Baby Love
BABY LOVE, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A short story about a woman who becomes obsessed with her baby and loses touch with reality. The narrator is trapped in her own home, isolated from the outside world, and becomes increasingly paranoid and delusional as she cares for her child. The story explores themes of motherhood, isolation, and the blurring of reality and fantasy.
By Charlotte Perkins Gilman · First published 1892 · Genre: Feminist Literature, Fiction, Children's Literature · 149 words
First lines
Baby Love came prancing by, Cap on head and sword on thigh, Horse to ride and drum to beat,- All the world beneath his feet.
Mother Life was sitting there, Hard at work and full of care, Set of mouth and sad of eye. Baby Love came prancing by.
Baby Love was very proud, Very lively, very loud; Mother Life arose in wrath, Set an arm across his path.
Baby Love wept loud and long, But his mother's arm was strong. Mother had to work, she said. Baby Love was put to bed.
What this Textopian page supports
Baby Love is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, dated 1892 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Date: 1892 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Feminist Literature, Fiction, Children's Literature, Social Commentary, Psychological Fiction
- Length: 149 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Baby Love by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Baby Love?
- How does this short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Feminist Literature first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- If Mother Knew by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- The Mothers Charge by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- A Common Inference by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Mother To Child Charlotte Perkins Gilman by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- Mother To Child by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- The Child Speaks by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Genres
- Feminist Literature — Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a prominent feminist author during her time. The themes of her works often involve women's issues, irrespective of title.
- Fiction — Given the author's body of work, it is likely that the book involves narratives created from the author's imagination.
- Children's Literature — The title suggests a possibility that the book involves themes centered around a child/baby or motherhood, commonly found under children's literature.
- Social Commentary — Charlotte Perkins Gilman's works often contain evaluations of society and its structures, potentially making it relevant to this genre.
Tags
motherhood · infant · love · gender roles · society · family · nurturing · psychology · feminism · identity · relationships · emotional conflict