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Early american literature's portrayal of women
Early american literature's portrayal of women
Women empowerment from past to present
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“A New England Nun’ by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman lays out the groundwork for feminism. Of course, the housework the main character Louisa does wouldn’t capture the attention of many of feminists today, but a reader has to go beyond that fact. Louisa found comfort and her independence from her domestic duties. She didn’t let a man take that away from her.
The story “A New England Nun” is naturally a good example of proto-feminism, with proto meaning “first.” This story, being written prior to the 20th century, was before the feminist movement began to flourish. This means that this story expressed concern for woman and what they went through before they decided to band together and demand for their rights. The term ‘feminist” wasn’t yet developed until later anyway, but its earlier elements are shown in this short story.
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If Louisa marries Joe, then she will have to give up the freedom of being an unmarried woman.
She would have a husband to take care of and perhaps children as well. Never again will she live in the comforting life of quiet and peace. However, if Louisa doesn’t marry Joe, she would risk her reputation in her community. It was the norm for a woman her age to get married and raise a family. Becoming a spinster in her society back then is a social stigma. No one is treated with more ridicule than an old maid. Louisa chooses to become a spinster instead of getting married. However, she can feel it that this upcoming marriage was making her feel uneasy about her future.
Every time Joe came to visit her for an hour, she often feels at edge around him. He created messes every time he came to her house, and I’m pretty sure this affected her OCD. At the end of the story, Louisa is content to spend her days living in a cloistered life, very much like a nun does. She embraces the quiet life, the seclusion. She didn’t want to disturb the order of her house with the presence of a man. He will only disturb the
peace. Some hidden meanings and symbolism were in the story. Louisa had a pet canary, and the animal would get chaotic every time Joe would show up at Louisa’s door. The canary getting excited in its bird cage shows it is afraid. An animal will panic at the sight of danger, and that signals to the reader to this is the first warning of Louisa’s freedom being endangered. The bird is consistent to break free in order to escape. Louisa didn’t realize the hidden “danger” until the end of the story. In any case, Louisa has a home that her family left behind, so she doesn’t have any need to marry a man. She can live comfortably without depending on one. I would say if she was destitute, the story would have been different, and she would be forced to marry Joe. Since a woman in her lifetime wouldn’t be able to find a job, marriage would be the only option to keep her off the streets. However, since she is the heir of her family’s house, she was able to keep it for her own. It wasn’t like she was caged inside her house anyway. She could have chosen to marry Joe, but she knew she would lose her home and her freedom. Her independence was tied to her house. If Louisa married Joe, she would have to leave her secluded, peaceful life and join his. The theme of this story is that a woman can live a happy life and be unmarried at the same time. She has been doing this for fourteen years as it stated in the story, so she knows she can handle it for the rest of her life too.
Grace King's The Little Convent Girl is an excellent example of post-Civil War realism incorporating a trick-ending. In this local color short story, King methodically lures the reader into a false belief that her story is about an insignificant and nameless young girl who, after twelve years seclusion in a convent, is exposed to the fervor and excitement of a steamboat trip down the Mississippi River. The success of Ms. King's trick-ending is achieved through three basic elements; 1) de-emphasizing the importance of the main character, 2) tidbits of information followed by wordy misdirection, and 3) a false climax.
Throughout the story, Louisa is shown as a woman who is loyal to her commitments no matter how long she has to wait for something. Louisa is not only loyal, she is also a loner and perfectionist. The perfectionist side of her is shown multiple times. For example, when the narrator talks about Louisa growing her lettuce, the narrator says, “which she raised to perfection” (). The whole story shows how Louisa needs everything neat and
Ihara Saikaku’s Life of a Sensuous Woman written in the 17th century and Mary Woolstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman written in the 18th century are powerful literary works that advocated feminism during the time when women were oppressed members of our societies. These two works have a century old age difference and the authors of both works have made a distinctive attempt to shed a light towards the issues that nobody considered significant during that time. Despite these differences between the two texts, they both skillfully manage to present revolutionary ways women can liberate themselves from oppression laden upon them by the society since the beginning of humanity.
Indisputably, Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the most influential figures of Enlightenment, also considered the ‘first feminist’. It is certain that her works and writing has influenced the lives of many women and altered the outlook of some societies on women, evolving rights of women a great deal from what they used to be in her time. It is clear that Wollstonecraft’s arguments and writing will remain applicable and relevant to societies for many years to come, as although there has been progression, there has not been a complete resolution. Once women receive so easily the freedom, rights and opportunities that men inherently possess, may we be able to say that Wollstonecraft has succeeded in vindicating the rights of women entirely.
Throughout the texts we have read in English thus far have been feminist issues. Such issues range from how the author published the book to direct, open statements concerning feminist matters. The different ways to present feminist issues is even directly spoken of in one of the essays we read and discussed. The less obvious of these feminist critiques is found buried within the texts, however, and must be read carefully to understand their full meaning- or to even see them.
Glaspell authored this feminist short story, now considered a classic and studied in many institutions of higher education, in 1917, a story that underwent reawakening in the 1970s (Hedges). As the investigation of Mr. Wright’s murder takes the sheriff of Dickson County, neighbor Mr. Hale, and their wives to the Wright farm, the story “confines itself to the narrow space of Minnie’s kitchen--- the limited and limiting space of her female sphere. Within that small space are revealed all of the dimensions of the loneliness that is her mute message” (Hedges). It is evident through Glaspell’s writing that Minnie Wright feels distress from being trapped in the confines of her kitchen with no telephone and no outreach to the world outside her husband’s farm. Mrs. Wright being quarantined to her own home every day--- a common occurrence in housewives of ...
The late nineteenth century was a critical time in reshaping the rights of women. Commonly this era is considered to be the beginning of what is know to western feminists as “first-wave feminism.” First-wave feminism predominately fought for legal rights such as suffrage, and property rights. A major hallmark of first-wave feminism is the concept of the “New Woman.” The phrase New Woman described educated, independent, career oriented women who stood in response to the idea of the “Cult of Domesticity,” that is the idea that women are meant to be domestic and submissive (Stevens 27). Though the concept of the New Woman was empowering to many, some women did not want to give up their roles as housewives. These women felt there was a great dignity in the lifestyle of the housewife, and that raising children was not a job to scoff at. Mary Freeman's short story “The Revolt of 'Mother',” tells the story of such a domestic woman, Sarah, who has no interest in leaving her position as mother, but still wishes to have her voice heard in the private sphere of her home. Freeman's “Revolt of Mother,” illustrates an alternative means of resistance for women who rejected the oppression of patriarchy without a withdrawal from the domestic lifestyle.
What is Feminism? How does feminism affect the world we live in today? Was feminism always present in history, and if so why was it such a struggle for women to gain the respect they rightly deserve? Many authors are able to express their feelings and passions about this subject within their writing. When reading literary works, one can sense the different feminist stages depending on the timeframe that the writing takes place. Two such works are ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ by, Charlotte Gilman and ‘Everyday Use’ by, Alice Walker; the feminist views within each story are very apparent by the era each author lives in. It is evident that a matter of fifty years can change the stance of an author’s writing; in one story the main character is a confident and strong willed young woman looking to voice her feminist views on the world, while the other story’s main character is a woman trying to hold on to her voice in a man’s world which is driving her insane.
Because of that the writer of fiction story characterized Mrs. Sara Penn as a patient, devout, hardworking and respectful mother and wife of a farmer in New England. Moreover, Mary Wilkins makes unblemished in her story “ The Revolt of ‘Mother’” that, the feminist thought of that leading role of the voiceless wife as respect mother of her kids, secondary and confinement citizen , and protagonist role of women.
In the story, Louisa runs away the day before her sister’s wedding. After running away from home, Louisa takes the train to Crain. When she gets there, she buys a tan raincoat and drops off the old jacket. She then takes the train to Chandler. When she gets there, she buys a suitcase and other items, such as some stockings and a small clock. She now needs to find a place to get herself settled. She finds a place to live, at Mrs. Peacock’s house, and gets a job at the stationery store. One day, Louisa sees Paul at the train station. Paul desires Louisa to come back, and Louisa agrees. When she arrives at her house, her family can not recognize her and thinks that she is an impostor. Louisa...
Louisa is a dynamic character who undergone changes within the story. Before Joe departed for his voyage, Louisa considered herself like a young girl in love and she accepted Joe Dagget with no hesitation. “Just at that time, gently acquiescing with and falling into the
156. The 158. Driscoll, Kerry. A. The "Feminism" - "The 'Feminism' American History Through Literature, 1870-1920. Ed.
Throughout literature’s history, female authors have been widely recognized for their groundbreaking and eye-opening accounts of what it means to be a woman in society. In most cases of early literature, women are portrayed as weak and unintelligent characters who rely solely on their male counterparts. Also during this time period, it would be shocking to have women characters in some stories, especially since their purpose is only secondary to that of the male protagonist. But, in the late 17th to early 18th century, a crop of courageous women began publishing their works, beginning the literary feminist movement. Together, Aphra Behn, Charlotte Smith, Fanny Burney, and Mary Wollstonecraft challenge the status quo of what it means to be a woman during the time of the Restoration Era and give authors and essayists of the modern day, such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a platform to become powerful, influential writers of the future.
Since the beginning of her life, Louisa isn't allowed to express herself because her father continually stresses the facts. Mr. Gradgrind suppresses Louisa's imagination and all she can do is wonder. One example of Louisa attempting to view the unknown occurs when she and Tom peep through a loophole in order to see a circus (8). This is the first time both Louisa and Tom have seen such a sight. When asked why they were there, Louisa curiously answers, "Wanted to see what it was like" (8), a response any normal child would have. Her "starved imagination" (8) is curious and needs some sort of avenue for release. As Louisa blossoms into a young lady, the young Miss Gradgrind enchants one particular suitor. Her father thought that it was time for Louisa to marry and had a suitable companion in mind. When Mr. Gradgrind asks Louisa if she would like to be Mrs. Bounderby, all Louisa can utter is, "You have been so careful of me, that I never had a child's dream. You have dealt so wisely with me, father, from my cradle to this hour, that I never had a child's belief or a child's fear" (63). Mr. Gradgrind interprets his daughter's words as a compliment to him and his strict belief in teaching only the facts. But Louisa means she has not experienced life and has never been given the chance. Her childhood has been murdered by her father's strict insistence on the perpetuation of facts only. Although Louisa realizes she has been enslaved by the theories of fact, she willingly enters yet another bondage to Mr. Bounderby allowing the process of her suppression to continue.
Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” shows in society how a woman should be placed and what it means to be a woman. A women doesn’t question her partner, instead she is subservient to him. A woman’s duties include staying at home taking care of the children and cooking; while the man works and brings home the money. A feministic approach to Kincaid’s “Girl” points to the idea of the stereotypes that women can only be what they do in the home, they should only be pure and virtuous, and their main focus should be satisfying their husband.