From as early as the days of ancient Rome and Greece your economic status and place in society determined what kind of life you and in turn, your family would lead. It also determined the expectedness of the offspring of the family. In "A Mother" by James Joyce and No Matter What by Mary Saracino both of the matriarchal figures are on different spectrums of economic status. Mrs. Kearny in "A Mother" does not have to worry about where the grocery money is going to come from as Marie does in No Matter What. "I need grocery money. Don't be cheap this time." (Page 94) Economic stress can lead to many things in a person's life. Economic stability has a lot to do with the happiness and comfort ability of ones life. Mrs. Kearny came from an economically comfortable background and therefore entered into a marriage with which she would again be economically comfortable. "She had been educated in a high-class convent where she learned French and music." (Page 139) Marie Giovanni came from a poor economic background and consequently married into another poor economic family. In my essay, I will compare the lives of Mrs. K

When one does not have the extra worry of money to think about, life can almost seem a little easier. Financial issues in a family can lead to major problems, especially between husband and wife. Financial issues are actually one of the leading causes of divorce. In No Matter What, Marie is very unsatisfied with her economic status in life. Marie always dreamed of being something more than she became. "Mama says her life isn't what she wanted it be." (Page 74) Besides other problems Marie might have with her husband, Paulie, she feels that life with her lover, Patrick, will take her out of the economic poverty that she lives in. She feels that Patrick is more financially stable than she and Paulie are because he buys her gifts such as Chanel No. 5 and gives her children money just to play the jukebox or get ice cream. "He's generous that way. Always has some change if we want an ice cream or some little thing. That's one of the things Mama loves most about him." (Page 45) In a reality that Marie does not want to face is that she is not going to get the economic status she wants by running off to the so-called "Happy Town" and being with Patrick.

Unlike Marie who constantly worried about how the month's bills were going to be paid, Mrs. Kearny had the ability to spend thoughtlessly on items such as a beautiful new dress for her daughter. "Mrs. Kearney bought some lovely blush-pink charmeuse in Brown Thomas's to let into the front of Kathleen's dress. It cost a pretty penny...." (Page 142) Mrs. Kearney is quite set in her financial

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1050
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)