Analysis

• 1 "Summer is fading"


  -shows passing of time and losing the warmth

  -metaphor for happiness and how it's lost over time

  -also suggests that once the women become mothers they won't be happy

  -implies it happens imperceptibly (they don't notice it)
• 2 "Young mothers assemble"


  -adjective "young" shows that women are pressured into having kids early

  -this also shows that it's looked down upon to have kids later/older

  -verb "assemble" shows it's an order and almost robotic

  -the mothers can't do anything except take care of the children

  -could also suggest that there is always someone who controls them or has power over their lives

  -furthermore, shows the lack of friendships between mothers
• 3 "Behind them, at intervals, stand husbands in skilled trades"


  -suggesting women take care of the children and that the husband isn't involved

  -therefore the parents don't see each other much

  -pronoun "them" shows the lack of identity of the mothers

  -use of noun "husbands" instead of fathers, shows the lack of father in a child's life and they aren't expected to do so

  -phrase "skilled trades" implies that women don't have any skills only men do, women are viewed as unintelligent
• 4 "And the albums, lettered Our Wedding"

  -reminiscing their romance

  -shows their relationship has been abandoned, the mothers is busy taking care of children and husbands are away at work

  -phrase "Our Wedding" implies that the author is mocking them as he believed weddings are pointless

  -also implies that you have to be married before having children, that was the societal expectation and it was frowned upon to do otherwise
• 4 "Expect to be taken home"


  -shows the routine they have, it's the same everyday

  -verb "expect" implies that the children are demanding their mothers

  -this shows how women are powerless and that they have to do anything their family wants

  -also suggests the big expectations for women, that are impossible to live up to
• 6 "Something is pushing them to the side of their own lives"


  -shows that something is ruining their lives and they're oblivious to it

  -pronoun "something" shows they don't know what it is

  -verb "pushing" suggests the women don't have a choice, they're forced to do whatever they're told

  -and again highlights how powerless women are