Dive into pieces that explore and pay tribute to the joys, pains, and love shared between mothers and their children.
Mothers: they come in all forms. Some brought us into this world, while others have taken on the important role regardless of blood relation. Motherhood transcends a physical state; it’s an experience as diverse as the people who undergo it, yet arguably one that centers itself on the core tenet of love, complete with all its joys and tribulations. This Mother’s Day, we celebrate the ways in which mothers have shaped our lives, seen through the mirror of art. Here are ten pieces of literature and film that not only reflect the complex bonds of mothers and their children, but also paint a picture of the strong, multi-faceted women who make the world go ‘round for so many of us.
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Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Kicking off the list is Korean-American musician and writer Michelle Zauner’s best-selling memoir, Crying in H Mart. The book’s earliest form was a poignant article for The New Yorker, in which Zauner reflected on the nuanced bond she shared with her late Korean mother through food. It’s an experience that hits close to home for the children of East Asian mothers, who normally show affection through the act of nourishment; but anyone who grew up with mom’s homecooked meals will understand the reverent, emotional way in which Zauner describes her and her mother’s love for food.
The memoir expands on the themes and story of the original feature, detailing the author’s journey of finding a sense of belonging as a mixed race child, grappling with the grief of losing her mom to cancer, and keeping her memory (and by extension, her love) alive through the traditional recipes she used. At once a touching ode to the power of food and the legacy of a mother, Crying in H Mart is a must-read for those who understand the significance of creating something delicious for the people we care about.
Lady Bird (2017)
“I wished that you liked me,” laments Christine McPherson (Saoirse Ronan)—the peculiar and spunky protagonist of Greta Gerwig’s 2017 solo directorial debut film, Lady Bird—in a disarming dressing room scene she shares with her mother, Marion (Laurie Metcalf). “Of course I love you,” Marion replies with a hint of exasperation, but Christine relentlessly rebuffs: “But do you like me?”
What appears to be a moment of teen obstinacy actually presents a set of jarring, relevant questions that have cropped up in the minds of anyone who shares a deep albeit rocky relationship with a parent: Do they love me because they must? If they didn’t have that implicit, natural obligation by virtue of blood and proximity, would they actually like me as a person, rather than who I am to them?
A bildungsroman that may be a little too relatable to former all-girls Catholic school teens, Lady Bird drew Oscars attention for its realistic portrayal of a complicated mother-daughter relationship. While the film centers on the ups and downs of growing up, its beating heart is a story of two strong-willed women who butt heads, hurt each other, yet ultimately remember the unwavering love found beneath it all, despite everything.
Stepmom (1998)
Stepmom is a celebration of motherhood in all its iterations. The story starts with Jackie (Susan Sarandon) and Luke (Ed Harris) Harrison, a divorced couple struggling to co-parent their children children Anna (Jena Malone) and Ben (Liam Aiken) due to their differences—a set-up exacerbated by the introduction of their father’s young girlfriend, fashion photographer Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts). Things are further complicated when it’s revealed that Jackie has been dealing with lymphoma for some time, which turns terminal and leaves her with very little time.
The two women clash as Isabel struggles with the responsibilities of becoming a stepmother after Luke proposes to her, having never planned on raising kids. Anna and Ben, especially the former, struggle to welcome the new woman into their life, while Jackie herself makes things harder for Isabel as she contends with the feeling of being replaced and having to leave her children behind due to her illness.
The film resonated with audiences for a reason. Sarandon and Roberts’s powerful performances made people ponder on the nature of motherhood, and whether or not it’s truly defined by blood. Brimming with heart, the movie fights the narrow definitions of a mother through perfectly flawed women who, while different, are bound by a love that has changed their lives for the better.
“The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu
A short story from writer Ken Liu’s eponymous collection, “The Paper Menagerie” blends elements of fantasy into a suburban drama about a Chinese immigrant mother and her son. Told from the boy’s perspective, it details his once flourishing relationship with his mother, who would bond with him by folding small, sentient paper animals. The art is a point of connection for the two, a vestige of her past and a symbol of everything she had to leave behind to start a life in the U.S. with her American husband.
However, external pressures like racial discrimination and bullying eventually pressure the boy to distance himself from his mother and the craft—something that proves detrimental to both their relationship and his identity. Seeing a unique bond deteriorate makes the story a heartbreaking one, but the pain also highlights the depth of a mother’s love even in the wake of estrangement, and one man’s journey of rediscovering the most essential parts of himself through her magical art.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott’s classic Little Women, which follows the lives of the ever-relatable March sisters as they grow up, is tied together through the presence of the family matriarch Margaret March—or “Marmee,” as her daughters fondly call her. The tale wouldn’t be complete without her: like many mothers, not only plays the role of caretaker, but also the sage, trusted advisor who reminds her girls about the importance of kindness and generosity even as they struggle to make ends meet in harder times.
Little Women has been adapted for the screen time and time again, and various actresses have breathed new life into the progressive, loving mother, including Susan Sarandon (1994 version) and more recently Laura Dern (Gerwig’s 2019 iteration). What they all share with their book counterpart is a gentle yet fierce spirit that has touched and captivated generations of fans for years.
Terms of Endearment (1983)
James L. Brooks’s Oscar-winning film Terms of Endearment was released in 1983 to rave reviews and impressive box office numbers. It’s widely regarded by cinephiles, both then and today, as the ultimate “tear jerker.” The film chronicles the story of the Greenway women, mother Aurora (Shirley MacLaine, in her Oscar-winning role) and daughter Emma (Debra Winger), spanning several years. Aurora is a tightly wound woman who gradually finds love with a neighbour, astronaut Garrett (Jack Nicholson). Meanwhile, her daughter Emma navigates the complexities of a new marriage to a cheating college professor (Jeff Daniels).
Though the two share a temperamental relationship, as many mothers and daughters do, they continue to turn to each other for love and support. We won’t spoil anymore of the story—just watch it. It’s a beautiful slice of life, immortalized on film, and features one of the most realistic and poignant mother-daughter relationships ever recorded in fiction.
All About My Mother (1999)
Most films by Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar center on women—particularly mothers, subjects of enduring fascination for the director. No film illustrates this more vividly than his 1999 Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, starring Cecilia Roth.
Roth plays Manuela, a woman whose young son is tragically killed after being struck by a car. As she grieves her loss and struggles with unimaginable pain, she realizes the only path to closure is to find the boy’s father—who has since transitioned into a woman. Marked by Almodóvar’s signature melodrama, vivid red color palette, and expressive performances, the film is unforgettable, deeply moving, and a powerful portrayal of a mother’s grit.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
“Dear Ma,” begins Little Dog—the protagonist of Ocean Vuong’s novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous—in a letter to his illiterate, Vietnamese mother, “I am writing to reach you—even if each word I put down is one word further from where you are.” This starts a series of epistolary vignettes that recount the experiences of a queer man reflecting on his roots, including his intricately-rendered relationship with the single mother who raised him after escaping war-torn Vietnam.
Partly inspired by moments and histories in Vuong’s own life, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous narrates the struggles and triumphs between a mother and son, exploring how matters like race, gender, violence, and class affect the way they view the world, as well as each other. Vuong being a renowned poet, readers can expect lush, profoundly lyrical observations of a son’s fraught yet essential relationship with the woman who brought him into a world so far from the one she once knew.
The Parent Trap (1998)
Millennials far and wide will remember Nancy Meyer’s glorious 1998 remake of Disney’s The Parent Trap. One of the most beloved family films of recent decades, it catapulted Lindsay Lohan into childhood stardom. In an astonishing dual performance, she plays twins Hallie and Annie, who were separated at birth and coincidentally meet at a summer camp.
There, they decide to switch places in a heartfelt scheme to reunite their estranged parents. While Dennis Quaid charms as their vineyard-owning father, it’s Natasha Richardson who steals the show as their elegant, fashion-designer mother from London. Her warmth and kindness radiates off the screen, offering one of the loveliest portrayals of a mother the silver screen has seen.
Mildred Pierce (1945)
If ever there were a film that captured a mother’s fierce determination to create a better life for her children, it’s 1945’s Mildred Pierce, directed by Michael Curtiz. The film stars Joan Crawford in her triumphant comeback role—which earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress—as the titular character, a struggling divorced mother with two young daughters. After the death of one, she becomes determined to give her surviving daughter, the spoiled and ambitious Veda (Ann Blyth), everything she desires.
Mildred climbs the ladder of success, starting as a waitress and eventually becoming the owner of a chain of prosperous restaurants. But her empire begins to unravel when she falls for the charming yet ruinous playboy Monte Beragon, who influences Veda for the worse. At the heart of the film is the volatile, complex relationship between Mildred and her daughter—messy, imperfect, and unforgettable.
Mildred Pierce struck a chord with many mothers during World War II, who found themselves as sole breadwinners for their families, while their husbands fought overseas. Though it offers a more sanitized version of James M. Cain’s hard-hitting novel (as a product of the old Hollywood studio system), Mildred Piece remains a compelling, cautionary tale for mothers of any generation. For further viewing, the story was remade by Todd Haynes as a HBO miniseries starring Kate Winslet as Mildred Pierce in 2011.
