Valene Sell ENG 112 Prof Cory Hoover 3 September 2012 Summary Final Draft A Summary of “The Radical Idea of Marrying for Love” by Stephanie Coontz In her essay “The Radical Idea of Marrying for Love,” Stephanie Coontz examines the history of marriage in different cultures around the world. She explains how at first marriage started out as a way to define ones’ social status and financial well-being. Love played little or no part in a marriage and was even discourages at times. Other societies considered it a bonus if love developed after marriage, but it was not the sole basis for marriage. Even today in some cultures monogamy and love are not seen as a necessary part of a marriage, men or woman can seek out other needs and not be ridiculed for it It is believed mostly in Western culture that “married couples should be best friends, sharing their most intimate feelings and secrets.
How do the connections between the two texts enrich the meaning of each text? When considered on their own, texts are constructed to create meaning and impart that meaning on a responder. However when two linked texts a considered together, their meanings are enriched as the responder can compare both texts, and take extra meaning from how the two texts differ and agree with each other, by evaluating which is more effective. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice when read in isolation can be a simple bildungsroman narrative about the maturation of a young woman. However if the responder were to read Fay Weldon’s Letters to Alice on first reading Jane Austen, the connections between the two would shape and then reshape the responder’s understanding of both texts.
I believe Stimach’s essay followed the criteria of a successful argument by persuading me with strong details throughout the entirety of the argument. I think this argument would be a useful teaching tool to put in the textbook, Writing Arguments, because the author backed up her claims with reliable sources and responded to opposing views. Her argument was organized and she gave three specific reasons why students shouldn’t get married in college. Quality Sources One reason this is a good argument is that Stimach uses multiple pieces of factual evidence to support her claims. She moves from one topic to another with ease using facts from other sources frequently.
The mother’s claim that ‘love’ set the baby going also indicates that she feels a natural maternal closeness a mother would feel for her baby. The relationship is already being presented as rather involuntary and out of her control she has an instinctive love for her child. In the second stanza the mother reveals her rather God-like worship of her child referring to the baby as a ‘statue’, this emphasizes her natural maternal relationship with the child, viewing the child as a figure of worship. However the statue is not situated at an intimate venue such as the home but instead in a ‘drafty museum’ this could refer to Plath finding an historical moment in her life as Museums are very closely associated with history and that museums hold extremely treasurable items if this is the case it displays her over-whelming love for her child, or even though ‘fat gold watch’ indicates that she cherishes her new-born, the ‘new statue’ comparison reveals that the mother
Maggie wants them for sentimental value, she admits to putting them to "everyday use." She is not one to use them to show off or place financial values on like her sister would. Maggie and her mother share a unique stand point; they both seem to be very happy and content with their way of life. They are not financially well off, but they are living life to the fullest. Towards
Finally, Coontz brought forth if someone is not marrying for love but just for the status then what is the point of getting married. I do agree with her about this and also, the point about the media blowing the idea of happily ever after out of proportion by just believing that only true love will hold a marriage together that is false. True love can bring people together but would not keep them together, this is something that marriages cannot solely rely on it takes hard work and dedication to keep a marriage
In the summary and response essay "Women, the Victim of War and Feudal Society" I wrote:"Through this interview, I completely understand what she said and who she wanted to be as well. Otherwise, one thing makes me feel uncomfortable when she said, 'I American now.'" You said that you were looking forward to reading my response. I was really surprised, and I knew you let me know that I am getting better through each essay. From these essay and your recommendations, I became more confidence and believed in myself to write.
Marriage was more about picking the right in-laws than picking the right partner to love and live with. The point to marriage was to gain advantageous marriage connections with some value and avoid paying debts to others. Marriage became the main way that the upper classes consolidated wealth, forged military coalitions, finalized peace treaties, and gained claims to social status or political authority. Personally for myself I could never live in the twentieth century. I would have been a disgrace to my family and probably would have been disowned.
As the mother of two daughters I always want for my daughters what I feel was lacking in my life. It makes sense to me that Nanny’s idea of success and freedom is being wealthy and idle. That was what was literally beaten into Nanny. I think in real life, as with Nanny, mothers can get so blinded by their own agenda and their attempt to fulfill their own dreams through their daughter that they don’t stop to ask what their child wants. While I understand that this may not be the ideal way to handle a situation, I believe that Nanny did the best she could considering her experiences.
(www.Cliffnotes.com) Although Fitzgerald makes her despite being beautiful and charming, Daisy’s very selfish, shallow and a mean person. Moreover, Daisy truthfully married tom for his money and didn’t care what he did, unless and so long as he could continue to buy her anything she wanted. Daisy also would hope that her child was a girl, so that she’d be like her and survived the way she did “And I hope she’ll be a fool-that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”. (Pg. 17 Scott Fitzgerald ;) Daisy was implying that the best way a female was to survive in this world was to be attractive and not do anything with her life, and sit back and let money buy her happiness.