The present Klausur is based on Margaret Drabble`s novel “The Millstone“. The topic our Klausur deals with “Man In Search of Identity, aspects of speaking and writing about a novel“. The present text is a passage of the book “Woman on a Seesaw. The Ups and Downs of Making it“ which was written by H. Cosell in 1985. The first-person narrator called Beth tells the reader about both her own and her husband Paul`s attitude towards working and having children at the same time.

The first-person narrator expresses the idea that she has always regarded it as important to continue “working full time“ when she has children ( l.5 ). She thinks about giving her baby to a nurse or a nanny when she is at work. But when she gets pregnant she changes her attitude towards working and “day care“ ( l. 7 ) completely. She decides “to stay at home with the baby for at least a year“ ( l. 8-9 ). Beth realises that the baby needs her own mother and that day care or a nurse aren't a real alternative. Her husband Paul doesn't agree with her decision and tries to convince her to continue working. She describes him as “a victim of the professional-wife syndrome“ ( l. 16-17 ). In his opinion being a mother and a “full-time professional“ ( l.19 ) is no real problem if you “budget“ ( l.23 ) your time. In order to give evidence for his attitude he mentions four of their acquaintances each being a mother and a professional at the same time who get along with the situation quite well. He offers her help, but Beth is convinced that he can't understand the immense strain. In Beth`s eyes his “help“ will be restricted on playing with the child and saying hello to him before leaving. Their fathers dealt with the situation exactly this way, but Beth wants to be responsible for her child and influence its later life. Therefore she says that she “wants to be a mother“ and not one of those weekend-fathers.

2. Analyse the text with a focus on the way the narrator argues. Do you find it convincing? Give reasons for your answer.

The text we are currently dealing with is an example of an argumentative text. It can be divided into three parts: at first, a short introduction ( l. 1-4 ). The second part is the development, she explains her attitude towards profession and mothering and gives reasons for it to support her thesis. She also invalidates her husband's counter-arguments who wants her to continue working ( l. 5-40 ). In the third part she presents her conclusion ( l. 41-43 ). There's no doubt that she really wants to stay at home. The way the narrator expounds her arguments is really convincing. The text isn't purely factual, evaluative parts are also enclosed. For example, when she speaks of her husband as “a victim of the professional-wife syndrome“. She uses this expression to expound her own opinion. Told by a first-person narrator the story becomes more convincing. She weighs up her influence on her children's education and the possibility of continuing her work. I share her conviction that the mother is too important in the first years of children's life to hand them over to a nanny etc.. There's no doubt that doing the housework, looking after your children and working at the same time means an immense double burden for the mothers. Although it becomes more and more common that husbands support their wives and take over certain tasks, the main responsibility is still left to the women. Beth recognises that Paul will “be involved... and a good father“ ( l. 27 ), but her unequivocal conviction is that she will bear the brunt of the domestic burden alone.

3.Compare the narrator with Rosamund wherever possible.

Both female characters are pregnant and will give birth to their first child. Their children will mean an immense change in their lives. Beth has to give up her work and Rosamund has to change her way of life. She must finish her relationship to Joe and Roger. Rosamund says that “pregnancy reveal(s) several interesting points to her“ ( p. 45/ l. 3 ) Her pregnancy also reveals new “realities“ ( l. 3 ) to Beth. The main difference between the two women is that Beth is married and Rosamund whose baby is the result of a one-night stand lives without a partner in her parents` flat together with Lydia, a friend of hers. But for this reason they also seemed to be connected in the way that they both have decided to be responsible for their child without much help of other people. They both carry the burden alone. But in my opinion there are more differences between the two than things they have in common. Beth seems to be a woman who knows what she wants and decides on her own how she wants to live. Rosamund Stacey even has problems with normal things of her daily life. She opts for the baby but the consequences often seem to overtax her. Especially her daughter's disease is asking too much of her. In my opinion her low ability to take stress becomes evident when she starts drinking ( p. 89/ l. 23-27 ). Beth is married in contrast to Rosamund who seems to be unable to have any kind of “normal“ relationship. Rosamund develops a kind of system to avoid having sex that worked for about a year until her affair with George “wrecked“ it. ( p. 15/l. 12 - p.17/ l. 5 ).

By Susanne