“Do not yearn to be popular; be exquisite” (JoyBell) Millicent yearns to be popular but she soon realizes that it is better to create her own path. The Initiation by Sylvia Plath is the story of a high school girl going through a series of tests, to prove she is worthy of joining an exclusive sorority, but she comprehends that she would rather choose her own path. Millicent develops from being innocent about the horrors of social hierarchies to being experienced in how people interact with each other without the aid of social status. Millicent only thinks of herself in regards of the social ranking but soon understands that social status does not matter and she begins to think of others. Millicent's ignorance of the significance of the social …show more content…
Millicent advances from being clueless of the atrocious qualities of social hierarchies to being accomplished in how society connects without the help of social statuses. “[Millicent] [is]…excited to be part of a closely knit group, the exclusive set at Lansing High.” the innocence in Millicent is undeniable, she believes that that being part of the sorority will change her life. (9). The diction that the author uses gives insight to what Millicent thinks of the sorority. Words like “exclusive” are used almost always when the sorority is mentioned. The word choice displays how the author wants the sorority to be portrayed, as something unattainable. Millicent believes that joining the sorority will advance her social status putting her higher in the social order. She still believes that her social status matters and will affect her life drastically. Millicent, at this point, has successfully completed several initiation trials. She is reminiscing about her experience in the most recent trial. Millicent speaks of how “many people [are] shut up tight inside themselves like boxes, yet they open up,
At a young age I knew as an African American woman through activism, educational autonomy, and community service, I can thrive through the wake of extreme poverty and turmoil faced by the people of my neighborhood of East New York. My interest in Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., would be based solely on their ethical standards, history, and values they are founded upon. The ladies of this organization exude exemplary character who excel in sisterhood, respect, honesty, accountability, and integrity. Throughout my life I always encouraged myself to have these ideal characteristics without knowing that one day I would be pursuing membership in a prestigious organization, whom upheld the key principles “greater service, greater progress. The first
To women in the early 1900s, education was a vital investment in achieving a career and having a well-sustained lifestyle. In Sara's situation, attending college meant exploring the American culture and furthering her studies in teaching. On pages 210-213, Sara demonstrates her excitement for attending college. She states, "This was the beauty for which I had always longed for!" (211). Later into the novel, Sara reflects on her experiences while attending school. Her experience in being around people her age was a way for her to understand the American culture and know that she was now a person of reason. In effect, Sara provides an insight into her overall journey in college and life in the novel by mentioning "Now I saw them treasure chests of insight. What countless years that I had thought so black, so barren, so thwarted with want!"
She alludes to the idea that as people we must look deeper into our lives and see were we may have been given unearned privilege whether is be from race, gender, or sexuality.
A story of murder, fear, and the temptation of betrayal is one that easily snatches up the attention of audiences. In “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell, the author uses her southern female characters to emphasize the direct relationship between friendship and connection. Her plot circles around the disastrous discovery of their fellow housewife’s marital murder, and the events that unfolded causing their ultimate decision in prosecuting or shielding her from the men in the story. The author implements revealing dialogue with subtle detailing and glaring symbolism to display the coveted friendships among women above other relationships and that the paths they take to secure them stem from inveterate personal connections.
Within Janie’s past marriages, her husbands treat her comparable to a slave and isolate her from the community. Even though her voice is still developing, she will not allow her husband to show her contempt. During the trial, Janie both matures and shows control over her voice, as she faces the horror of retelling the story of Tea Cake’s death in the courtroom. While giving her testimony, Janie knows when to talk; however, when she is through “she hushed” (187). By expressing and controlling her voice in court, Janie ultimately reveals her new found vocal maturity, but it is only because of her final marriage to Tea Cake that Janie finally develops an understanding of when and how to use her voice.
Social class has always been a controversial issue in America. This idea, that individuals are defined by their wealth, is explored by Jeannette Walls in her memoir, The Glass Castle. Walls shows, through a manifold of personal anecdotes, how growing up in a dysfunctional household with financially inept parents affected her and her siblings. Growing up in this environment, Jeannette was exposed to a very different perception of the world around her than those of higher social status. However, despite the constant hardships she faced, Walls makes it clear that a lower social status does not define an individual as inferior to those in a higher class.
Day in and day out we hear about high school and college students wanting to pursue a sorority and/or a fraternity based on the stereotypes these organizations uphold, well I chose to differ. I told myself if I ever decided to become a member of a sorority it would be based solely on their ethical standards, history, and values they are founded upon. Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated consists of ladies of distinction and exemplary character who excel in scholarship, leadership, and service, which are qualities I have chosen to uphold. From my perspective, I encourage myself to maintain a respectable appearance and reputation which doing so inspires me to embrace my self-concept; which helps me confidently excel academically and professionally as a “lady of distinction” and “exemplary character.” Most importantly, I continuously remain involved in community service, being involved allows me the opportunity to learn and understand the lives and circumstances of others by opening my mind, heart, and soul. Overall these qualities strengthen my passion to be a member of the prestigious Alp...
Sorority to feel like they belong to something greater; in fact, it is greater than they are; without the whole Greek organization one person in it would be nothing. Each Greek organization or group performs the necessary function to work together, the functionalism of the organization must adapt and balance school, work and life. A french sociologist Emilie Durkheim defined the term “Social Facts”; which is the way of thinking and acting formed by the society that existed before any individual and that will continue to exist after one time. The social facts cannot be influenced by anyone; so, there for once you have moved on from the group as your life goes on it will not impact the Greek organization because it goes on with or without you. The social fact balances with the school, without it the Greek organization will die and with the school’s they
The central theme in “A Jury of Her Peers” is the place of women in society and especially the isolation this results in. We see this through the character, Minnie Foster and her isolation from love, happiness, companionship and from society as a whole. Not only does the story describe this isolation but it allows the reader to feel the impact of this isolation and recognize the tragedy of the situation.
The mission of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, promote unity and genuine friendships among college women, aid in issues concerning girls and women in order to come up with solutions to eliminate or ease the circumstances they may face, maintain an ongoing interest in college life, while also being of service to all mankind. This sorority has not only empowered women to help others, but it
Before the eighteenth century, one would not even know what a sorority was; let alone what a sorority meant to the community. Today, everyone is familiar what sorority mean and what they accomplish for the community. The American Heritage Student Dictionary’s definition of sorority is “a chiefly social organization of women students at a college or university; an association of women” (882). The dictionary’s definition gives the impression of a general sorority. Lawrence Ross defines sorority as more than the wearing of letters, or...
In the movie “The House Bunny” a former playboy bunny turns the “unpopular sorority into the stereotypical party girls. The movie “Sorority Boys” also portrays that sorority sisters are snobby girls. “Most Americans, even those non-Greeks who have attended American colleges with Greek systems, know little about the inner workings of these groups—except perhaps for what has been portrayed in movies.” (DeSantis) One could go their whole life and always think that there is nothing more to sororities than partying, because the closest they have gotten to a sorority is through the
In a society, social classes are always present – whether it was five hundred years ago or in present time. Social classes have always existed and will probably always exist. The question is whether social classes have an impact on the society of a little Italian town called Verona in the fifteenth century. Because one thing is for sure, compared to today norms, social classes and gender rolls in the story about Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet differs a lot.
While on a trip for part of her initiation process Millicent talks to an old man and realizes that the sorority is not where she belongs. She realizes that “So many people were shut up tight inside themselves like boxes, yet they would up, unfolding quite wonderfully, if only you were interested in them. And really, you didn’t have to belong to a club to feel related to other human beings” (Plath
...y a set of expectations and values that are established on mannerisms and conduct challenged by Elizabeth. From this novel, it is evident that the author wrote it with awareness of the class issues that affect different societies. Her annotations on the fixed social structure are important in giving a solution to the current social issues; that even the class distinctions and restrictions can be negotiated when an individual turns down bogus first impression s.