Dominant Dames

Today’s readings addressed the question brought up in our last class,- what is the main factor behind the fear of the collapse? Well, the answer contradicts our initial view on the role of women in the domus-based society. The relationship with power in the domus is not as relative to gender as age is, which is seen through many examples, especially in the brotherhood. As a woman gets older, she is expected to start a family. Only when she starts one does she gain more authority. This power is as a result of the increased respect and responsibility received as the title of a mother. I have similar experiences to the single women in the domus. As an only child of a conservative family, I was raised in an overly protective manner. Scared for the worst, my parents paid for a babysitter until I was a junior in High School. I’m pretty sure a main reason for my upbringing is because I am female. Presently, I am seldom allowed to attend sleepovers, and have a curfew. Oh, and did I mention that I’m not allowed to have a boyfriend until I graduate college?

As for the answer to the initial question, because the domus is actually centered around a matriarch, a reliance is present on that figure to maintain the Italian traditions within the generations that bear the same family name, specifically from the eldest immigrated Italian mother. The issue of keeping and exerting the domus arises as first generation Italian Americans are given more of that responsibility. It is no wonder then, that the devotions to the Madonna of Mt. Carmel parallel the domus life in America. The celebration of the Madonna serves a haven, keeping the flame of tradition alive, as well as unifying the Italian community as a family.