The Women We Become: Myths, Folktales, and Stories About Growing Older
To be seen as an old woman is to risk being seen as a crone or a hag, Ann Thomas claims inThe Women We Become.Nowadays, these titles serve as insults, she says, contributing to the oppression and self-loathing that aging women have felt for generations. By returning to the framework of ancient folklore and mythology (when hag and crone implied status and power), Thomas helps women reexamine the contemporary aging process. Although this is a grounded discussion of growing old, the gifted storytelling and rich imagery (such as snow maidens, lichen trees, snakes, and spindles) breathe solace and inspiration into the hearts of older women.