The Messy Maa: Exploring A Different Maternal Archetype in Shuchi Talati’s Girls Will Be Girls

Abstract

This paper examines the unconventional portrayal of motherhood in Girls Will Be Girls, focusing on a flawed and emotionally complex maternal figure. It challenges traditional representations of mothers as selfless caregivers by highlighting jealousy, repression, and emotional conflict. The study argues that the mother’s behavior stems from her own suppressed desires within a patriarchal system, offering a layered understanding of motherhood as both nurturing and self-neglecting.