Each decision made says some things about the person that has made it. Decisions reveal, test, and shape the ideas we have of our self and our morals. Their consequences have far-reaching implications and the book indicates when they are made in haste, with only individual interpretation or emotion, they can be devastating to the owner. The author of Defining Moments, Joseph Badaracco, Jr., relies heavily on what history has taught us through great intellectual interpretations of the most prominent philosophers: Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sophocles, Niccolo Machiavelli, William James, and Marcus Aurelius. Badaracco draws examples from other writers on ethics and philosophy to reinforce how, which, and when to apply the teachings of such forward thinkers to everyday situations, with which we are faced.
In this novel, Julia Alvarez manages to capture and express the true feelings of women which deconstructs the stereotypes through Yo. Feminism is defined as “a political movement that works to achieve equal rights for women and men” (Hirsch 113). For the past ages, women were seen in the society as inferior to men and were greatly excluded from education and the right to property ownership. A British feminist named Mary Wollstonecraft argues, “educational restrictions keep women in a state of ignorance and slavish dependence” (Blake 117). 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 comparison Fay Weldon’s Letters to Alice, written a few centuries after, shows a clear link of how particular concerns, held by society, have altered. A women living in the late 1800’s had very few rights and freedoms. Education was a thing men and if a women engaged in such activities she was at risk of being shunned by society or “left on the shelf.” Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice follows a young girl, Elizabeth Bennet, who struggles against society’s expectations. Being a smart and well educated women, she is somewhat frowned upon, however this has been disguised by Austen through her dialogue. An example is seen near the beginning of the book in which Mr Darcey and Mr Binley’s brother are engaged in polite conversation.
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 short stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935) and Angela Carter (1940–1992) both sideway the same idea; the confinement of women in particular roles and positions in both personal and professional lives, posed on them by patriarchal figures. Toril Moi quotes in her examination of feministic criticism, Sexual/Textual Politics (2002), Elaine Showalter’s idea that “women writers should not be studied as a distinct group on the assumption that they write alike, or even display stylistic resemblances distinctively feminine” (Moi, 2002: 49), which comes across when reading the two stories which are stylistically already very different. It might be so that a feminist reader of both times (there’s some 80 years difference between the two stories) did not only want to see her own experiences mirrored in fiction, but strived to identify with strong, impressive female characters (Moi, 2002: 46), and looked for role-models that would instil positive sense of feminine identity by portraying women as self-actualising strong identities who were not dependent on men (Moi, 2002, 46). The two stories bring out two female characters, very different by position and character; the other a new mother, scared and confused of her own role, and the other a young newly-wed girl, still a child, being fouled by a much older man, mainly as a mark of his authority over women in general.
Due to the limited amount of resources and the restrictions laid upon women for practicing rhetoric, it is astonishing how many women were still able to make a significant impact on the field of rhetoric which I feel has paved the way for women’s liberations rights today. Christine de Pizan portrayed the art of rhetoric through language and letter writing as she challenged the boundaries of women’s input at the time. She sought to save the reputation of women, who at the time were being slandered and shine a new spotlight for women’s advancement. It is imperative that more time and space be dedicated to Christine De Pizan in Herricks textbook of rhetoric and many more to follow. Christine De Pizan is a brave woman who stood up to the verbal assaults on women in the 14th century.
Furthermore, these groups also had the potential of producing social activists. Unfortunately, although many women attended the C-R groups, they were unwilling to participate actively in the social movement to challenge the patriarchal society (Buechler 72-3). Through this discussion, Buechler raises the interesting point that a raised consciousness does not equate with a desire to transform society. Furthermore, the unwillingness of these women to participate in social activism illuminates the differences that divide women in their perceptions of feminism. For these women, their heightened consciousness that has enabled them to transform various aspects of their personal lives may be sufficient.
Basing her arguments further on development studies, human rights, politics and even law subjects, Lint explores the general field of international law in regards to how it applies to human right to life. National as well as international security has been explored as one area where human rights are always under threat. The voice in this peer-review article is that of an authority figure considering that Alexander is a
As such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others.” (Cavalier, 2002) With the Women’s Rights Movement, there were a lot of pros and cons that can about, mostly positives. Women are now seen in a different light after a long deliberation and fighting. Most of the country is more so scared of the fact women are rising from the wood works. They are taking charge of positions and moving on and changing this societies culture. Culture is the “particular ways of belief in society and ways of life; a way of thinking, behaving, or working
Although Daoism inherited some social biases against women, it allowed them to play a vital role in society. The influence of women on the growth of religious Daoism is undeniable (Despeux & Kohn,
3. Murray Edelman argues that symbols carry special political significance. What does he mean by this? Give examples to illustrate your argument. Select ONE contemporary political movement, identify one or more symbols that are associated with it and describe the struggle that it wages over these symbols: Symbols help organize ideas, values, and experiences.