If you had told someone 100 years ago that women would have the right to vote, become world scholars, serve in the military, or even run for president, they probably would have laughed in your face and told you that women were good for one thing and one thing only: to be a wife and a mother. Women were meant to be seen and not heard. They were to cook, clean, do laundry, be the perfect wife, and tend to all their husbands' needs. In the story "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid, a mother talks to her daughter about the behaviors of a respectful lady. She advises her daughter that if she behaves inappropriately, she may not receive respect from others in society. Although the mother's tone may seem harsh, it is important to consider the societal norms of the time when the story was written, as women were not always viewed as equal members of society. Flash forward 100 years. Women have been to space, and we have a woman running for president. Currently, 14.6% of our military is female. Men have also taken on more roles within the household, such as cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and even childcare. People would have been baffled if you had told them that there was such a thing as being a stay-at-home dad or even a single dad. With that being said, every household is different. There are many modern-day families in which both parents work, cook, clean, do laundry, and tend to the children.
Not only does the mother in "Girl" teach her daughter to be a classy lady in order to find a man, but she also teaches her daughter to take care of herself. Although it is very bluntly stated, she wants to ensure that her daughter represents herself with nothing but the utmost respect. She wants to make sure that when her daughter leaves the house, she looks like a classy lady. Not only is she teaching her to care for a man, but she is also teaching her to sew on her own buttons and wash her own clothing - skills that everyone should be able to do for themselves, regardless of gender. Her mother taught her all the "tricks" to the world, including how to smile at someone she doesn't like. There may be a reason behind the scolding manner of this story, though.
Some men believe women are inferior to the male species; however, that is not the case. Both men and women are both capable of achieving greatness if given half the chance to do so, unfortunately, this means equality. In “From A Vindication of the Rights of Women”, Mary Wollstonecraft dispenses her thoughts on how unfairly women are treated in the 1700s, in addition to expressing her opinion on the issue in her essay. Wollstonecraft stated that “Men and women must be educated, in a great degree, by the opinions and manners of the society they live in.”, this statement is very true, no matter what times you are living in. Women are unique and equal creatures that can offer many things to society if given the same proper education and training
Brooks was the first child of David and Keziah Brooks. She was born on June 7, 1917 in Topeka, Kansas. Brooks wrote her first poem when she was 13 years old and was published in the children’s. Moreover she was the first black author to win the Pulitzer prize. magazine. In 1938 she was married to Henry Blakely and had two children. After a long battle of cancer Brooks died in December 3, 2000.
...ion. But it has changed after many years, the gender roles of women have changed greatly and women have the right to get an education, get jobs and are not stereotyped as the weaker sex. Women now have gained their independence and have the right to make their own career choices and have a political voice. Women didn't want to just accept their standing in society but instead they wanted to have a voice. During this battle for independence, women now have the right to work and their role in society has become more significant. Much of this came from the rise of feminism with women wanting to be treated equally to men. Nowadays women tend to be more independent. After centuries of conforming to female stereotypes, women have gradually taken control of their own image of equality to the men and are able to face the reality of life on their own, without men's support.
Today, you see women working in large businesses and think nothing of it. Before women had the rights they do today, you wouldn’t see them in large jobs, on television, in movies, or selling and buying property. Women have the rights that they do because of the hard work of many important women, Women’s Rights Conventions, the 19th Amendment, and many other important processes that worked toward women having the same rights as men.
“You are in America, speak English.” As a young child hearing these words, it did not only confuse me but it also made me question my belonging in a foreign country. As a child I struggled with my self-image; Not being Hispanic enough because of my physical appearance and not being welcomed enough in the community I have tried so hard to integrate myself with. Being an immigrant with immigrant parents forces you to view life differently. It drives you to work harder or to change the status quo for the preconceived notion someone else created on a mass of people. Coming to America filled me with anxiety, excitement, and even an unexpected wave of fear.
Among every other country in the world, the United States of America is where people feel the most comfortable place to come and live a better life. Immigrants are people who leave their counties to reside in other counties that are rich and safe to better themselves. Every year people immigrate to the USA for many reasons. Many people are having difficulty living in their native country such as over population, jobless which make the economy so hard. People from outside of the United States think there is peace, love, equality, free education, jobs, good food to stay healthy, but most importantly freedom of speech to express yourself in America. Today, I will only focus on some reasons why people in my country immigrates to America. This is
Women have proven what they are capable of and have shown that they have what it takes to be independent and make a difference in the world. Without the help of any man, we as females will continue to strive to do and be the best that we can. The rights of women from the past to the present have fluctuated tremendously. The only thing left to do now, is to keep moving forward.
...ughter to realize that she is “not a boy” (171) and that she needs to act like a lady. Doing so will win the daughter the respect from the community that her mother wants for her.
In the short story, “Girl,” the narrator describes certain tasks a woman should be responsible for based on the narrator’s culture, time period, and social standing. This story also reflects the coming of age of this girl, her transition into a lady, and shows the age gap between the mother and the daughter. The mother has certain beliefs that she is trying to pass to her daughter for her well-being, but the daughter is confused by this regimented life style. The author, Jamaica Kincaid, uses various tones to show a second person point of view and repetition to demonstrate what these responsibilities felt like, how she had to behave based on her social standing, and how to follow traditional customs.
thinks that no man is good enough for his daughter. Therefore, he pushes anyone who
Analysis of The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks. For this assignment, I chose the poem "The Mother" by Gwendolyn Brooks. This poem is generally about abortion and the feelings a mother has. It's about the remembrance of the children aborted and the little things children do that the mother will miss.
...n her mind is more important than his words. It is an example of the patriarchal society that they live in; although he is her father and has the parental power over her he would most likely not speak to a son in such a demeaning tone. He makes her seem to be slow, as if she cannot carry on a conversation or listen to him, which is quite demeaning.
In the United States, women now have the rights that men have. They are no longer considered property. Friedans writes, “Changeless woman, childish woman, a woman’s place is in the home, they were told. But man was changing; his place was in the world and his world was widening. Woman was being left behind” (Friedans, 532). Women do not have to experience being forced to stay at home while the men go into the workforce and support their family. Women now hold power in the workforce and they continue to grow among that. Recently, a woman ran for President of the United States. In today’s world, women are just as equal as men and will continue to be equal for a long
Throughout most of history women generally have had fewer legal rights and career opportunities than men. Wifehood and motherhood were regarded as women's most significant professions. In the 20th century, however, women won the right to vote and increased their educational and job opportunities. Perhaps most important, they fought for and to a large degree accomplished a reevaluation of traditional views of their role in society.
The role women play in today’s society is a drastic change from the previous role. Women used to be confined to the superiority of the man. Physically, mentally, and emotionally abused, belittled, embarrassed, and silenced. These are just a few examples of the emotion from the isolated treatment of the past. A woman’s role in today’s society is more valued than ever before.