A Critical Analysis of Toxic Maternal Performance in Jennette Mc Curdy's I'm Glad My Mom Died

Abstract

Mothering is a universally idealized performance. A mother is considered to be the epitome of caring, providing all that is the best for her children. However, one can find numerous instances where a mother's care and nurturing become toxic and traumatic to the child. Psychological therapists like Susan Forward and feminist thinkers like Adrienne Rich have theorized elaborately on the negative impact of mothering on children. This paper attempts to analyze the toxic maternal performance in Jennette Mc Curdy's autobiographical memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died employing the theories put forward by Forward and Rich.