Analysis Of Stepdaughters

How does “Stepdaughters” capture a cultural movement?

“Strength is between us” (Apple, 132). Encapsulated between the social norms of womanhood and the presence of strength in a mother-daughter feud, the daughter, Stephanie, participates in a sport that contradicts her gender according to her mother’s beliefs and intrusions. During the culmination of Stephanie’s athletic build and admiration of the track, her mother, Helen’s, rigid ideology towards woman has conflicted the family dynamic. Stephanie must create her own ideology, central to her values, morals, and inner beauty as she learns the real truth behind her mother’s gender conformist ways. Transitioning into a young adult, Steph must define her own aspects of womanhood through femininity

Consequently, her vision progressively grew more bleak and stubborn, enabling the structure and discipline into Steph’s life. As she tried to utterly express to Steph, “{…} Just while she is blossoming in puberty, she is dewomanizing herself. I would rather have her be a Moonie or a cocaine addict{….} If she loses the core of being a woman, then she’ll end up playing touch football{…..}” Steph is unaffected by her argument (Apple, 137). In fact, she exclaims her truest feelings by maintaining her position, “ That’s an act, what girls are supposed to be like. You should know better, you helped me start Stepdaughters {…..} I want to throw the shot as far as possible” (Apple, 137). As a growing woman, Steph has an absolute right to choose the path other girls may not going into because that’s what make her different. Defending her stature and her sport, she stands in the way of her mother’s total war conquest against her daughter’s

Thus, she is contradicting herself and others around her of her actual stubborn, selfish ambitions. Furthermore, under this control, similar girls like Stephanie will have an identity crisis throughout their grown into adulthood, struggling between what is right and wrong. Especially female athletes, “nurtured” under hostile, strict care can result into conforming into social stereotypes and conventions without expressing your true identity. Specifically in today’s modern culture where women are rebelling more against social norms, it is crucial for athletic teens to create their own aspect of womanhood and what it means to be feminine. Personally, I relate heavily as I have played sports most of my life and have been perceived “manly” as well. Throughout my childhood, it was extremely difficult to look at the pretty girls from afar and not think “What if I were pretty? What would life be like if I were not athletic?” as I stare at my abnormally large biceps. Nevertheless, it was extremely important in my growth to stay true to my true identity as others will follow the robotic, conformist norms that make them insignificant and cliché. If one follows everyone else’s expectations for the next person, then that person might as well deserve to live a depressed life not