Considerations on Lucia Berlin’s short story “Mama”

Abstract

This article aims to present some considerations about the short story “Mama” by Lucia Berlin, included in the collection A manual for cleaning women, in the light of studies on autofiction, with emphasis on the concept of filiation narratives: a genre focused on the search for the self, through the investigation of family ancestry. In the short story analyzed, we can see the complexity of the maternal figure, marked by alcoholism and psychological abuse, from the dialogue between two sisters who seek to understand their own identity by exchanging stories about their mother. In addition, we seek to discuss the role of literature in transmuting life into art, as well as strategies for establishing meaningful connections between authors and readers. We also address contemporary issues linked to the impact of technology on the way we communicate, loneliness, and narcissism in the digital age. Finally, we reiterate the importance of valuing uniqueness and creativity in both academic and literary production, suggesting a broader and more accessible dialog between non-academic society and scholars from different fields of knowledge.