Freeman’s “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” identifies the common plight of the married woman of the late 1800s. Her primary concern revolves around the care of her family. She demonstrates her affection for her family regularly by attending to their needs. Even when angry with her husband, she makes his favorite pies because “she would never fail in sedulous attention to his wants” (37). Unfortunately, Adoniram does not afford her the same devotion. When they were married forty years ago, he promised her a house on a particular spot. When she realizes something else is being constructed on that site, she questions Father about it. In response to her question, he says, “I wish you’d go into the house, mother, an’ ‘tend to your own affairs” (35). His statement clearly conveys his sentiment regarding his wife’s position in the family: the inside of the house constitutes her domain; everything else belongs to him. His words also reveal that he does not intend to change his mind about the barn he is building, even if he is reneging on his promise to his wife. His attitude reflects the attitude pervasive of the male gender of the time period that men were in charge. Adoniram allows that concept to guide him to the point that he informed Sammy, his adolescent son, about his plans to build a barn three months before he told his wife. Sarah Penn has just cause to be annoyed with her husband. He has reneged on a promise, one that she has patiently waited forty years for him to fulfill. She again tries to persuade him by pointing out the flaws in the house and pointing out the virtues of their children. This conversation evokes from him the response of “’I ain’t got nothin’ to say’” (38). That reply sums up Mrs. Penn’s circumstances: her husband disregards her feelings.