Similarities Between Rebecca Clark And Virginia Woolf
Feminism has expanded and been given more attention in recent years. Women are seeking equality in all parts of society, including wage gaps, careers, and in marriages. There are different opinions and interpretations of the word feminism, as seen in the works of Mary Wollstonecraft and Virginia Woolf, as well as writer Chimamanda Adichie. Over time, feminists have gained new views alongside the changing society. I decided to conduct an interview with Rebecca Clark, who is currently employed at Averett University, about feminism and the role it has played in her life. Dr. Rebecca Clark was born in Danville, Virginia, where she graduated from George Washington High School. Dr. Clark completed her first four years of college at Stratford
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University and then transferred to Arizona State University to receive master’s and doctorate’s degrees in Sociology. She lived in Arizona for 17 years, but then moved back to Danville to teach. Dr. Clark has been working at Averett since 1989, when she became a sociology professor, but is now retired. She recently took on the responsibility of faculty athletic mentor (FAM) for the volleyball team at Averett, but she considers herself an avid supporter of all Averett University athletics. Dr. Clark is not married and lives at home with her dog Boomer. She loves to travel, and has been to several countries, including France, Germany, The Netherlands, South Africa, and Russia. Dr. Clark also enjoys reading and used to crochet in her free time. She is a very educated woman, is very informed about society, and has been a close family friend for about 15 years. I began the interview by asking Dr. Clark her views on feminism and if she considered herself a feminist. She responded by saying, “In some ways, I think I am more of a humanist than a feminist. I think all people are important and should be treated equally.” She still believes women should be treated no less of an equal than men, but also that every race and ethnicity should not be discriminated against. I went on to ask, “At any point in your life, have you ever felt marginalized for being a woman? If so, describe any particular instance” (Clark). She said she had felt marginalized multiple times in her life, but she only described one of the situations. She said, “A man had made a suggestion that I had made previously and was ignored, and all of a sudden it was the greatest idea ever” (Clark). While she did not elaborate on the suggestion that was made, I could tell she was not pleased with the fact that a man had received credit for something that was originally her idea. Clark’s contemporary view on feminism is very different than that of Wollstonecraft, who actually criticized women for not getting an education. Wollstonecraft was telling other women what they should be doing to better their lives, but Clark is just an advocate for all human rights. These views are similar to those of Adichie, who wishes for “a fairer world, a world of happier men and happier women who are truer to themselves” (Adichie). The man that Clark was talking about was paid more attention to because he was a man, which is related to Adichie’s story about being ignored at several restaurants and other vicinities in Lagos because she was a woman and not expected to have money. The next question I asked Dr. Clark was “Are there any areas of life that you think you value more because you are female, such as marriage, career, children, or current events?” She said that, “as far as feminism is concerned, it has probably done more for women career wise” (Clark). She is still emphasizing her belief in being a humanist rather than a feminist, but answered the question as it relates to the genders only. As seen in Shakespeare’s Sister, women were not given the same opportunities as men in the workforce (Woolf). Even if the women were just as gifted as the men, as Judith was gifted in writing plays like her brother Shakespeare, they were not offered the same jobs that the men were. In modern times, women do more than tend to household chores; they work in the medical field, are authors, and can hold positions in politics. The more contemporary issues revolve around women earning the same amount of money for having the same occupation as men. Dr. Clark agreed. I asked her, “Are there any issues today important to you as a woman? What are these issues and do you feel the need for reform?” She said equal pay is still an important issue in today’s society, and she feels the need for an equal rights amendment because she believes it could cause other things to come into play for women (Clark). In modern society, it takes more than just physical strength in order to become a leader. One must be creative and educated (Adichie). Women are not required to marry in order to become someone, which was a common belief during the era that Wollstonecraft lived in. While Dr. Clark stated that reform should be focused on equal pay, Wollstonecraft focused more on female education. Feminism is centralized around the idea that there should be “political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” (“Feminism”). Many women have felt degraded at least once in their lifetime, leading them to become a feminist in some way or another. The next question I asked Dr. Clark was if there were any circumstances in her lifetime where she felt empowered because she was a woman. She thought about it for about ten seconds, and said, “I can’t think of anything right off the top of my head” (Clark). If someone had asked Wollstonecraft or Woolf the same question, they would have more than likely answered with a no, as well. In the late 18th century, women were uneducated and would normally live according to societal norms, but there were few who publicly spoke about this issue. Wollstonecraft’s primary goal was to persuade women to fight for reform in order to earn more respect. Even in the 19th century, during the time of Woolf, women were still struggling for equality. Woolf believed she wrote pieces of literature that were just as good as men’s, but she would not be recognized because of her gender. The final interview question that I asked was, “Is or are there any women that you believe you owe your triumphs and successes to?” Dr. Clark said that she would have to say it was her mother who made her the person she was today. I then followed up this question by asking why her mother was such a significant figure in her life, and she said, “She was always a working mother and I think she served for me as a role model there” (Clark). Many progresses have been made over time concerning feminism, the role it plays in society, and what it has done for women.
In the time of Wollstonecraft, women would have to be married with children in order to be somebody. They were not necessarily given the opportunity to become educated like people today. With Woolf, the main issue was how women were not given equal opportunities if they were just as smart, if not smarter, than men. She wrote how a woman with the same intelligence as a man would not be given the same acknowledgement as a male. The most common current issue among feminists appears to be the wage gap that is present. Throughout the entire discussion, in class and through my gender criticism interview, about feminism, I noticed a strong feministic opinion concerning occupation and relationships, both personal and professional. Women began by writing how they felt about women’s rights, then expanded by vocally expressing their views. Women now have the right to an education, having the same occupation as men, and have overcome the societal norms that they were expected to have regarding household chores and marriages. I have definitely gained a better understanding of feminism and how it has changed throughout history, as well as how different people view modern feminism. Dr. Rebecca Clark, whom is very educated and had the chance to see how women live in various countries, agrees with the idea of equality for the sexes, as well as everyone
else.
Works Cited
Adichie, Chimamanda. “We Should All Be Feminists.” TED Talk, November 2012.
Clark, Rebecca. Personal interview. 08 September 2017.
“Feminism.” Def. 1. Merriam-Webster Online, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2017.
Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Women. 1792.
Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One’s Own. 1929.
University and then transferred to Arizona State University to receive master’s and doctorate’s degrees in Sociology. She lived in Arizona for 17 years, but then moved back to Danville to teach. Dr. Clark has been working at Averett since 1989, when she became a sociology professor, but is now retired. She recently took on the responsibility of faculty athletic mentor (FAM) for the volleyball team at Averett, but she considers herself an avid supporter of all Averett University athletics. Dr. Clark is not married and lives at home with her dog Boomer. She loves to travel, and has been to several countries, including France, Germany, The Netherlands, South Africa, and Russia. Dr. Clark also enjoys reading and used to crochet in her free time. She is a very educated woman, is very informed about society, and has been a close family friend for about 15 years. I began the interview by asking Dr. Clark her views on feminism and if she considered herself a feminist. She responded by saying, “In some ways, I think I am more of a humanist than a feminist. I think all people are important and should be treated equally.” She still believes women should be treated no less of an equal than men, but also that every race and ethnicity should not be discriminated against. I went on to ask, “At any point in your life, have you ever felt marginalized for being a woman? If so, describe any particular instance” (Clark). She said she had felt marginalized multiple times in her life, but she only described one of the situations. She said, “A man had made a suggestion that I had made previously and was ignored, and all of a sudden it was the greatest idea ever” (Clark). While she did not elaborate on the suggestion that was made, I could tell she was not pleased with the fact that a man had received credit for something that was originally her idea. Clark’s contemporary view on feminism is very different than that of Wollstonecraft, who actually criticized women for not getting an education. Wollstonecraft was telling other women what they should be doing to better their lives, but Clark is just an advocate for all human rights. These views are similar to those of Adichie, who wishes for “a fairer world, a world of happier men and happier women who are truer to themselves” (Adichie). The man that Clark was talking about was paid more attention to because he was a man, which is related to Adichie’s story about being ignored at several restaurants and other vicinities in Lagos because she was a woman and not expected to have money. The next question I asked Dr. Clark was “Are there any areas of life that you think you value more because you are female, such as marriage, career, children, or current events?” She said that, “as far as feminism is concerned, it has probably done more for women career wise” (Clark). She is still emphasizing her belief in being a humanist rather than a feminist, but answered the question as it relates to the genders only. As seen in Shakespeare’s Sister, women were not given the same opportunities as men in the workforce (Woolf). Even if the women were just as gifted as the men, as Judith was gifted in writing plays like her brother Shakespeare, they were not offered the same jobs that the men were. In modern times, women do more than tend to household chores; they work in the medical field, are authors, and can hold positions in politics. The more contemporary issues revolve around women earning the same amount of money for having the same occupation as men. Dr. Clark agreed. I asked her, “Are there any issues today important to you as a woman? What are these issues and do you feel the need for reform?” She said equal pay is still an important issue in today’s society, and she feels the need for an equal rights amendment because she believes it could cause other things to come into play for women (Clark). In modern society, it takes more than just physical strength in order to become a leader. One must be creative and educated (Adichie). Women are not required to marry in order to become someone, which was a common belief during the era that Wollstonecraft lived in. While Dr. Clark stated that reform should be focused on equal pay, Wollstonecraft focused more on female education. Feminism is centralized around the idea that there should be “political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” (“Feminism”). Many women have felt degraded at least once in their lifetime, leading them to become a feminist in some way or another. The next question I asked Dr. Clark was if there were any circumstances in her lifetime where she felt empowered because she was a woman. She thought about it for about ten seconds, and said, “I can’t think of anything right off the top of my head” (Clark). If someone had asked Wollstonecraft or Woolf the same question, they would have more than likely answered with a no, as well. In the late 18th century, women were uneducated and would normally live according to societal norms, but there were few who publicly spoke about this issue. Wollstonecraft’s primary goal was to persuade women to fight for reform in order to earn more respect. Even in the 19th century, during the time of Woolf, women were still struggling for equality. Woolf believed she wrote pieces of literature that were just as good as men’s, but she would not be recognized because of her gender. The final interview question that I asked was, “Is or are there any women that you believe you owe your triumphs and successes to?” Dr. Clark said that she would have to say it was her mother who made her the person she was today. I then followed up this question by asking why her mother was such a significant figure in her life, and she said, “She was always a working mother and I think she served for me as a role model there” (Clark). Many progresses have been made over time concerning feminism, the role it plays in society, and what it has done for women.
In the time of Wollstonecraft, women would have to be married with children in order to be somebody. They were not necessarily given the opportunity to become educated like people today. With Woolf, the main issue was how women were not given equal opportunities if they were just as smart, if not smarter, than men. She wrote how a woman with the same intelligence as a man would not be given the same acknowledgement as a male. The most common current issue among feminists appears to be the wage gap that is present. Throughout the entire discussion, in class and through my gender criticism interview, about feminism, I noticed a strong feministic opinion concerning occupation and relationships, both personal and professional. Women began by writing how they felt about women’s rights, then expanded by vocally expressing their views. Women now have the right to an education, having the same occupation as men, and have overcome the societal norms that they were expected to have regarding household chores and marriages. I have definitely gained a better understanding of feminism and how it has changed throughout history, as well as how different people view modern feminism. Dr. Rebecca Clark, whom is very educated and had the chance to see how women live in various countries, agrees with the idea of equality for the sexes, as well as everyone
else.
Works Cited
Adichie, Chimamanda. “We Should All Be Feminists.” TED Talk, November 2012.
Clark, Rebecca. Personal interview. 08 September 2017.
“Feminism.” Def. 1. Merriam-Webster Online, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2017.
Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Women. 1792.
Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One’s Own. 1929.