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On Being a `Good' Mother

The Moral Presentation of Self in Written Life Stories

University of Manchester, vanessa.may{at}manchester.ac.uk

This article examines how women present a moral self in relation to public norms that constitute`good' motherhood.Thefocus of this article is on two types of written life story: first, those written by mothers who express a past or current wish to divorce and, second, those written by lone mothers.The life stories offer insights into how individuals account for their actions in situations where they face the moral dilemma of clashing ethical norms — care for self and care for children — and how individuals with a `spoiled identity' manage a moral presentation of self. The article concludes by critically examining the consequences of using written life stories rather than face-to-face interviews as data in a study of the moral tales that individuals tell.

Key Words: accounts • divorce • life stories • lone motherhood • moral presentation of self

Sociology, Vol. 42, No. 3, 470-486 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0038038508088836


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