1. “Both ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and ‘The Bloody Chamber’ deal with the perennial feminist theme of the confinement of women in particular rooms, chambers, houses and roles”. Discuss. This is essay attempt to discuss the role of the women in literature, both about the protagonists and the authors of the stories. As an example two influential short stories will be discussed in depth in order to shed light into the lives of the two authors and their stories.
The shattering of classifications and stereotypes, and the subversion of traditional gender roles, and the concept of sisterhood or unity among women are among the main tenets of feminist criticism. In the words of Catherine Besley, she mentioned that the cultural construction of subjectivity is one of the central issues for feminism (qtd. in Con Davis and Schleifer, 355). All women are feminists. However, it cannot be denied that women still experience the effects
In Janice Mirikitani’s poem “Breaking Tradition,” the speaker reflects on the different generations of women. Her exploration corresponds with her struggle with living within the Asian-American society. With the stories of a grandmother, mother and daughter, she shows that every generation of women have to live with the burden of womanhood and everything that comes with it. However, each generation comes with its differences as well. The speaker presents examples of the roles of women in order to set a standard of comparison between the three generations and to show the differences in expectations of women within them.
While he suggests how to kindly treat one race of women, he emphasizes on how to womanize another. The culture associated with “How to date a browngirl, blackgirl, whitegirl, or halfie”, believes that women will act accordingly, and should be treated based on their own culture and race. In “Girl” by J.Kincaid and “How to date a browngirl, blackgirl, whitegirl or halfie” by J.Diaz both authors describe how culture influences the outlooks, and stereotypes on women. The expectations of females seen in “Girl” revolves around a strict set of cultural rules for women. Through oral transitions the girl’s mother spreads the beliefs of their culture.
There is a definite devaluing of women and their contribution to their families, community, and society. Each of these stories brings awareness to the reader, which in turn can fuel the inner workings for change to occur. This can be achieved by providing a need in women to be and feel confident in themselves, their abilities and contributions. CABALLERO Caballero has many examples of women at different positions within the family and how those positions and roles that are placed on them are designed to define them. These roles and positions can in essence trap them or free them.
Further, the 1996 film The Portrait of a lady (Portrait) about a woman’s desperate choice between her autonomous, love-driven spirit and the demands of social convention encapsulates these paradigms and the struggle of women in expressing themselves. In the Victorian context, common in the literature of many was the veneer of morality that shadowed the voluptuous inner feelings of people at the time. Browning’s ‘Meeting’ is clearly indicative of the shattering of this patina and the notion of strong desire that could not be suppressed. The use of succinct sentences, “A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch” helps to create a sense of excitement in the reader and reveal
The poem, which explores the Woman Question (as it was referred to by contemporaries) dramatizes the modern woman's severe need for mothers--for nurturing political and literary female ancestors. In examining the growth and development of a woman poet, Aurora Leigh shows that women have crippled themselves by internalizing partiarchal or androcentric conceptions of themselves. When Aurora first rejects her arrogant beloved, she is not freed of the interiorized male constructions of women--she simply displaces Romney from the center of power, speaking of herself with images of male power in an attempt to feminize him. Only when both characters can break free from the conceptual structures opressing them, can she fully become the woman, wife, and poet that
Kincaid Rhetoric In Jamaica Kincaid’s short story “Girl” the author uses pathos, logos, and ethos to keep her readers engaged throughout the text and depict how gender is constructed in this specific society that “Girl” is set in. Emotional and logical appeals give the audience insight on what it is like to be a woman in this specific society and illustrate that these characteristics that make up a women are learned not something girls are born with. Underneath the long list of duties the story is composed of, there lays a greater meaning. This meaning can be seen as the construction of gender roles and the expectations that are placed upon women in the society. Kincaid’s uses anaphora to appeal to the reader’s logos.
In the same way, literature has affected the thoughts and actions of people throughout history. Throughout the Victorian Era, authors played off of their large female audience by creating strong female protagonists to which their readers could relate or learn from. Throughout the novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte challenges her readers views’ on the role a woman should play in society during this era by manipulating the tone and diction given to Jane Eyre through Gothic and Romantic elements. From the beginning of Bronte’s novel, the reader is exposed to the issue of gender limitations regarding social status during the 19th century. Jane Eyre is depicted as a child, yet is capable of illustrating her surroundings and memories in such a sophisticated manner.
Analyse the form and style of A Room of One’s Own and assess what they add to Woolf’s argument. In 1929, Woolf was asked to give a lecture to the female students of Cambridge University, on the subject of Women and Fiction. The lecture, based on two essays’ that she had written to address the subject, later were paired to become the book ‘A room of one’s own‘. Woolf’s thesis was simply that; ‘A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction’. As to be expected, this thesis opened up a multitude of hugely controversial sub-topics, and in dealing with such controversial and heavy subject matter, Woolf utilized a writing style and used to her advantage the ‘liberties and licences of a novelist’ that allowed her more literary freedom.