Community/lack of privacy
Posted by Carolyn B on January 20, 1998 at 22:02:31:
In response to A MidWife's Tale, written by Lynne on January 20, 1998 at 18:25:36
] One thing I think they did better than we do....and that is the sense of community spirit. People were there for each other...no one was sick alone, or died alone. Even during childbirth, one stayed at home, and had neighbors there to assist. I guess we try to do that by having birthing rooms at hospitals and such....but, even so,initimacy is still lacking....
I had read the book before but it had been awhile, and I thought they did a very good job of showing how a historian works. I had forgotten about Ballard's son having to wed the woman he got pregnant. Shows how such a community can work to the unwed mother's advantage when the man is basically forced to do the right thing! (compared to the usual Scarlet Letter stereotype) On the flip side of course there is no privacy. (Of course, from what I've read, a sense of privacy in our culture is something that developed in the 19th century.)
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