If it is perfectly acceptable for a widow to disfigure herself or commit suicide to save face for her husband's family, why should a mother not be moved to extreme action by the loss of a child or children? We are their caretakers. We love them. We nurse them when they are sick. . . But no woman should live longer than her children. It is against the law of nature. If she does, why wouldn't she wish to leap from a cliff, hang from a branch, or swallow lye?

Summary

This quote challenges societal expectations and double standards regarding grief and self-sacrifice. It questions why society accepts a widow's extreme actions to preserve her family's honor, yet denies a mother the same allowance when she experiences the loss of her child or children. The quote argues that as caretakers and nurturers, women bond deeply with their children, leading to immense pain upon their loss. It suggests that maternal love and natural instincts may drive a mother to consider extreme measures to escape the anguish of outliving her own offspring, just as widows often do to preserve their husbands' legacies.

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