Because of discrimination against women rights, and how society view women is nothing much than their sex slaves, Elizabeth suffered from great loss of family and love. From her experience of giving a birth to a dead baby to the point of becoming a sex worker, it perishes her hope of living in a comfortable and pleasing life. The absence of love for Elizabeth causes her to suffer from grief and catastrophe. Society against women rights prevents Elizabeth to speak up for her tragedy because she has no place and no one to blame to. Instead, she has to endure all the horrifying loss from both society and
She wants to be free to love and be loved, and she craves for passion, which she never had. Her marriage is more like a business relationship and her husband is the commander in charge. The Colonel, Edna's father, is very strict. He thinks very highly of discipline. At the end of The Awakening,
Her brothers are worried that if Alex becomes involved with Carl, she will marry him and that the land will go to Carl and any children they might have rather than back to her brothers and their children. They argue that Alex should stay away from Carl because he is broke, and is just after the land, but Alex says it is her land and she will do with it what she pleases. A fight ensues where the brothers argue they did all the work and therefore should get the land, but Alex points out she worked too and made the hard decisions that landed them where they are today and that they all three split the land evenly. Even though Alex’s love for the land is inevitable, she at times struggles with the acceptance of other because of her womanhood. Her brothers insist that the land should be owned by the men of the family only, which is what sparks Alex to respond as she does.
Almost everything is under control of men. Women’s freedom is overlooked by many authority figures and they are almost deprived from freedom of speech, freedom of gathering and freedom to own properties. In many aspects women in Kenya are extremely oppressed, even though some western countries think that Kenya is one of the African countries that the offer most equal freedom for men and women. According to some Kenyan men’s mentalities, regardless of their position, they believe that women’s duties are limited to the house work such as cleaning, washing, cooking and taking care of children. It is women’s duty to accomplish these tasks or else she will get punished for failing to preform or to not obey her husband commands.
In his relationship with his black woman we find that as we move up the economic ladder, the black woman is used as a helpmate until he achieves any level of success and is then discarded and treated as she is passé. This behavior has been attributed to the breakup of the black family. We see this behavior demonstrated in the media by professional athletes, celebrities and that segment of our society that has achieved any measure of success. The taboo of the interracial relationship is gone at the detriment of the black
A major moral dilemma that has impacted my life is the moral decay within the African-American community. I am constantly bombarded with the detrimental actions of my peers. The African American community was once defined as family oriented were women were uplifted by men and brothers stood together. However, due to the recent rise of social media, our race has taken a turn for the worst. Young individuals now have a place where amoral actions are vindicated and encouraged.
One of things that were mentioned is “the heartless and ghastly form of slavery rises between mother and child.” Pg 45 Slaves were separated since the moment they were born, they did not get be around their parents and bond as other kids do. “The bondwoman lives as a slave, and is left to die as a beast.” “By the laws of slavery, children, in all cases are reduced to the condition of their mothers.” Pg 46 “This arrangement admits of the greatest license of brutal slaveholders , and their profligate sons, brothers, relations and friends, and gives pleasure of sin, the additional attraction of profit” pg46 It seems like they were dead to all sense of humanity the slaves were fighting for survival that was impossible. They were suffering from immoral economic advantages due to the slave owners and that caused the entire community to suffer by accepting what others believed was right. Everyone was victimized due to their human life and dignity it damaged society spiritually and morally. It made some slave holders and their overseers brutal, it made other white people feel guilty and ashamed.
There was no law about it; but the whites reported it round among themselves, that if a note was heard, they should have some dreadful punishment. Her husband and son died, and she got separated from her children as well. Many unfortunate events happened in Charity Bowery’s life. This context means that even though it doesn’t really states that Charity Bowery is a black woman. We can still picture it by reading between the lines.
Due to education and westernization, the African culture has been shaking. The youths make decision on what rites to take part regardless of their family opinions. Due to this many youths have been excommunicated from the community hence seeking the urban centers as their refuge. The elders see them as an abomination in the community. The advocating of women rights has made the women to be breadwinners in their families.
Some of the consequences include the fact that women and girls may be forced to marry or are coerced into unequal relationships as a means of economic support. It is very common in the African Cultural context for young girls to be exchanged for food in times of hardship. The young girl is bound by the strict custom that tells her it is unheard of to contradict to what the parent tells her to do. This means that most of these girls just go to the husband chosen to them by the parent, even though he may be too old or even in some cases, sick and infected. Still on the issue of forced marriages, widows are also some of the victims.