Women play many roles in life: from mother to leader, from caretaker to evildoer. It is easy to see that the world could not development without women. In a similar fashion, women in literature also play important roles. The roles which women play can always push the plot forward. It is obvious to see how important women’s roles are, how the roles influence this story and how those roles make readers think deeply in the most literature. In Oryx and Crake, women’s roles are that of: mothers of the main protagonist, in which case they influence their child; objects of sexual service, which always represents the temptation and they are puppets used by evildoers to do something horrible and hurt others without purpose.…
These two books determine the status and role of women during the early 20th century. I want to Interpret the stereotypes of women during the late 19th century, explore the different literary devices used in both texts, compare the similarities and differences between these two stories, and also describe the women's obligations to society in that time period.…
The purpose of this essay is to look at how the two protagonist women, Offred from “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Celie from “The Color Purple” are treated in literature. This essay aims to answer the question: “How are the two protagonist women Offred from “The handmaid’s tale” and Celie from “The Color Purple” oppressed by the circumstances, the society they live in and the men in their lives and in what ways are their situations are similar?”, focusing on the similarities between their situations and how they deal with the pressure and abuse. Both authors are particularly strong women in literature who write about the oppression of two women within society. The two protagonist women, Offred and Celie, were selected because they live within similar circumstances in which they are subjugated and abused by men. The situations of the two women will be examined, compared and contrasted. The conclusion I arrived at, is that both female protagonist women suffer from oppression and abuse by the men in their lives. The two women suffer from the subjugation and live within similar circumstances in which they are exploited by their functions, surroundings and their situation. Even though both women face many difficulties and struggle to emerge as women, they grow stronger and gain strength in their lives throughout time. Research was carried out on the internet, through literary study guides and other people’s literary criticisms. The other people’s literary criticisms were not particularly useful, since they did not concentrate on the protagonists situation and oppression, but focused merely on how the literary works could be examined and interpreted and what the author’s intentions were. However, what I found out how…
Suggestion for The Reader: How are women portrayed in the novel? Why might this be?…
The submissive natures of the main female characters result from society’s oppression of sectors. Although Caroline and Elizabeth both display qualities worthy of praise, they nevertheless succumb to the need for male protection. After witnessing Caroline’s mourning…
In the light of this comment, compare and contrast the presentation of central female characters in the two novels you have studied.…
The two stories are very similar in the sense that they are trying to represent how women were repressed…
Response to Question 4 After reading Judith Butler's quote, what I think she is essentially saying is that drag is when one gender dresses and acts like the other; copying the characteristics of that gender. Drag is typically the "male" emulating an overdone "female,” almost satirical. It is not done out of spite but rather as a celebration of both genders. She also touches upon the fact that gender is nothing but an impersonation. Our gender is ultimately decided by how we act, dress and live our lives.…
Patriarchy is a society system larger than oneself. It is more than a collection of individualistic ideas, or individuals themselves, but is something larger. It tends to be organized around certain kinds of social relationships and ideas, often creating and placing limits on social relationships while generating a shared understanding of what is supposed to happen, what is allowed, and what is expected of individual behavior within that system. Patriarchy is affected only by making individual choices of how each person chooses to participate or act within its expectations, relationships, and combined understandings. Those unwritten elements have been generated and nurtured by that same patriarchic system, thereby shaping and directing the accepted actions, behaviors and experiences of its individuals. While acknowledging and identifying the limiting restrictions that exist, each person must make a conscience effort to act in a way that is not ordinarily acceptable within that system, which is taking the path of least resistance or, “going with the flow”. Our individual choices for independent action or behavior are the only methods for creating acceptable and positive change against an oppressive patriarchic system within our society. Race, gender, ethnicity, age, and class are social characteristics deemed major categories in which patriarchy is based thereby needing increased individualistic awareness and personal action for change.…
Malcolm X once warned of the power of the media, “societal oppression” and its ramifications. Ignominiously, within today's society young people live up to labels handed to them, and wear them as badges of honour, suffer poverty, oppression within the education and penal system, and are constantly fighting for status in a very bigoted society, where the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. The author argues that a chauvinistic society, the lack of culpability, uninspiring media reporting which remain relentless, and the antagonistic systems which remain aloof to socially excluded young people, have contributed to the rise of the ”new aged gangs”, thus creating a “them and us” culture. A culture with the ability to become a social norm.…
understanding and interpretation of how women were treated in the time that this book was…
This view is held by Radical feminists, they believe that patriarchy is society is the reason that women are oppressed and exploited by men, and Marxists for example hold the view that the capitalist system is the reason for the gender inequality. Feminists believe that women are unequal to men, and as a result society benefits men whilst exploiting men. Feminist investigate the effects that this inequality has on women’s power, status, roles and life chances. They believe that gender inequality is socially constructed an example is gender roles; these are taught to children at very young ages and encourage these gender inequalities to become part of society’s norms. The different type of feminists believe different reasons for gender inequality, there are liberal, radical Marxist and postmodern feminists, radical are arguably the most extreme and controversial feminist group.…
In the two books, setting plays a huge role in understanding the characters and books. Susan Glaspell’s novel is written in 1921, when feminism was arising. Women were seeking for their rights and wanted equal treatment as men. Claire, her main character gets chastised for not doing her feminine role, which was to take care of her family, loving her daughter, and doing household duties. Claire is obsessed with her experiment but a man would not be rebuked if he acts same as Claire does because in the era, when the story was written, only women were restrained. The common belief in 1920s is women should be in house, caring…
Great response Quinne! You have provided some interesting reflections on the idea of whiteness. Your statement “racism is a system of oppression” is extremely true. We live in a world where societal inequalities exist and where races are discriminated against, not treated fairly, and oppressed. In addition, there are also groups of people who are advantaged and receive benefits and privileges that are unearned and unfair. Wouldn’t life be great if we valued and respected people regardless of identities such as gender, race, age, religion, and nationality? In this dream world, everyone would have equitable access to resources and opportunities and would be able to live out their full potential. Sadly, this is the not the case resulting…
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, "ADDRESS ON WOMAN 'S RIGHTS" (September 1848) Belinda A. Stillion Southard University of Maryland Abstract: This essay attends to the transformative power of Elizabeth Cady Stanton 's first major public speech, in which she grounds her arguments in natural rights, adopts an embellished speaking style, and employs a narrative form in her conclusion to invite her audience to participate in her prophetic vision of massive transformation. The ideological tensions promoted in Stanton 's Address on Woman 's Rights speech persisted throughout the woman 's rights movement into the twentieth century. Key Words: natural rights, morality, sentimental style, prophetic persona Elizabeth Cady Stanton is considered the "greatest speaker" of the early woman 's rights movement.1 She helped organize the first woman 's rights convention, she drafted and presented the first woman 's rights charter, and she founded multiple woman 's rights organizations, remaining in the public eye as a leader of the movement for more than fifty years. Thus, her first formal public address, "Address on Woman 's Rights," delivered in 1848, is a key text not only for understanding early woman 's rights ideology, but also for understanding what drove one of our nation 's most prominent social movement leaders. This study takes a historical approach to illuminate the transformative power of Stanton 's first major public speech, her "Address on Woman 's Rights, 1848." To that end, I situate the address within the gendered context of 1848, detailing the social, political, and ideological forces at play in the historical moment. Additionally, I discuss how these forces, along with Stanton 's privileged…