4 - Depths and Debts of Gratitude

Summary

In Chapter 4, the author highlights the role of morality in camouflaging exploitative aspects of criação. Conceptually, she constructs the idea of a moral assemblage (moral ideologies, beliefs, and repertoires) that persuade filhas de criação to reframe their exploitation as morally righteous and encourages them to forgive, forget, or accept their treatment as second-class family members. Adding complexity to traditional representations, she illustrates how filhas de criação evaluate the morality of white men under the logic of “good masters,” especially when they are juxtaposed with their “evil” wives. Ultimately, the author argues that a strong sense of moral obligation (forged by a complex constellation of practices, discourses, and emotions) provides the justification for filhas de criação to sacrifice everything for the protection and reproduction of their adoptive family members.