The Fear Of Catholic Patriarchy, By Angeline Sauve

Angeline Sauvé is trapped by catholic patriarchy and the fear of Madonna Whore syndrome. After all her church upbringing taught her to believe that morality is all she ever needed in her life. Yet it takes a whore like Pierrette Guerin to make her question the boundaries and unrealistic standers of catholic morality via clubbing. Yet a “liberated” Angeline would never be truly free, after all whore’s maudite vie plaite are always worse than saints. Angeline’s guidance has always been delivered by priest and nuns, servants of the holy god above. As a young girl raised by nuns she was raised to believe that marriage and motherhood are the only holy path for a women. Though in the present, surrounded by the mothers
I work like a demon. I don’t stop til noon. I wash… Dresses, shirts, stockings, sweaters, pants, underpants, bras. The works. I scrub it, wring it out, scrub it again, rinse it…. My hands are chapped. My back is sore. I curse like hell. At noon, the kids come home. They eat like pigs, they wreck the house, they leave. In the afternoon I hang out the wash, the biggest pain of all. When that’s finished, I start the supper. They all come home. They’re tired and grumpy. We all fight. But at night, we watch TV. Tuesday. P.12-13 Angeline understands that motherly slaves stuck in their maudite vie plaite are much holier in the eyes of the church. Little does she release the deep rooted patriarchy grounded in the path of “morality” after all how can a male priest vowed to never marry give advice on eternal marriage? How can a saintly nun be held to a Madonna standard when she’s vowed to celibacy and hasn’t raised children of her own? The patriarchal standards of saintly motherhood are derived from unattainable standards thus keeping Angeline Suave in her maudite vie
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After all Angeline believe in the church’s teaching of holiness being the only requirement for true happiness, with no reason to stray. Yet the environment where she truly feels free from social morality and can make guanine relations comes at a moral price. After all that “one” drink of dance is too heavy a price to pay, especially when society ensures that whores receive the worst maudite vie plaite of them all.

To stay or go boils down to trusting her catholic values or expending her viewpoint on catholic morality. Rheauna and the mothers of the tenement may be key in keeping her in line with the church’s morals, but both are trumped by priests. Father Castelneau “wisdom” just like any holy leader will have the final say concerning her life choices.

ANGELINE:
I went to see Father Castelneau…
DES-NEIGES:
I’m sure it’s to ask forgiveness. After all, Mlle. Sauvé is a good person and she knows what’s right. It’ll all work out for the best, you’ll see.
ANGELINE:
I’ll just say goodbye to Pierrette and explain….
RHEAUNA:
No, you’d best not say another word to her.
Stay with me and leave her alone. That chapter’s closed.
ANGELINE:
Whatever you say.