Women and Pregnancy in Bom Jesus Essay Example

herbs may have harmful consequences during the early stages of pregnancy. Despite deteriorating health and the intake of various medicines and botanicals, they persist. Miscarriages are often dismissed as "unforeseen outcomes". (pg. 335) The influential Catholic values existent in Brazil play a key role in these women's decision against undergoing operations such as hysterectomies or sterilizations. (pg. 231) Medical practitioners caution these women about their perceived "duty" to give birth. This attitude is illustrated when a plea for a hysterectomy from a thirty-eight-year-old woman was denied, leading to her being admonished and sent home without performing the operation.(pg. 06-207)

The Catholic Church identifies sterilization and abortion as grave sins, besides their high costs making them unaffordable for the women of Alto. (pg. 336-337) Ultimately, these women concede their responsibility to "collaborate with God and nature," interpreting this as a mandate to bear children. (pg. 337) Of great emphasis is the women's unwillingness to forfeit sexual intimacy. The residents of Bom Jesus, encompassing men, women, and children, endure immense hardship and hunger on a daily basis, with physical intimacy serving as an often-needed escape.

A woman voiced her financial constraints in buying food, but highlighted that sex, being free, is something that can't be taken from her. (pg. 165) A compelling statement was made by another woman who, despite the pangs of hunger, found solace and proof of her survival in her sexual encounters. (pg. 165) As a result, many Bom Jesus women have numerous children. Nevertheless, they continue to seek sexual encounters as a momentary escape from their problems, and sentimental affirmation that they're alive.

Fundamentally, impoverished women commonly have several children,

even though they desire fewer, due to limited resources, expensive contraceptive methods or operations, and certain life choices they're not ready to give up despite it resulting in more children. The "Maternal Philosophy" prevalent in Bom Jesus culture exposes both genders to frequent encounters with death. They continually struggle with inferior working conditions, paltry wages, inadequate healthcare provision and food scarcity.

The prevailing thinking among women in Bom Jesus is greatly shaped by a "motherly philosophy." This viewpoint can be summarized as, "Today, a two-month-old child from the impoverished neighborhood passed away. Had he lived longer, malnutrition was an unavoidable fate." (pg. 268) Data shows that over half of deaths in Alto are children below five years old, mainly due to persistent severe undernourishment. (pg. 231) Each year in Brazil, close to one million children die - equating to approximately 40 child fatalities per hour, representing the highest number of such casualties countrywide. (pg. 79)

Consequently, recurrent episodes of child loss have resulted in women developing an emotional insensitivity towards death. This has unexpectedly led to indifference regarding the demise of their own children. It may appear peculiar when someone expresses sorrow over a kid's death - as depicted when Shcheper-Hughes emotionally informed a mother about her son's passing; the mother was surprised because it was generally believed that the boy had little likelihood of surviving. (pg. 271-272) There are several factors contributing to this emotional disconnection these women feel concerning their children's deaths.

The economic restrictions faced by these families are so drastic that even caring for the "healthy" members becomes a task. Therefore, when a new baby is born, they

face a tough choice: should they prioritize nurturing the newborn who has just started their life or an older child who has already begun theirs? They find themselves forced to allocate their scant resources to those with the highest survival chances. (pg. 405) Upon becoming mothers, numerous women realize that breastfeeding is not practical due to various reasons. One such issue stems from work-related difficulties; employers may not provide support for breastfeeding at work, particularly in roles such as preparing meals for their own households. Consequently, these women perpetually live in fear of job loss (pg. 23).

There is a cultural belief that nursing infants would pass on their transgressions to the babies (pg. 326). Thus, as much as they can afford, they rely on powdered milk for nourishment. However, since most families struggle to afford weekly formula supplies, mothers often resort to diluting the formula and adding starch to make it last longer. This strategy unfortunately results in inadequate nutrient intake and weak health for the infants (pg. 319). The illiteracy rate is high and many are unaware of the harm of unboiled water in baby formula (pg. 21). This, combined with high infant death rates and limited resources for adequate child nurture, have led the women of Bom Jesus to develop a grim acceptance towards their children's mortality. Fully realizing the slim chances of their youngsters' survival and deprived living conditions if they do survive, many begin to accept that death might be better (pg. 344-345). To shield themselves from further emotional distress and grief, these women adopt an ambivalent and resigned attitude towards this tragic likelihood.

Inherent Maternal Impulse: Fact

or Fiction: The prevalent assumption is that every woman inherently possesses the urge to nurture and love her child.

Shcheper-Hughes compellingly discusses that a mother's affection is shaped by societal and cultural factors, rather than purely biological instinct (pg. 341). She articulates that mothers can often withhold immediate attachment, regarding their infants as transient “guests” (pg. 340). This is not to insinuate an absence of maternal love but rather an alternate expression shaped by cultural history and survival necessities (pg. 341). The women in Bom Jesus have lost the concept of a “natural maternal instinct”, as frequent encounters with mortality have hardened them. As a result, they may demonstrate neglect or “selective inattention” towards their newborns, assessing their strength to survive.

There remains a prevailing notion that a baby's survival signifies their "gift" for life, thereby eliciting deep and lasting love from the mother towards her child. (pg. 357) However, maternal instincts are not innate but instead shaped by one's situation. (McKee, lecture 12) In the Alto society, men are often perceived as "replaceable and interchangeable figures".(pg. 323) Nevertheless, they play an essential role in their families as the primary source of livelihood for their women and children, regardless of living conditions. (pg. 148-149, 323) Women also derive gratification when men provide for their children since it implies recognition for both the child and indirectly herself, hence avoiding feelings of desertion. (pg. 324) The economic and social circumstances could impact man's role particularly in terms of his capability to economically sustain his family.

The public show is for men to display their ability to provide for their family, including the costly baby

feed, and it also serves as a status symbol (McKee, lecture). Men face a significant amount of pressure to be the providers, so failure would potentially label them as negligent. (pg. 148. 149)

To sum up, culture significantly influences our actions and views in every society. Both the government and religion in certain societies, fail to recognize and address grave issues such as mortality among children, which is deeply rooted in their culture (pg. 273). The women of Bom Jesus may be perceived as withdrawn, unempathetic, and self-centered by certain cultures, but their cultural norms do not allow them to express love as we typically understand it. They have to emotionally disconnect themselves to avoid additional pain, given their already challenging circumstances. Notably, motherly concern isn't necessarily an innate feeling; in fact, it might be shaped by culture. These women cannot afford to form an immediate bond with their children due to the uncertainty of their survival. It may appear distressing, but it's a part of their reality.