment, but no more than that. For example, it is quite necessary to understand that the narrator is a lesbian, as indicated on page 1, but to reveal any more of her motivations in regards to Joan would give the plot away far too soon.
Furthermore, in regards to Larry and his character, Nawaz reveals that Larry “…begins to weep…” (Nawaz 9) when Joan first goes into labor, leaving the reader to infer that he is not very enthusiastic about the impending birth. While the author does not state that Larry will leave immediately before the birth of the baby, it is implied. It is not until the following page that Nawaz reveals that Larry did indeed desert Joan. Nawaz’s decision to delay the revelation of information at many points in the story provides a method by which to keep the reader engaged.
Despite the attempt to hide the plot, the basic story of “Mother Superior” is easy enough to discern early on from the text. The core of the story, which is the attraction of the narrator to Joan, may unfold across ten pages, but it becomes quite predictable by page 2. Nawaz first gives an indication of this attraction when she writes, “Joan used to think I’d go to hell for being a lesbian, but now she thinks I’ll make it to purgatory because I’m practically a nun anyway” (Nawaz 1). While the narrator is supposedly paraphrasing something Joan had said to her, this information can lead the reader to conclusions that are confirmed later in the story. The reference to sexual orientation and the narrator’s lack of sexual activity on the first page of the tale indicates that this has some relevance to the plot. Since “Mother Superior” was written in a time when stories of unrequited love abounded, it could easily be assumed that this single quote might indicate such a theme, regardless of any other facts the story might present.
Nawaz quickly gives additional hints to the narrator’s feelings when she reveals that the narrator looks forward to the day when it can be “just the two of us” (Nawaz 2). This is in reference to Joan, and combined with the statement from page 1, gives the reader the definite feeling that the narrator is strongly attracted to Joan. Not long after this, the narrator plainly thinks that the man who has entered Joan’s life, Larry, should just disappear as she wishes “…for this to really be a convent…” (Nawaz 5) so that she might be alone with Joan. This only reinforces the idea that Joan likely does not return the narrator’s feelings, and that the narrator feels as if the only way she can have Joan in any way at all is if she has Joan completely to herself.
However, it is really impossible to be sure of Joan’s feelings and motivations. As “Mother Superior” is written from the first person point of view, there is very little insight into her thoughts and motivations; what insight is given is skewed by the perceptions of the narrator, so the reader never really knows the truth about Joan. While the reader may desire additional information about Joan, the story itself is about the narrator and her feelings. For the reader, Joan is a secondary character, despite appearing on every page. Nawaz effectively puts the reader directly into the story, first by her choice of voice, but also by denying the narrator a name. Without a name, the reader becomes the narrator. Given the content, first person narration is particularly suitable.
“Mother Superior” is an interesting mix of simplicity and controversy. Its use of a particular narrative voice and the careful and studied revelation of detail keeps the reader engaged and interested, even when the plot becomes obvious.
Works Cited
Nawaz, Saleema. Mother Superior: Stories. Calgary: Freehand Books, 2008.
