FINAL IO SCRIPT 2023 SEPTEMBER:

Good morning, the global issue I will be exploring today is the impact of socio-cultural
norms of motherhood on women, which belongs to the Global Field of Inquiry of Culture,
Identity, and community. With the evolution of gender-roles, the expectations of a woman to
play the role of a mother has remained the same, resulting in a disparity in the roles and the
expectation of an ideal mother. This disparity has resulted in various impacts on women, that
are expressed through two prime examples, Nora from the play “A Doll’s House” by Hendrik
Ibsen, and “Erin” from Steven Soderbergh’s film, “Erin Brockovich”. Both texts implicate the
impacts of conforming to the role of an “ideal mother”, through conflicts, resolutions, and
interactions.

My literary text is "A Doll's House", a ground-breaking 19th-century play by Henrik Ibsen that
explores the social constraints and gender roles of its time through the story of Nora
Helmer's quest for personal freedom and self-discovery.

My non-literary text is "Erin Brockovich", a compelling legal drama based on a true story,
following a determined legal assistant who takes on a major utility company in a David vs.
Goliath battle to expose environmental contamination and seek justice for affected
communities.

LITERARY TEXT FINAL

Firstly, in the play ‘A Doll’s House’, Hendrik Ibsen immerses us into a reality that exposes the
hardships of motherhood through Nora’s interaction with Christina, which then reveals the
impacts of her hardships. The conversation between Nora and Christina in the extract
reveals the hardships faced by Nora as the conversation begins with Christina lamenting
about her life and how she admires Nora’s perfect life; however, this triggers Nora to vent
about her life and subtly express how she really feels when she says, "Many a time I was
desperately tired; but all the same, it was a tremendous pleasure to sit there working and
earning money." The deliberate juxtaposition of negative and affirmative statements
demonstrates the subtlety with which Nora expresses her hardships, which are forcefully
having to conform to societal expectations of motherhood and its constraints placed upon
her. The impact of conformity to societal expectations of motherhood includes her
exhaustion, which is seen through the same dialogue where “tired” refers to her mental and
physical state. Additionally, the fact that she is “tired” triggers her to seek an escape from
conformity. Similarly, the impacts of constraints placed by the societal expectations involve
her in having to keep secrets from her husband and force her happiness. The act of forcing a
specific feeling once again leads to exhaustion, however, the constraints add further
restrictions on her lifestyle such as limiting her from expressing herself in front of her family
by being a financial source for them, which is why she ends up impulsively venting out to
Christina.

Outside the extract, the repression of Nora's maternal instincts in Henrik Ibsen's play "A
Doll's House" is a poignant and central theme that underscores the constraints placed upon
her by societal norms and her conformity to traditional gender roles. Despite being a mother
to three children, Nora's maternal instincts are effectively stifled by the societal expectations
of her time. She finds herself unable to make crucial decisions regarding her children's well-
being without seeking Torvald's approval. This includes matters as simple as what the
children eat or how they are cared for. Nora's repressed maternal instincts become apparent
when she refrains from indulging in a more extravagant Christmas for her children, opting for
a cheaper tree and presents to adhere to Torvald's strict budget. This self-denial and
submission to her husband's wishes reveal her internal conflict and the sacrifice she makes
in suppressing her natural maternal desires. Ironically, while she outwardly conforms to the
role of a mother, it is this very conformity that prevents her from acting in what she believes
to be the best interests of her children. This conflict is a key driver in Nora's character arc, as
it ultimately leads her to question her societal role and seek personal liberation.

Lastly, Ibsen depicts Nora’s urge to seek personal liberation as a protest to her conformity to
the societal expectations of motherhood through the use of foreshadowing and stage
directions. In act 2 Ibsen explicitly uses Nora’s anxiety to foreshadow her impending crisis.
Ibsen makes this evident by developing erratic behavioural changes in Nora’s character
where she seen to frantically move around the house, while talking to Christina, or when she
frenziedly does the tarantella to keep Torvald away from opening up the letter by Krogstaad.
Her erratic behaviour builds up tension for the reader’s. This tension is released through a
resolution at the end of the play when Nora decides to leave Torvald. This act allows Ibsen
to portray the final impact of conformity to the role of an ideal mother, as Nora’s goal of
keeping the family together shifts towards seeking self-autonomy.
NON-LITERARY TEXT FINAL

Moving on to my non-literary text, the film Erin Brockovich directed by Steven Soderbergh, is
a recount of an American Paralegal’s pursuit of justice against the tycoon company Pacific
Gas & Electric Company. While the film’s primary purpose was to commend Erin’s efforts in
building a case against a conglomerate, it is important to understand why Soderbergh
focuses on bringing the aspect of motherhood through Erin’s character.

To begin with, Soderbergh initially expresses the societal norms of motherhood through
Erin’s demeanour and interaction with her children. For instance, the clip in the extract,
where Erin is seen to hold her daughter. The way in which she cradles her daughter is a
universal gesture of motherhood as it elucidates the protective instincts of a mother. This is a
clever manner in which Soderbergh subtly demonstrates Erin’s adherence to the norms of
motherhood. Additionally, at the beginning of the film, Erin is introduced as a single mother
of three. Simultaneously, Soderbergh deliberately portrays Erin’s financial struggles via her
helplessness in image 2 where Erin attempts to cook food for her children, while holding her
daughter in her arms. The lack of help and the chaotic state of the house makes her financial
struggles explicit, showcasing the financial strain often associated with single mothers trying
to conform to traditional motherhood roles. She works tirelessly but still struggles to make
ends meet. Her story resonates with countless women who find themselves constrained by
the economic challenges that come with conforming to societal expectations.

Furthermore, the impacts of the conformity to the traditional role of a single mother are
evident through the prejudices she encounters. For instance, image 3 is a part of the film
where Soderbergh reveals the institutional prejudices Erin faces by using montages to show
how Erin desperately spends hours on the phone asking for job offers in order to make her
ends meet to provide the best lifestyle for her children. The larger implication of the prejudice
in a workplace is on her self-esteem as no one is ready to take her seriously. This gives rise
to the paradoxical situation where on one hand Erin is expected to become financially
independent, and on the other hand, no one gives her the opportunity to do so, as their
prejudices overpower her institutional qualities. Similarly, image 5 takes a hit on Erin’s self-
esteem once again as the woman in the image is a waitress at a restaurant where Erin takes
her children for lunch. Here Erin encounters the waitress’s prejudice, which results in the
waitress developing preconceived notions about Erin. Soderbergh expresses this through
the waitress’s sarcastic tone and judgemental facial expression while talking to Erin. This
once again can be linked back to the paradoxical situation, and further underscores the
limited support system available to mothers who conform to traditional roles. The lack of
adequate support actively increases the difficulty in breaking free from societal expectations.

Furthermore, across the film, the portrayal of Erin's journey carries profound implications for
understanding the impact of societal expectations of motherhood on women. Erin's
transformation highlights the profound impact that conformity to traditional motherhood roles
can have on a woman's self-identity and autonomy. Her journey serves as a testament to the
potential for empowerment when women break free from these constraints. By challenging
the status quo, Erin reclaims her agency and discovers her true potential. The film also
underscores the limited opportunities and support available to women who conform to
traditional motherhood roles, particularly those who are single mothers. Erin's initial
struggles emphasize the societal barriers that exist, casting a critical light on the challenges
women face when trying to meet societal expectations. Moreover, answering the initial
question why Soderbergh brings in the aspect of motherhood is because "Erin Brockovich"
encourages audiences to re-evaluate societal norms surrounding motherhood and the
expectations placed on women. It challenges the idea that motherhood must be a limiting
factor in a woman's life, emphasizing that women can be both mothers and activists,
simultaneously fulfilling their roles as caregivers and advocates for change.