I think the implication here is that she’s reinforcing to the little girl the idea that the man chooses whether or not something as life-changing as marriage can/will occur, and that a woman is helpless to surrender to his choosing.
Based on the title, the author likely regrets reinforcing these gender norms.
If you tell a child that something they want to happen is up to someone else, that child will spend the next month repeating the exact same questions in an effort to convince that adult to do the thing the child wants to happen.
The author sicced the child on the child’s uncle, leaving the uncle with no peace for at least the next whole afternoon visit with the child.
I think the implication here is that she’s reinforcing to the little girl the idea that the man chooses whether or not something as life-changing as marriage can/will occur, and that a woman is helpless to surrender to his choosing.
Based on the title, the author likely regrets reinforcing these gender norms.
I get what it’s about. I just don’t get that it’s poetry.
If you tell a child that something they want to happen is up to someone else, that child will spend the next month repeating the exact same questions in an effort to convince that adult to do the thing the child wants to happen.
The author sicced the child on the child’s uncle, leaving the uncle with no peace for at least the next whole afternoon visit with the child.
That’s pretty interesting, the child-psychology perspective hadn’t occurred to me. Nice!