What Makes a Mother Goose a Mother Goose?

Mother Goose and Everyday Activities

When Mother Goose is portrayed as human, she is sometimes almost indistinguishable from an ordinary woman. Subtle clues, such as real geese companions, hint at her true identity. If the first five illustrations did not appear in a book of Mother Goose rhymes, would you recognize the character as Mother Goose? Why or why not? Even the black and white image from 1878, although fancifully featuring a goose on the moon, could otherwise be an old woman with her walking stick out for a stroll. Obviously it is not always easy to know “What Makes a Mother Goose a Mother Goose?”

Even versions of Mother Goose as goose often show her engaged in very human activities such as cooking or playing a musical instrument.