Linda Pastan Women

962 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Role of a female in society

Societies Expectations on Women
Society has been placing unrealistic expectations on women throughout history. Women are expected to be “perfect” in everything they do. If they weren't “perfect” they would be criticized in almost every way, and they wouldn’t be accepted into society. Men have been given a higher value in society, while women are seen as inferior to men. Women are expected to care for the home and to be completely devoted to their husbands. Throughout history, women have been treated as second class citizens. One only has to look at any place and time to see how women are treated, and to see that society has not really changed even today. The poems “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy, “Marks” by Linda Pastan, and “Suicide Note” by …show more content…

The title of the poem “Marks” is a metaphor for “grades” that she receives from her family. She is constantly being judged by her family, by them giving her grades on her performance. The metaphor of the grading scale, helps to illustrate how her family is constantly judging her. In the first line of the poem, her husband gives her “an A/ for last night’s supper,/ an incomplete for my ironing/ a B plus in bed”(Pastan 1048). The grades that her husband has given her are not really grades, but a metaphor for being disparaged. He expects her to be “perfect” in everything that she does. Her daughter passes judgment upon her mother “My daughter believes in Pass/Fail and tells me I pass”(Pastan 1048). Even though her daughter said that she “passes”, the fact of it is, is that she is being judged at all. Her son said that she is an “average” mother, “...but if / I put my mind to it/ I could improve.”(pastan 1048). Throughout this poem we have seen the different grading systems which represent all of the expectations that she must meet. If she does not meet the standards of her family she was belittled. In the very last line of the poem she said “I’m dropping out”(Pastan 1048). She could no longer take the criticisms, the “grades” that her family was giving her. Not to mention her family’s expectations of her were too high, and she did not …show more content…

Before she ended her life she wrote about what she was feeling and what she thought about in her “suicide note” to her parents. No matter how hard she worked and tried, she could never meet the expectations of her parents. She is so ashamed that she could not be “perfect” that she believed that she was “not good enough /not pretty enough/ not smart enough”(Mirikitani 751). This is repeated throughout the poem, which helps to emphasize her state of mind. She apologizes to her parents by saying "dear mother and father./ I apologize/ for disappointing you./ I've worked very hard,/ not good enough/ harder, perhaps to please you."(Mirikitani

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast The Samurai's Memory And The Suicide Note

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    However, because of her parents always said to her that she is not good enough of getting less than a perfect four-point grade average. Nevertheless, in the poem it stated, “dear mother and father. I apologize for disappointing you. I have worked very hard, not good enough”, which her parent made the made the whole atmosphere for their daughter worse because she is already way over her head. Also, She feels stressed and pressured, which one-day, she was on the edge of her emotion and led to her to jump to her death from her dorm window. This affected me as a reader because I am also an Asian-American student, if my parents told me and give me pressure that I have to always get a four-point average grade I think I would go crazy and probably do the same thing as she

    Read More

  • Comparing A Raisin In The Sun And Ibsen's A Doll House

    1255 Words  | 3 Pages

    Women and men are not equal. Never have been, and it is hard to believe that they ever will be. Sexism permeates the lives of women from the day they are born. Women are either trying to fit into the “Act Like a Lady” box, they are actively resisting the same box, or sometimes both. The experience of fitting in the box and resisting the box can be observed in two plays: Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” and Henrick Ibsen’s “A Doll House”. In Hansberry’s play, initially, Beneatha seems uncontrolled and independent, but by the end she is controlled and dependent; whereas, in Ibsen’s play Nora seems controlled and dependent at the beginning of the play, but by the end she is independent and free.

    Read More

  • Instrumentality, Denial Of Subjectivity And Ownership By Linda Pastan

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    Did you know that according to a recent study, approximately one in ten girls have been victims of rape or forced sexual acts? In other words, women and girls are seen and reduced to their bodies, rather than human beings. Even girls are forced to be treated as objects, and are oppressed at a young age. This is an ongoing issue, as women across the globe are being objectified. This is also true in family life. Men treat women as if they were something that they have a right to own and use, which is toxic for both sides of the relationship. Linda Pastan, in her poem Marks, finds that instrumentality, denial of subjectivity, and ownership cause the narrator to rethink and reject her

    Read More

  • Femininity and Gender Roles in Films The Graduate and The Last Picture Show

    2103 Words  | 5 Pages

    Women in today’s society seem to be having a very difficult time expressing themselves without dealing with lots of criticism. Common values are standing in the way of women’s drive toward molding themselves into whatever they desire. Our culture has made standards about how should women look, act, and conduct themselves that greatly limits what they can do, and still gain respect. Martin S. Fiebert and Mark W. Meyer state that, “[there are] more negative [gender] stereotypes for men than for women.” This idea doesn’t seem to have a great amount of validity in our present society. Society set certain standards that men are supposed to live up to such as strength and confidence, which are more behavioral characteristics. Women seem to be more trapped than men by societies standards because they are supposed to live up to standards dealing with beauty and size, which are more physical characteristics These specific guidelines have been set by society that are sometimes unattainable for a majority of women. The women that follow the specific criteria are greatly respected, and the ones that try and be innovative usually are criticized if not disliked.

    Read More

  • Janice Mirikitani Suicide Note Summary

    294 Words  | 1 Pages

    In “Suicide Note”, Janice Mirikitani uses an apologetic voice to express the young woman's struggle with the unreachable standards bestowed on herself. She begins the poem with a direct apology to her parents. She feels that no matter how much work she does, it will never be enough to satisfy her family. The repetition of “not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough” emphasizes the loss of dignity. If she was a boy life would be so much easier. She could show her talents through work, instead of through grades. The expectation begin to take a toll on her identity. She writes, “Each failure, a glacier.” This illustrates the forceful impacts that will eventually lead to her death. As she stands on the ledge she compares herself to

    Read More

  • Sheryl Sandberg: The Feminist Movements

    1193 Words  | 3 Pages

    Women have been an important role in society whether or not it is not remarked to the public eye. Oppression against women is never-ending along with violent acts constantly being pursued on them for over a century which is not only crucial but it is lessening their value worldwide. The suggestion of women’s emotions being a barrier for them to be equal to men is falsified, there is not one predicament that prevent a woman from being equal than a

    Read More

  • Examples Of Gender Discrimination In How To Kill A Mockingbird

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    From gender delegations, gender discrimination, and gender shaming the world is messed up place. From Scout, to the Flappers, to Leelah Alcorn nobody seemed to show any remorse towards the discrimination of any of them. Whether its society, the friends, or even the parents everyone seems to follows society’s gender guidelines and they beat up on who doesn’t no matter who they are, even if it drives them to the point of suicide. When society admits a gender rule everyone is pushed to follow this guideline and if they don’t well, from what it seems like they should just kill themselves unless they change. Similar to Scout, she was perfectly fine dressing like a boy, acting like a boy, and playing with boys until her Aunt installed these insecurities in her head to make her change her views and essentially herself. Society seems to always get it’s

    Read More

  • The Yellow Wallpaper and A Doll’s House

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    In society, there has always been a gap between men and women. Women are generally expected to be homebodies, and seen as inferior to their husbands. The man is always correct, as he is more educated, and a woman must respect the man as they provide for the woman’s life. During the Victorian Era, women were very accommodating to fit the “house wife” stereotype. Women were to be a representation of love, purity and family; abandoning this stereotype would be seen as churlish living and a depredation of family status. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Henry Isben’s play A Doll's House depict women in the Victorian Era who were very much menial to their husbands. Nora Helmer, the protagonist in A Doll’s House and the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” both prove that living in complete inferiority to others is unhealthy as one must live for them self. However, attempts to obtain such desired freedom during the Victorian Era only end in complications.

    Read More

  • Gender in the Work Force

    1241 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... history, it is proven that gender changes along with social, political, and cultural change. Despite all, many women continue to face other kinds of discrimination. Women continue to experience sexism, the idea of traditional gender roles. Women are still thought to be more involved in taking care of their children and the household. Women often face unconscious stereotypes in the workplace as well. In some cases, women have a less change of obtaining better, and higher paying jobs. Women often don’t get promoted to higher positions in office, despite their qualifications and experiences. Female candidates running for public office experience forms of sexism as well. The variations and adaptions of society are evidence that reinforce the idea that gender is formed under social construction rather than the essence from biology alone.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles and Stereotypes Explored in Judy Mann's The Difference and Bernard Lefkowitz's Our Guys

    1623 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...only accepted stereotypes are not based in reality at all, and that these stereotypes are harmful to everyone, not just the victims of being typecast. This conclusion is correct in all senses. Judy Mann’s book shows that the only real difference between men and women are their reproductive organs (24). Many professionals support this fact, but not society. Bernard Lefkowitz’s retelling of what happened to the young girl in Glen Ridge, New Jersey shows that believing that women are inferior can have terrifying repercussions. Society’s perception of people and the practice of labeling based on gender must be eliminated in order for women and men to live equally. These books simply help to make more people aware of the problem, which is only part of the solution.

    Read More

  • American Women In The 1950's

    974 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the Mid Century of the 1900’s to today, women have strived to be noticed and respected by society; and to be a part of a world with little confidence and many insecurities leads to wanting more and stepping out of the box that society builds to keep traditions alive.

    Read More

  • Comparing A Doll's House And Hills Like White Elephants

    1941 Words  | 4 Pages

    As women, there has always been an issue with equality between themselves and men. Even though there has been a significant amount of progress in the United States throughout the years, there are women that still suffer with equal rights around the world. In A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates, and “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, there are many aspects throughout them that relate to each other in numerous ways. The main theme between them is the way woman are treated and how they appear to be less equal of the men in their lives. Even though men are presumed to be the more dominate gender, women should be just as equal socially, financially, and academically, and not feel pressured by men. For the women and girl in A Doll’s House, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, and “Hills Like White Elephants”, they suffer with the idea of feeling compelled to do what the men say and follow his direction of how their life should be.

    Read More

  • Allan Johnson The Gender Knot Analysis

    1115 Words  | 3 Pages

    “There is a double standard here that shapes our perceptions of men and women in ways that support patriarchy as a system. What is culturally valued is associated with masculinity and maleness and what is devalued is associated with femininity and femaleness, regardless of the reality of men’s and women’s lives”,( Johnson 64). In the movie Mona Lisa Smile, Betty’s mother was pressurizing Betty to make her husband read a poem at the wedding not just to act like he enjoyed the marriage but mainly because it was a tradition for men. When Betty said she didn’t care about it, her mother refused and still insisted that she should do it. Women are looked down upon when it comes to the assignment of gender roles and this is because of labels that the society has placed on the female gender. In a home, the father is always the head of the home, providing food and clothing for every family member but there are some women who like to be independent and would also love to work and make money and cater for the family. In the 19th century, women were told they were home makers and were not allowed to endeavor further in higher educational studies. Wellesley College was a college built to raise future wives and not future leaders meaning that society had already placed women below the ladder without any intention or thoughts of them climbing back

    Read More

  • Gender Identity Essay

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    Society’s gender infrastructure has changed since the 1920’s and the nineteen amendment that allowed women the right to vote. Or so we thought, many of the gender expectations that were engraved into our early society still remain intact today. Women for many people still mean an immaterial, negligible, and frivolous part of our society. However, whatever the meaning of the word women one has, the same picture is always painted; that of a housewife, mother, and daughter. Women are expected to fallow the structural identity of living under her husband 's submissions. Threatening the social norm of what is accepted to be a woman in society can put in jeopardy the personal reputation of a woman, such treating her as a whore. But, what happens

    Read More

  • Social Construction of Gender

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    middle of paper ... ... women know and think that if they don’t act or behave to their expectations they will. looked down upon and possibly neglected by their family and society. To avoid losing friends and family, most male and female, construct their own role in their life.

    Read More

More about Linda Pastan Women

Open Document