Fieldnotes
Reading Reflection
“
Mother’s Love: Death Without Weeping”
Scheper-Hughes notices something and struggles with mother’s reactions during the
baby die-off of 1965 in Bom Jesus, Brazil. Explain her reactions. Would you have
thought the same thing?
Her reaction to all of this was mind bobbling but that still hadn't surprised her. She
understood that over 350 babies died in 1965 die-off, but it was the mothers that she was
surprised about how they brought these children in to the world and just let them go. In
my opinion, if I were in her place I would be pretty upset at the mothers who had brought
these children into this world just to die.
How do poor Brazilian mothers react to their infants’ illnesses and death? How do
other institutions, such as the church, clinic and civil authorities respond? Write
some examples.
The Brazilian mothers do not have much of a reaction, as their baby leaves them it seems
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- Spring '17
- Cultural Anthropology, Mothers, Die-off, poor Brazilian mothers, Brazilian mothers
