14. Heritage of Words (A Child Is Born) - Germanine Greer

 

A child is Born

Writer : Germaine Greer

 

"A Child is Born" the feminist writer and lecturer presents a comparison between the parent-child relationship in the rich west and the traditional east. The writer compares the role of children in traditional, agricultural societies with that of children in western, industrialized countries. The ways of managing childbirth in traditional societies are many and varied. All the ways are accepted culturally and collectively by all.

In such society the pregnant woman has a great support from her husband, relatives and the other members of her community. It makes her free from psychic burden of pregnancy. Although there is possible danger in childbirth, the traditional behaviours of the people, the customs and ritual practices increase her sense of security and make the pregnant woman forget her worry to some extent.

Even in the developed western society, such kinds of traditional practices are found. According to the writer, one of her friends who was a university graduate, practiced prenatal exercises regularly during her pregnancy. She was also a superstitious mother. So she did not buy a bed and clothes for her coming baby. The traditional beliefs made her delivery case easy. She gave birth to a child without any difficulty. But it is the fact that infant and mother mortality rate is higher in traditional birth.

The modern ways in childbirth have reduced the rate of mortality of both child and mother but the modern methods have destroyed our traditional norms and values. The people who follow the western methods in childbirth, may forget to observe the traditional birth ceremonies like pregnancy, childbirth, six day's ceremony (chhaiti) and naming ceremony. In many societies women go forth from their mother's houses at marriage to live with a mother-in-law.

 It is a truism of anthropology that such women do not become members of their new family until they have borne a child. But the western society denies such system. On one international conference, Muslim marriage and condition of women was bitterly criticized where a Muslim woman was present but she did not protest it. In that conference, the western people talked only about the western system of marriage, pregnancy and childbirth but they ignored the eastern traditional system. Therefore the women of other countries left that conference immediately. In fact, in traditional societies, the women lose their name and lineage (T9T) under their husband's name at marriage.

The mothers are also called by the name of their first born baby. In such societies, the relationship between mother and child and between the child and his/her relatives is more important than that of wife and husband. If a girl is lucky, and her parents are alive, she goes to her mother's house for the last few months of her pregnancy and about the first three months of the baby's life. There she gets a lot of love and care. The whole matter of pregnancy is one of celebration. When a baby is born it is an occasion of joy for the whole family. The naming ceremony is lovely. It is held when the baby is seven days old. A new dress is bought for the baby and a new sari for the mother.

 There is feasting and singing until late at night. Garlands of turmeric and garlic are worn to avoid evil spirits. In Bangladesh children under the age of five or six are looked after by the whole family. They play out of doors with natural objects but they don't play toys. At night when the children get sleepy, they always go to their mothers and sleep in her embrace. But the impact of western medicine in traditional societies is one of the most problematic areas of modernization. The doctors and their syringes are highly respected.

As a result, they give strong dose of medicine to the weak patients. The medicine is very expensive. Hospitals can not be established without foreign aid. In the delivery wards, there are groaning women in the pools of blood. The nurses are busy themselves with technologically sophisticated modern equipment and ignore the labouring women because they may not have the experience of childbirth labour.

Women may not long continue to tolerate the brutality and the pain of childbirth if there is no one at home to welcome the child, to praise the mother for her courage and to help her raise it. They know that death visits too frequently in the traditional birth place. It is the fact that the poverty has stopped introducing modern technology in every hut and hovel. If western technology is not practised there, the population explosion will take care of itself.

 

A child is Born

Writer : Germaine Greer

The essay “A child is born” by Germaine Greer presents the comparison between the attitude towards pregnancy, childbirth, childbearing and childrearing in the technocratic West and traditional East society. The writer also compares the parent-child relationship and the role of children in traditional, agricultural societies with that of children in the western, industrialized countries.

She says that there are many ways of managing childbirth in traditional societies. In traditional societies, childbirth is a collective responsibility of the whole family and even the whole community. A pregnant woman is looked after and helped by the whole members of the family and societies. So, the pregnant woman feels safe and protected which greatly reduces her fear, anxiety and pain of childbirth. A mother gets a lot of love care and moral support from the family and relatives which is more important for the mother.

On the other hand Western societies have a different approach to pregnancy and childbirth. A pregnant woman does not get extra care and support from her family. She approaches her pregnancy mechanically like she approaches her examinations. The writer gives an example of her friend in college. She says that her friend was superstitious even though she was educated. So, she didn’t buy clothes and toys before the birth of the child. But she used to note down every development, do exercise regularly and gave birth almost unattended.

In many traditional societies a woman goes to her husband’s house after her marriage, but she is considered a part of the family only after she gives birth to a child. If she cannot bear children then her life is ruined and when she gives birth she loses her identity and is known as the mother of her first born child. In the same way child rearing is also a collective business of the whole family. In fact the biological parents do not have to look after their children. This weakens the parent- child relationship. And also is considered cruel in human and wrong by the western societies.

In Indian orthodox Rajput societies, by bearing a child the woman satisfies the desire of the family, Childbirth is an achievement celebrated with much feasting, singing and fun. The pregnant woman also gets a chance to go to her mother’s home. So, we can say that in traditional societies, the birth of a child is more due to the pressure of the family than the mother’s own desire.

The writer says that in Bangladesh all the children below five are looked after collectively by one of the family members. So a child spends the whole day in the company of other members and women to his/her mother only during bedtime where as in the West the woman almost singly bears with the pains and problems related to pregnancy, child birth and child rearing.

But nowadays, even in traditional societies the use of western equipments and medicine is growing. The doctors, nurses and modern medicine is highly respected by the people. But due to lack of proper facilities and medicines the doctors are compelled to give strong dose even to weak patients. In some places where hospitals have been established with foreign help, they do not have sufficient and proper equipments and medicines and this leads to catastrophic consequences. The writer describes a scene of a delivery ward in a hospital in South Africa, a horrible combination of modern technology and traditional Africa. There were women growing in the pool of blood and the nurses simply ignored them and kept themselves busy with the equipments.

The writer seems to tell us that, keeping in mind the terrible experience that a woman undergoes before, during and after childbirth the birth of alive child becomes irrelevant. So the writer seems to suggest that traditional approach is better than the Western mechanical approach to childbirth. But the best way to manage pregnancy and childbirth would be a proper combination of the Eastern and the Western approaches.

 

A Child is Born

Writer : Germaine Greer

 

The writer shows many differences between a traditional and modern society in matters of pregnancy, childbirth and childbearing. The traditional society is full of different customs, tradition~ rituals and superstition. A pregnant woman has to follow all such rites. She doesn’t get proper respect at home and society unless she gives birth to a child. Because of the customs, traditions and the culture of the traditional society, pregnant women are loved, cared and supported by her husbands, members of her family and all the relatives. Because of this, she doesn’t worry much about the possible pain and danger in childbirth.

The traditional behaviors are responsible to increase her sense of security. However, in modern western societies, a pregnant woman is not cared like this. Since the people in the modern western society don’t believe much on different rites, traditions and superstitions, the pregnant woman is not attended by her husband and relatives. She is not free from mental burden. She is always worried about the possible danger and pain of the childbirth. She has to practice pregnantal exercises and make other preparations herself. She frequently visits doctors for advice and to get her pregnancy checked up. Her pregnancy is not given much importance by her family, relatives and the society.

In the traditional eastern societies, the infant and mother mortality rate is higher because of the lack of modern methods and equipments. The traditional childbirths are conducted among various superstitions, customs, rites, rituals and traditions. The pregnant women don’t visit hospitals for check up. Because of this, a large number of women and their infants die untimely in the traditional society. In the modern western society, however, the infant and mother mortality rate is very low. The pregnant women shouldn’t carryon various customs, traditions and superstitions. They frequently visit doctors and follow their suggestions. They practice many modern methods and equipments for the childbirth. If the life of the mother or the infant is in danger, the doctors conduct operations to save them. Thus, the women in the modern society give birth very easily and safely among the modern methods and facilities.

After the childbirth, the women in the traditional Eastern society are respected and praised much for their courage. Many people attend her with gifts to see the child and to congratulate the mother. People organize parties to celebrate the birth ceremony. There is feasting, singing and dancing. The mother is given permission to go to her mother’s house for few months. The whole family helps her to rear the child. However, there is no such system in the modern western society. In such society, there is no one t home to welcome the child and to praise the courage of the mother.

A Child is Born

Germaine Greer
Childbirth management in Eastern society varies from place to place. The mother is familiar with the way of giving birth to a child in such a society because they are used to in such customs. They don’t feel so much physical and mental tension while giving birth. The approach in Eastern society is ritualistic. She is covered with taboos and prohibitions which reduces her psychological burden.

All the relatives including the husbands remain present during the process of giving birth. It decreases the pain of the mother. Their presence gives a sense of security to her. They create such an environment which make the mother feel safe. Nevertheless, the chance of death of the mother is high in Eastern society. In many of the Eastern societies, a pregnant woman goes to her mother’s house. For example, the writer presents us with an example from the society of India. In Rajput society, the woman goes to the mother’s house prior to giving birth and after the birth to the child. She is taken care of properly. The birth of the child is celebrated with singing and dancing. The pregnant woman is taken care not only by family members but also by the members of the community. It gives her a sense of security and she becomes less worried about giving birth. There is a difference in child rearing also. In Eastern society, the mother gets respect after she gives birth. She is called by the name of her first child. The newly born child is taken care of by all the relatives. The mother has to spend less time taking care of the child. So, the child-family relation is stronger than the child-mother relation. Thus, Eastern society is better than Western society in the matter of childbirth and childcare. Eastern society, however, is not unaffected by the method of Western society.

Because of modernization, people in Western societies are forced to use modern equipment. The modern equipment certainly has saved the lives of mother and child; nevertheless, they are unable to reduce the anxiety of mother while giving birth. A pregnant woman in the West has to take care of herself with the guidance of nurses and doctors. The nurses and doctors do not give a caressing hand to the pregnant woman. The health of mother and child is safer but the mother is emotionally weaker. The child is born to fulfill the needs of parents only. The child grows up with its parents and dolls. So, child – mother relation is stronger. The mother has to bear all the problems during childbirth and child-rearing.

 

A Child is Born

Writer: Germaine Greer

SUMMARY

The writer shows many differences between a traditional and modern society in matters of pregnancy, childbirth and childbearing. The traditional society is full of different customs, tradition~ rituals and superstition. A pregnant woman has to follow all such rites. She doesn’t get proper respect at home and society unless she gives birth to a child. Because of the customs, traditions and the culture of the traditional society, pregnant women are loved, cared and supported by her husbands, members of her family and all the relatives. Because of this, she doesn’t worry much about the possible pain and danger in childbirth.

The traditional behaviours are responsible to increase her sense of security. However, in modern western societies, a pregnant woman has not cared like this. Since the people in modern western society don’t believe much on different rites, traditions and superstitions, the pregnant woman is not attended by her husband and relatives. She is not free from the mental burden. She is always worried about the possible danger and pain of the childbirth. She has to practice pregnancy exercises and make other preparations herself. She frequently visits doctors for advice and to get her pregnancy checked up. Her pregnancy is not given much importance by her family, relatives and society.

In traditional eastern societies, the infant and mother mortality rate is higher because of the lack of modern methods and equipment. The traditional childbirths are conducted among various superstitions, customs, rites, rituals and traditions. Pregnant women don’t visit hospitals to check up. Because of this, a large number of women and their infants die untimely in traditional society. In modern western society, however, the infant and mother mortality rate are very low. The pregnant women shouldn’t carry on various customs, traditions and superstitions. They frequently visit doctors and follow their suggestions. They practice many modern methods and equipment for the childbirth. If the life of the mother or the infant is in danger, the doctors conduct operations to save them. Thus, women in modern society give birth very easily and safely among modern methods and facilities.

After the childbirth, the women in traditional Eastern society are respected and praised much for their courage. Many people attend her with gifts to see the child and to congratulate the mother. People organize parties to celebrate the birth ceremony. There is feasting, singing and dancing. The mother is given permission to go to her mother’s house for a few months. The whole family helps her to rear the child. However, there is no such system in modern western society. In such a society, there is no one t home to welcome the child and to praise the courage of the mother.

A CHILD IS BORN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR NEB STUDENTS

 

1.Write a paragraph citing an example of the position of a Nepali mother in the family?

Ans: In our Nepalese Traditional society, the position of a mother is very high in the family. According to Nepalese religion customs and traditional culture, mother is regarded to be goddess. She is the source of the live and love. A family runs well because of the various roles of the mother. She gives birth to the children, loves them more than herself and devoted her at the service of her husband and his parents. She is always worried about health and happiness of her children, husband and other members of the family. The economic contribution of mother is substantial but largely unnoticed because the traditional role has taken for granted. Thus, the role and position of Nepali mother in the family is significant.

2. Write an essay about the values held y the traditional Nepali society in which a woman who cannot bear children is considered as a failure in her personal life and a useless woman in the eye of the society. Give your own views on the society.

    Ans:

POSITION OF WOMEN IN OUR SOCIETY

The position of women in the traditional Nepali Society is found to have differed from one generation to another. In days of yore, they were given the subordinate treatment in spite of the respect given to mother and sisters. Nepali, like most societies was a rigidly patriarchal society. It still is in many ways. Women’s relative status, however varies from one community to another.

Nepal, being a predominately agricultural society, the senior female member played a commanding role within the family by controlling resources, making crucial planting and harvesting decisions and determining the expenses and budget allocations. Yet women’s lives remained centered on their traditional roles-Taking care of most household chores, fetching water and animal fodder, and doing farm work, their standing in society was mostly “contingent” on their husbands’ and parents’ social and economic positions. They had limited access to markets productive, education and health care. Women usually worked harder and longer than men.

In Nepal even though women are the major founders of the society, yet women have not achieved equality with men. Women are treated as subordinate and second class citizen, though the equal rights are preserved in the constitution. No matter how talented they are, they never get a change to develop. Women’s participation is duly because of the existence of the patriarchal mindset even in the constitutional bodies.

Women face violence evry day. From the country’s major bodies to the bedroom, women are at risk from violence in all areas of life. Violence against women persists because of society canopy. A case to cite is: in our society, a woman who can not bear children is considered as a failure in her personal life and slut. Virtually every culture contains such forms of violence against women that are often invisible because they are seen as normal acceptable. Some awful examples of violence are: sex selective abortion, wife battering, polygamy, rape, trafficking of women and forced prostitution, sexual harassment, dowry and domestic violence still prevailed. They are still accused in the name of witchcraft.

Nepalese cultural social and religious patterns repeatedly enforce the low social status of women, often leading to a destructive lifestyle between genders. This violent culture is most prevalent in the marital aspect of their society .Instead of being treated as equal members in the human race, Nepalese women are shamed as less than a mere slave to their husbands. They must never refuse their parent’s requests and in the case that they do disagree, the women are “punished”, until this behavior is corrected. This aspect of Nepalese culture generally acts as a stimulant for domestic exploration.

In conclusion, the violence against women is rampant in the traditional Nepali society but we are unaware or the cases have not been come out in the realm of violence against women due to its ignorance. Daughters are suffered from the birth to the funeral ceremony. Hence, every individuals, concerned authorities and government should be actively involved to uplift the women’s status which in turn uplift the development of the country and violrence or any kind of gender discrimination should be rooted off from the society. Undoubtedly, the day will come in Nepal when parents count their daughters on the same footing as their sons.

3. What differences does the writer show between a traditional society and a modern society in matters of pregnancy, childbirth and childbearing?

Ans: ‘A Child is Born’ written by Germaine Greer shows the vast differences between in matters of pregnancy, childbirth and childbearing. The extract from “Sex and Destiny” presents a comparison between the parent-child relationship in the affluent West, and the traditional East.

In traditional societies, when a woman becomes pregnant, she has to observe certain prohibitions and carry out the set rites. All these taboos and prohibitions help her keeping herself mentally free and to lessen the pain and fear. The pregnant lady is helped by her husband and other members of family and community which enhances her sense of security. But in the modern west societies, the pregnant lady has to take care of herself. In such individualistic society, no other family member renders any support that helps the pregnant lady feel secure. She has to undertake all the preparations for newcomer by herself.

In traditional societies, child birth irrespective of its sex is celebrated although there is a greater risk of the lives of the mother and the baby. The woman, after the birth of the child is fully accepted by the new family and she is allowed to visit her father’s house. The women in such societies are started calling after the names of their children ignoring their original identity which the western people criticize calling it a wrong behavior. However, in the west, although modern and sophisticated hospitals are there, a child is born in an isolated hospital bed surrounded by modern medical equipments. There is no one to welcome the child and to support the lady emotionally to help lessen difficulties in western societies.

In traditional society, the children are usually looked after collectively by the family members. The entire family is involved to bathe and to feed the children collectively. In the evening, children are told fairy tales by other members of the family. However, these practices aren’t seen in modern western societies. The respective family mothers have to take care of their children by themselves as there is no help from other family members in the matter of child care.

In conclusion, the writer argues that the traditional east is far better than the modern west in matters of pregnancy, childbirth and child rearing although there is high risk of mothers and children mortality rate in these societies

4. Why does the writer bring in the examples of the traditional societies to discuss the problems of a modern, especially a western society?

Ans: The writer brings in the examples of the traditional societies to show that the problems of modern societies are greater and serious than that of traditional societies when compared. She portraits the picture of strong individual life in the west where the whole matter of pregnancy is personal and psychic burden for the mother but in traditional societies whole child bearing process are termed as collective responsibility of the whole family. According to the writer, the modern societies are selfish, boring, dry and cruel but the traditional societies are co-operative, generous, kind in terms of child bearing.

5. How do the traditional societies treat pregnant women? What are the effects?

ANS: In the traditional societies, pregnant women should remain under the taboos and prohibitions of the ancient tradition and cultures. Pregnant women should carry out all the rituals that are in practice. In this process, the family and community people plays vital role. Unlike western society, she doesn’t have psychic burden of reinventing the procedure. She is always busy in different works and she doesn’t have much anxiety about the procedures. She is always supported, primarily by her husband, then her kinsfolk and then the other others members of her community. This makes her feel that she is conducting pregnancy, not that it is conducting her.

In such traditional societies, pregnant woman is affected by both physically and emotionally. Similarly, it has affect on the baby too when everyone is around her. It makes her feel emotionally secure and she doesn’t have much anxiety. But sometimes, due to taboos and prohibitions, it leads to the death of baby and mother as well. However, except for certain accidents, pregnancy in traditional societies is far more better than western societies and birth is always attended in traditional societies.

6. What differences does the writer show between a traditional society and a modern society in manners of pregnancy, childbirth, and childbearing?

Ans: In traditional societies, the pregnancy, childbirth and childbearing are accepted collectively so that the mother does not feel the psychic burden. The whole matter of pregnancy is an occasion for the family. The children are cared and reared by whole members of the family. After the birth of the child, the mother is not called by her name but she is referred to as child’s mother. Different ritual practices are held after the birth of the child. The mother goes to her house for better rearing of the new born baby after the childbirth and she is provided with nutritious diet and energy giving foods.

But in modern societies, pregnancy, childbirth and childbearing are termed as personal matter which gives psychic burden to mother. The children are given birth at modern hospitals by using different modern method. Pregnancy is not taken as a matter of celebration. The child is reared and cared by her own mother. The mortality rate of children is very less in compared to traditional societies.

7. Why does the writer bring in the examples of the traditional societies to discuss the problems of a modern, especially a western society?

Ans: The writer brings in the examples of the traditional societies to show that the problems of modern societies are greater and serious than that of traditional societies when compared. She portraits the picture of strong individual life in the west where the whole matter of pregnancy is personal and psychic burden for the mother but in traditional societies whole child bearing process are termed as collective responsibility of the whole family. According to the writer, the modern societies are selfish, boring, dry and cruel but the traditional societies are cooperative, generous, kind in terms of child bearing.

8. What differences does the writer show us between a traditional society and modern west in matters of pregnancy, childbirth, and child rearing?
Ans. In traditional societies, when a woman becomes pregnant, she has to observe certain prohibitions and carry out the set rites. All these taboos and prohibitions help her keeping herself mentally free and to lessen the pain and fear. The pregnant lady is helped by her husband and other members of family and community which enhances her sense of security. But in modern western societies, the pregnant lady has to take care of herself. In such an individualistic society, no other family member renders any support that helps the pregnant lady feel secure. She has to undertake all the preparations for newcomer by herself. In traditional societies, childbirth irrespective of its sex is celebrated although there is a greater risk of the lives of the mother and the baby. The woman, after the birth of the child, is fully accepted by the new family and she is allowed to visit her father’s house. The women in such societies are started calling after the names of their children ignoring their original identity which the western people criticize calling it a wrong behavior. However, in the west, although modern and sophisticated hospitals are there, a child is born in an isolated hospital bed surrounded by modern medical equipment. There is no one to welcome the child and to support the lady emotionally to help lessen difficulties in western societies. In traditional society, the children are usually looked after collectively by the family members. The entire family is involved to bathe and to feed the children collectively. In the evening, children are told fairy tales by other members of the family. However, these practices aren’t seen in modern western societies. The respective family mothers have to take care of their children by themselves as there is no help from other family members in the matter of childcare. The writer argues that the traditional east is far better than the modern west in matters of pregnancy, childbirth, and child raring although there is a high risk of mothers and children mortality rate in these societies.

 

 

 

 

 

https://tyrocity.com/topic/a-child-is-born-heritage-of-words/

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