Blog #5: Adrienne Rich & The Vagina Monologues

Why am I  in love with Adrienne Rich? Well its simple really...she makes so many meaningful points in "Notes towards a Politics of Location" about identity, women's bodies and so much  more. Her writing is very down to earth, and it logical. She identifies herself as white, Jewish, and a lesbian. This is important because she is proud of her identity, but she also doesn't marginalized others. In fact she mentions how we marginalize other women because our experiences have been of white privilege. Our feminist theory is made up of white western women's ideas. As a gender we have to remember that just because we are all women doesn't mean we know exactly how the other is feeling. For instance just because  white western women believes that the vale is something to oppresses women in the middle east, doesn't mean those women feel that way. That is apart of their identity.

Things that I have her people say when referring to race, "I don't see color"! Well lets just come out and say it. That right their is a lie. Of course we see color. By saying that we are marginlizing the whole population. Peoples identities are important to them. Thats why we have to acknowledge them but not always assume the extremes of them. Like the loud African American woman or the intellectual Asian woman. We are women with layers, its not just black and white. Hence why I am in love with Adrienne Rich. She does a nice job of pointing out the differences in women's identity in a respectful manor.

After reading this it reminded me of the show our campus does every year called the Vagina Monologues. I am currently in the show this year, and I wanted to point out the debate about how the monologues come off. The show is very important because it brings light to women's topics that are not usually touched upon. For instance rape, abusive relationships, periods, orgasms, and or coarse the vagina. It has been such a positive experience for me so far, but there is the question of representation. In the past the shows have been made up of a primarily white woman's group of feminists. Some of these monologues come from women of different ethnicity. So is the white western woman right in trying to portray this monologue. I've had some conflict with this myself. Because my personal monologue called "The Memory of Her Face" takes place in Baghdad. The monologue is about this woman's father disowning her because of the bombs that have melted off her face. My job is to act like I'm this woman going through this horrific experience. Except there is know way I could ever know the pain this woman must be feeling. It's fine line of marginalizing her identity because I am white or bringing her story out into the open for people to listen too. In the past few year though our cast has become more diverse. It definitely helps to give us a different point of view for a lot of the monologues.

Two links of two different ways "The Memory of Her Face"  can be acted out

 http://youtu.be/J6aRX0-SKt0

http://youtu.be/qi3DUt2X09Q   

Blog 4 Emily Dickinson Poems & Sexuality

 

Emily Dickinson was somewhat of a homebody. With that in mind how did she create such beautiful poems and so many at that. I mean most writers take from experience. So what did Dickinson take from? In many of her poems it seems like she just looked out her room window and wrote whatever she was feeling at the moment. There were so many of her poems so obviously thy all didn't get titles. I think that was what I liked about the poems I did read from her. Every time I started one I really didn't know what I was getting into. So I didn't have this pre-conceived judgment about what the poem was about. Making each one more interesting to me because I really had to pay attention to the words to know what it was about.

When I typed Emily Dickinson's name into google the one thing that came up other than her beautiful poetry was her questionable sexuality. Her letter to Susan Gilbert in 1852 sounds like a letter one would write to their significant other.

"I need you more and more, and the great world grows wider, and dear ones fewer and fewer, every day that you stay away — I miss my biggest heart; my own goes wandering round, and calls for Susie — Friends are too dear to sunder, Oh they are far too few, and how soon they will go away where you and I cannot find them, don’t let us forget these things, for their remembrance now will save us many an anguish when it is too late to love them! Susie, forgive me Darling, for every word I say — my heart is full of you, none other than you is in my thoughts, yet when I seek to say to you something not for the world, words fail me."

I mean lesbihonest she wants this women. It doesn't like a letter to a friend, even thought she says right in the letter that "Friends are to dear to sunder". By saying this she may be covering up her feelings for Susan. After reading this I wondered if Dickinson sheltered herself from the outside world because her sexuality was very fluid, and that would not have been accepted during that period of time. Many of her poems like poem 341 make it sound like she in pain because she wants something that she can't have. Once again this could be me reading to much into her sexuality. Women do tend to have more intimate friendships than men.  But I mean come on how can you not read that letter and think about that. She talks about her heart her feelings...her love!

Ladies, read this about Sandy Hook...a woman wrote this!

Top Conservative Publication: Shooting Occurred Because Women Ran The School: pIf there were fewer women and more “male aggression” in Sandy Hook Elementary School, the massacre there never would have taken place, according to a contribution to a leading conservative magazine. National Review, whose in-house editorial suggested Newtown was the price of the Second Amendment, published a piece on Wednesday from anti-feminist Charlotte Allen suggesting [...]/p

Blog #3 Abortion & Guilt

In "the mother" Gwendolyn Brooks describes the guilt that goes into making the decision to have an abortion for a women. Why exactly do woman have this guilt? Even if a woman hasn't had a child before there is still some level of guilt behind it. I think its because we always think of what could have been. When the choice is left up to us its  like we taking away that could have been. This creates a kind of dissonance with in ourselves. Often in society abortion is portrayed in such a negative light too. So when a woman makes the choice to have an abortion, its looked down upon. The question stands do women feel guilt about abortion because of society or is it an innate feeling we are all born with? Brooks makes it seem that all women are born with motherly instincts. Women tend to have more compassion. Especially when it's something that has come from our bodies. The bond of a mother and her child is like no other. I feel like this is something that a father will never have. Even though it takes a man to create a child. He is not the one that carries the child for 9 months and gives birth. I myself have never experienced giving birth. But from talking to my own mother, there is no way to really prepare oneself for the emotions that come forth. When a woman decides to have an abortion they may feel like they have cheated themselves of those emotions.

Then society comes out with the argument of pro life. Campaigns like the one below. How is a woman not going to feel guilty when they see that.


After looking at a few studies about the emotional side effects of have abortion I came up with a list:

• Regret
• Anger
• Guilty feelings
• Shame
• Sense of loneliness or isolation
• Loss of self confidence
• Insomnia or nightmares
• Relationship issues
• Suicidal thoughts and feelings
• Eating disorders
• Depression
• Anxiety

To be honest looking at both sides. I think the guilt of abortion comes from both sides. Its this maternal instinct to want to have and protect our own children, but also society makes it seem like women are the devil for making a choice that could effect them for the rest of their lives. I just wonder if the roles were switched would men have these same problems?   

Blog Post #3

We have talked so much in class about how women are always looked at as sex objects. However, we have not talked about how children see how woman are sexualized from the time they are little kids. The main controversy on this subject is the appearance of Barbie. Barbie has the most perfect body. She is thin, attractive, and blonde with a big chest and bottom. When I was a little girl the only Barbie dolls I could find were blonde thin Barbies. I loved Barbie and I wanted to be just like her when I got older, boobs and all. I wanted to have a Barbie dream house with the perfect man like Ken. I would wear skimpy out fits and have my chest hang out every day. I wanted to wear lots of makeup and dye my hair bleach blonde. I wouldn’t eat anything but fruit and veggies to maintain my perfect sexy figure. Why does that have to be our role model at such a young age? What about all the other toys that are coming out for girls? Every girls toy has to do with baking, or jewelry, or baby dolls, or toy vacuums, or make up, fake cell phones. Everything a girl has to choose from has to do with how woman are percieved.

 

 The main thing I wanted to express was the clothing that has been coming out for little girls. First, I work at T.J. Maxx and we receive girls toys and clothing every day. The outfits little girls are wearing now a days is crazy to me, especially the bra’s and underwear little girls have the option to buy in every day department stores. Do you know how hard it is to find a bra for little girls that is not padded? Every girls bra now a days is padded. Why do little girls have to have pretend boobs at a young age? This is because girls do not feel pretty unless they have boobs because of things like Barbies. There are also bathing suits for little girls with built in padding so that it looks like they have breasts. Also, there are little girls underwear that are string bikini style and they have recently came out with thongs for girls. How is that okay? One will never know but there is seriously something wrong with this. I know that when I become a mom I will never let my child wear these things and I will guide them to toys that are not so sexualized.

Blog post number 2

I also wanted to write a blog about "Ain't I a Woman?" by Sojourner Truth. I specifically loved the video that was shown in class. I think that the video showed the way an African American women would say this speech. It made it easier to see the main points in the speech due to the way she presented her self and the way that she said the speech. However, I enjoyed the speech as a whole.

The first quote I wanted to touch upon is "That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifter over ditches, and have to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman?" Is'nt this quote the truth. I will never understand why it is seen that women can not do anything by them selves in a mans eyes. I understand that many men are just trying to be romantic and respectful by doing these things but it is really men believing that woman can not do anything by themselves. A woman does not need to be helped for a lot of things. I grew up in the country and trust me my Dad made me learn how to do things by myself and I am a better person for that. However, I think that Truth wanted men to see that she is a women and that she has never had help with things that most women apparently can not do by themselves. This is her stating I'm a woman and I do not need help into a carraige or over a puddle, I'm a big girl and I can do it myself. I feel like this is another example how women dumb themselves down to make a guy like them. Or they will pretend that they do not know how to do certain things or need help with things just to get attention from a man. Truthfully no woman in good health should need help with simple things like this even in the oldern days.

Second, I would like to touch upon how Sojourner states where Christ came from. Men constantly think that they are better than women. However, Truth makes it evident that men had nothing to do with Christ. She wrote "Where did you Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him." This is by far my favorite line in this speech because it is so true. Please explain to me why men control this world when they did not even have anything to do with Christ coming to this planet. How can men look down upon women when it is a women that gave birth to you and to your Christ. I think that the problems with women's rights should have never happened because we were all created equal to begin with so why is it that men are better than women still. This is will never understand.

Suprise, we can do that!

Blog Post

 After reading Emily Martin’s essay “The Egg and the Sperm: How Science has Constructed a Romance Bases on Stereotypical Male-Female Roles” I researched textbook bias for my final paper. As a childhood education major I want to be the best and most informed teacher I can be so my students will really benefit from my class. That’s why this research was so important to me. Through my research I found that biases against women in literature could start as early as children’s books. This was so shocking to me; Children’s books always seem to be so innocent and lacking an agenda. Attached is an article exploring where these gender biases lie. I think its important for all education majors to know where biases can exist in their textbooks and make sure to look for textbooks without biases. I’m so happy that I took this class. I know the information I learned from it will stay with me through my teaching.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/new-study-finds-gender-bias-in-childrens-books/

Blog Post #5

I know this blog post is a bit late, but figured I'd share my last thoughts of the semester. As you all know Barbara Kinsolver's, 'Letter to a Daughter at Thirteen' was my inspiration for my final project. Before I began writing the letter to my sister I wanted to find out more information on Kinsolver herself. I was a fan of her writing ever since I was introduced to her novel, 'The Bean Trees' in high school. If you have not had the chance to read it, I highly recommend! I stumbled upon Kinsolver's website which provides a list of her books, a biography, answered questions from fans and recent news on the author . After checking it out, I thought to myself, what an accomplishment this was for her! The websites lists a number of awards she has received along with excellent reviews from her most recent novels. I find this to be extremely impressive after learning about the different issues she had faced as a younger woman, though her letter to her daughter. She is a true inspiration for all women that have dealt with struggles in their life, proving to them that their past  does not justify what is to come in their future. I think this is such great message. She is more of a role model for her daughters and women in general than she will ever know. Check out the website below if you have not already! Thanks for the great discussions this semester ladies!! 

Website: 

http://www.kingsolver.com/index/html 

Blog Post # 5

Blog Post 5

I wanted to take the time in this blog post to mention outside information on women and the way they are treated and looked through the teachings of my Family Sociology class. I've wanted to share this with everyone for a while now but wanted to wait until the last blog post because I felt it would be most appropriate! Within my family sociology class we read plenty of articles dealing with family issues as well as gender roles taken on within the family in America as well as in other countries. One that really stood out to me was an article on a little girl names Malala Yousafzai. She is a 15 year old little girl who was born and raised in Pakistan. One day she decided she was going to try and attend school because she felt she had the right to an education and was pretty consistent on going to school.  She a boarded the bus and then was instantly followed by a few men with guns who began to shoot her for wanting to go to school. This fifteen year old little girl was shot and attempted to be killed simply for being a female trying to attend school and receive and education. Not only this, but she tried proving a point by speaking out for all girls to be able to attend school and be educated. Miraculously she survived the horrendous shooting and is still struggling to fight for her life.  Just wanted to share this with people to show the different aspects and how far behind other country's are compared to us with women rights and that we should all be grateful for the women who started the feminist movements to get us to where we are today. We truly are blessed to have the right to education and voting when others are still looked upon as nothing and worthless. This poor little girl was trying to do something our once fellow Feminist's tried to do and was brutally given harsh punishments. Just thought I'd share this with people to put a lot of things within different perspectives. 

Here is a journal following up on how she is doing and the outcomes it has caused!

http://www.euronews.com/2012/12/17/malala-yousafzai-the-girl-who-took-on-the-taliban/

Blog Post

Trifles by Susan Glaspell was such an enjoyable read. I was surprised that such a short play could contain so much irony and symbolism. The bird that Mrs. Wright’s husband kill represented not only freedom, but also Mrs. Wright herself. Mr. Wright was said to have “killed his wife’s singing” just like he killed her bird. I think the play also gives the reader insight into the different worlds of the men and women in that time. The woman had dominion over the kitchen and homemaking and their worlds were so separated that the women did not feel as though they would even be able to explain the evidence to the men. I loved the black humor in the last lines of the play. “We call it-knot it.“ This line really brings the whole piece full circle.

Linked is Louisiana State University’s interpretation of the play. I thought it was interesting to see the play acted out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFUaCXvIjY4

Blog Post #5 - Kaylee Mitchell

Although my final blog post is a little late, writing my final paper for this class has inspired me to write about Wolf Alice by Angela Carter. As several of you have said, this was one of my favorite readings of the course so far. I've never been very into the fantasy/fairytale genre, but this one really stuck with me for a variety of reasons. My final paper is focusing on stereotypes of genders in children's literature, and how I can use ideas from this course in my classroom to go against those stereotypes. I've been doing a lot of research about stereotypes of females in children's books and one theme that has come up over and over again has been the "damsel in distress" theme in fairy tales in particular. I've taken several courses at Fredonia that have incorporated fairy tales, and all of them have always been the same central theme: something terrible happens to the female character, and a male (typically a prince) comes and saves the day somehow. After a lot of my research, I've also realized that this is the case in many children's books as well. The majority of children's literature features a male protagonist, who is typically a strong, independent character. If the book features a female character, she is usually helped along the way by a male character such as her brother, dad, or friend. Looking back on why I liked Wolf Alice so much, I realized it may be because it was a different type of fairytale that I wasn't used to reading. Although Alice has conflicts throughout the story, she deals with them on her own and they help her find her own identity. She sees her own imperfections, and deals with several of the situations that young females have to deal with like getting their first period and struggle with self-esteem. Even though the central character of the story is a wolf, she deals with issues that adolescent girls deal with as well. You can feel how confused she is throughout the story, which is exactly how most girls going through these issues would be feeling as well. I feel that most of the stories written in the genre of fantasy have a theme of a strong male character, and it's refreshing to see a strong female character who is finding herself throughout a piece.

Something I thought I'd share with this piece and my final project was a few (awesome) children's books I found that are fairytale related, but show strong female protagonists going against the typical stereotype of females in fairy tales. Hopefully this will be helpful to some of my fellow elementary ed majors out there!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Paper-Princess-Classic-Munsch/dp/0920236162/ref=cm_syf_dtl_pl_4
http://www.amazon.com/The-Princess-Knight-Cornelia-Funke/dp/0439536308/ref=pd_sim_b_6

http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Wolves-HarperClassics-Craighead-George/dp/0064400581/ref=cm_lmf_tit_23
^ this one hits SO close to ideas from Wolf Alice. So cool!

Drumroll please....

Hi Ladies,

I promised I'd let you know:

It's a GIRL :-)

Blog Post #5 Sojourner Truth

Ain't I Woman?

I wanted to do Sojourner Truth's Ain't I Woman because I related back to her alot in my final project and I find her poem to be very powerful and relatable. I think she did a beautiful job with taking about all of her hardship and stating that she is woman after each part. If women should be helped into carriages and lifted over puddles, why is she doing all the work of a man, baring children to be sold off to slavery, if she is woman. Why is she doing all this work and still does not have money to eat as much as she wants if she is woman? My favorite part of the poem is when she says

"Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [Intellect.] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negro's rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours hols a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half-measure full?"

She says so much in that paragraph. She refers to the opression of African American women through sexism and racism, not just one or the other, which is not often talked about as one. The analogy of the pint and the quart is clever, it shows how little African American women had, and how little anyone helped or let them have of what they deserved.

An argument she used in her speech which I hear oftne when sexism is talked about is that men are superior, and women come back with men wouldn't be around if it weren't for women, which is 100% percent true. Jesus Christ came from man and women. Without women, there really would be no man. Sojourner Truth's speech is beautiful and relatable.The way she worded everything with truth and sass really adds to her speech.



Blog Post #4: Emily Dickinson

Poem 280

 

It is clear that Emily Dickinson is talking about a funeral, and initially I thought she was talking about her own.

"And then I heard them lift a Box

And creak across my Soul".

 I pictured her laying in the ground while she is getting buried and hears the people who are mourning her walking over her.

"And I dropped down, and down-

And hit a World, at every plunge,

 and Finished knowing-then-"

This endig to the poem made me feel as though she was buried six feet other and hit another world; afterlife, and "finished knowing" because she is no longer on earth, and end the poem seemingly mid thought.

When i reread the poem I thought of the poem as her losing her sanity. Her mind leaving her and her being driven crazy. I cam to this conclusion because she says she can feel the funeral in her brain, she is picturing all of these things happening. She went mad and her mind was going numb

"And when they all were seated,

A Service, like a Drum-

Kept Beating-beating-till I thought

My mind was going numb-"

 as she pictured the funeral of her mind. Also if the poem is about the "death" of her mind then the ending to the poem would still make sense with the unfinished thought.

 

 



Blog Post #5!

Adrienne Rich's "Notes toward a Politics of Location"

When I first read the title for this piece, I'm not gonna lie, I was a little put off. It probably has to do with my general aversion to anything to do with "politics." I think I've grown up around so much controversy surrounding that word that I limit what I learn because of it's presence. ANYWAYS, what I'm getting at here is that I was surprised to find that this was one of the more enjoyable and life applicable pieces I believe we have read all semester. I guess I really shouldn't judge a book by it's cover!

The general concept of Rich's piece focused on the recognition of women's experiences. Its almost as if she is calling upon all the women in the feminist movement to realize that just as men and women aren't the same, or those of different races aren't the same, not all women are the same. Location is essential in realizing the individual experience and needs of every individual women. Yes, there are universal rights that every woman should acquire, however, the ways in which they are acquired, differ. The feminist movement does not allow for those other than white to actively or effectively participate. As Rich points out, for a country that prides itself on freedom, it definitely cuts off a large portion of its people from participating in its movements. 

So, it is the discourse that creates this divide. As Rich so wonderfully puts, "The discourse has never really changed; it is wearingly abstract. it allows no differences among places times, cultures, conditions and movements. Words that should possess a depth and breadth of allusions-- words like socialism, communism, democracy, collectivism-- are stripped of their historical roots, the many faces of the struggles for social justice and independence reduced to an ambition to dominate the world" (pg 1101). 

As I read this I couldn't help but relate it to all the pieces by bell hooks, Audre Lorde and Patricia Hill Collins who continuously press for the individual experience of women of color to not be ignored or marginalized, but to be recognized and respected. It was kind of cool to see a western educated, white woman come to this type of epiphany. 

" It was in the writings but also the actions and speeches and sermons of black united States citizens that I began to experience the meaning of my whiteness as a point of location for which I needed to take responsibility..." (pg 1100)

"Notes toward a Politics of Location" was originally published in  Blood, Bread and Poetry  (1986)

Blog Post #4!

Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?"

This is not the first time that I have read this speech. I actually got a chance to watch the video Prof. McGee showed up in class in another class. I must admit that I absolutely LOVE this speech!

One of the reasons why this spoke to me so much is because it is spoken by and to a group of women who aren't particularly educated. I feel like in order for people to be heard, there is an expectation that they have to be well educated and speak with poise and distinction. Even though this woman is not educated, or poised by society's standards, she speak with more conviction than most. She is speaking from her experience which is more powerful than any fact packed speech could ever be. 

Another reason why this speech stood out so much to me is the issue of religion that she brought up. Especially at this time, religion was something that wasn't often questioned. Truth uses something that was assumed to be static and a solid foundation and used it to prove her point. It is a simple thing to point out that Jesus was made from woman and God, but it bears so much importance and weight. She didn't bash religion, unlike some other female authors who believe the church condemns women, which made her argument that much more respectable.

I wish this occurred during a time where she could have been filmed speaking this. The women who attempt to recreate this speech are phenomenal, but to see the words come directly from Truth would've been empowering, and definitely entertaining. 

I was intrigued by her brief biography in the anthology, so I thought I'd look up a little more on her life. She was quite the individual! Here is a link to the PBS special on People of Faith. It gives a good background on her and how her faith effected her life! http://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/people/sojourner_truth.html 

Blog Post #5

Ain't I a Woman?

By Sojourner Truth

Sojourner's speech expressed frustration on the ideals of the world and how they don't match up with reality in that women are never treated even remotely equal to men and for what reason she asks.  People make women out to be so weak and needing so much help and guidance but she explains that she too is a woman and she is strong, she has been through everything a man has and in many cases more.  "Look at my arm! I have plowed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman?  I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well!  And ain't I a woman?"  She speaks on the inequalities that women and blacks faced at that time in America and uses her own life experiences to explain that she is a woman but has been through so much and in explaining why men are superior they use Christ but Sojourner comes right back with the fact that he came from God and a woman.  Men may be the head of a home or superior in certain aspects but women are superior in so many ways that men could never even fathom.  Giving birth being one explanation of this, no matter what men can do, there is probably a woman who can do it too but giving birth is one thing a man could never do.  I loved the day in class when we watched this speech on the video because it's just so powerful and everything she says holds true, she's not simply saying it for the purpose of arguing, she sincerely wants to know what people are thinking about when they say women can't do certain things she has done and she expresses, well I have done that and aren't I a woman?

Blog Post #4

On Being Brought from Africa to America

By Phillis Wheatley

 

'TWAS mercy brought me from my Pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to understand

That there's a God, that there's a Savior too:

Once I redemption neither sought nor knew,

Some view our sable race with scornful eye,

"Their color is a diabolic die."

Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

May be refined, and join th' angelic train.

 

In Wheatley's poem, she begins out by speaking of slavery in a positive light expressing that it is what brought her to the lord. She talks about feeling "benighted" which I looked up and found that what she meant by this which was that she was trying to get across to the reader that she felt overtaken by the darkness explaining her skin color to be equal to her original ignorance of the Christian lifestyle she now understands.  I loved the poem and looked up many interpretations of it which all expressed that she found her slavery as a liberating experience instead of looking back on it in a negative light.  I liked this a lot because experiencing something so horrific is never easy but to make something so great out of it and use the experience as a means of making the rest of your life amazing then the more power to Wheatley, in my opinion.  When the people stole her as a slave they stole her power of her own life and in not allowing them to dictate the rest of her life is taking this power back in a sense.  She talks about the "mercy" as her journey with slavery and being a black female but then also with being a Christian.  In the fifth line of the poem Wheatley says "some view our sable race with scornful eye" which I think she's saying that she's not ignorant to how many people view black, female, slaves but urging the reader to see more than what is on the surface and look deeper into who these people are and where they have come from.  The attitude expressed in the poem is important because she has such positivity and hope and it's so blatant throughout the poem which is so liberating.  I really liked this poem and learning a little bit about Phillis Wheatley along with her other poems.

#2 The Muse as Medusa

The Muse as Medusa by Mary Sarton

Medusa is such an empowering figure for feminists everywhere. At first glance one would not consider Medusa as this figure of power. In The Muse as Medusa it starts off with Sarton describing her eyes as cold. Yet she is not turned into stone. In most stories Medusa is portrayed as this monster that lures people in specifically men with her voice but once one looks into her stony eyes they are hypnotized into their own death. I know that this was the only representation of Medusa that I was taught as a young girl. This is the representation I brought to college until I took this class. Sarton completely changed my whole thinking on the image of Medusa. She is a woman that is completely misunderstood. I mean isn't that how a lot of women in society feel. There is more to Medusa than meets the eye, but people are quick to judge with her snake like hair and sensual appearance. If anything its not Medusa who is leading these people to their deaths it's the judgement. Sarton describes Medusa in a way that every woman can relate to. We can put ourselves in her shoes. She even says at the end that when she looks into Medusa's face she sees her own. There is more that meets the eye to each women. We are not just the housewife that cleans and cooks or the business woman that eats men for dinner. Especially in the current society we live in women are aloud to express who they are more than ever. 

Also Medusa in this poem is whoever you want her to be. My most favorite quote in her poem is, "Forget the Image: your silence is my ocean". Medusa becomes this vision of piece with her silent gaze, which is different from what we are used to. Fairy tales make its seem like Medusa has all the power when really she can't control the environment around her, but she stands there still with confidence. That is what people are afraid of the confidence behind her. Like with any modern day feminist. Or really anyone who sticks up for what they believe in. That kind of confidence is what's intimidating and is why she is portrayed in such a negative way. Then there is the ocean around Medusa which becomes this wealth of knowledge. I interpreted the ocean as a women's thoughts, feelings, creativity, ideas, pretty much anything that creates a women. This is where Sarton is trying to find herself. The ocean is her journey and Medusa was her starting point.

Blog Post #5

Oh man...one more blog? Seriously? Time has indeed flown. Anyways, I have been watching a lot of tv and movies lately and this class has made it much clearer to see how media portrays various women in film.  One of my favorite movies happens to be a short film called "One Flight Stand".

 It is about ten minutes of an entire romantic relationship over the course of an international flight. It is hysterical and parodies different important points of a relationship. The woman, Alexis, is played by Aisha Tyler (a hilarious comedian).  She is depicted as an intelligent woman who is found reading alone in the first scene, but falls for a handsome stranger on her flight. This is a comedic look at the stereotypical behavior of men and women during a relationship. Towards the end of the film, the man questions whether he can remain committed to Alexis for the entire flight. She seems to have no problem settling down, but the man is depicted as the possibly promiscuous person in the relationship. I found this interesting because it reminded me of our class discussions about women not needing a man and Gretchen's CWW presentation on Chelsea Handler. Handler wrote a book about her sexual exploits and does not apologize for her promiscuity. The double standard that men are the only gender allowed to be promiscuous is ridiculous. Also, I have been watching many romantic comedies which depict women as craving a relationship or deeply in love with someone. During our discussions, many of us have said that it's great how women realize that we don't need men and can stand independently. Yes, of course we can stand independently and it's okay to be single. With that said, it's okay to be the stereotypical boy-crazy housewife type. The problem with feminism is that feminists are made to look like man-haters. I know this isn't true. Part of what the female liberation stands for is allowing women to embrace sexuality and be the women they want to be. If a woman wants to be in a relationship, get married, and/or have children, she shoudn't be viewed as a woman bringing "female kind" down. Yes, there are feminine ideals and societal views but what I hope everyone has taken from this course is to simply be yourself and express yourself, whether you're "fitting in" or "standing out". Love yall good luck in your future endeavors:)

#1 Talking Back: Young Women and Their Voices

I can remember the rush I got as a kid talking back to my parents. Wondering whether I would get grounded or spanked. It was usually a toss up between the two. At the age of seven though I couldn't help but feel like  a rebel telling my parents how I felt about their rules (except looking back on it I was usually in the wrong). Honestly out of all the women writers though we have read about I think Bell Hooks could have been the easiest to relate to, at least for myself that is. Most people can put themselves in bell hooks place whether its talking back to parents, a friend, a boss, or anyone that considers themselves to be at a higher status. Kids crave for the attention of their superiors just like bell hooks did in talking back. They want their opinions to be heard. And why not?

I feel like we don't encourage our youth to speak out enough. They are our future. If they don't have a voice young they may never have one. The best thing about bell hooks was her persistence. She clearly got knocked down most of the time when she tried to add into conversations but that didn't matter to her. She also had the double disadvantage of being a woman and a child. We also can't forget about her race. (That is the one part of this passage I cannot relate to. I have always had the white privilege that I think many people take for granted.) But on another note how exactly is a girl supposed to overcome this obstacle? Young girls have enough to be self conscious about now a days. As a society we need to encourage them to write and speak out, voice their opinions. Building confidence begins young and develops over time. Bell hooks is the prime example of this. She started young telling adults how she felt and now she is a very successful woman's writer.

Yet I can't help but wonder does every women writer have a mental break down about their work at some point in time. Even Bell Hooks being a strong women has doubted herself. She mentions, " It has been difficult for me to claim "writer" as part of that which identifies and shapes my every day reality." This statement definitely discouraged me a little. Just because it's sad to think that this women who is a symbol of strength still is influenced by societies views on women speaking out. Especially for opinions that are important and intelligent. I know this conflict will always be their for women. I just hope that it discourages people less and less from being afraid of their voices!   

Blog Post 5

At the close of the semester I would like to reflect on my understanding and view of feminism and a "women writer". I have enjoyed this class SO much. Often times, my work ethic and participation in class might not have always showed it!

I thoroughly enjoyed discussion leading because it helped me to interpret parts of the texts I could not fully understand on my own. I got to hear the opinions and ideas of my classmates and fellow women writers. It made us closer as a class and more comfortable to speak out and disagree with no pressure.

I enjoyed the Contemporary Women Writers section of the course. It allowed me to know the lives and history of famous actresses and songwriters. I got a chance to really understand the lyrics and words of songs I have heard and some I never thought I would listen to. Sometimes even when I listened to the lyrics of these songs I never truly understood the point that was being presented until now. I also downloaded a few new artists from iTunes and that I am really proud of! (Haha)

Although they kicked my butt, I appreciated the response papers. It kept my mind on task. I was able to reflect on the things we were learning in class as they were being presented. The response papers refused to let any key points go over my head.

I love the blog. Some nights after reading the required text I would just scroll down and watch videos posted or read blog posts which always kept me entertained!

Finally, I was able to understand that feminism is more than a bunch of angry old women. Feminism is the driving force behind the empowerment of women. The differences that make us unique and the similarities that make us great! Feminism is the fight to shed light on women's rights and ideas in a male dominant society. This understanding will help me in my journey as an English major when dealing with the feminist critique and feminist lens and how to appropriately apply both to a text in the future.

This has been a great semester and a very insightful class. I have learned so much!!

Blog Post #5

"Wolf Alice" by Paula Gunn Allen

Like many other girls, as a youngster I was always interested in fairytales.  Something about the princesses with gorgeous princes sweeping them off their feet while little birds serenaded their true love was so encapsulating to me that even to this day I am still interested.  After taking Novels and Tales in my first semester of freshman year, I became even more obsessed with the creation and history behind these traditional fairytales, especially all the different interpretations and modifications of just one single story.
I was very intrigued with the story "Wolf Alice" by Paula Gunn Allen because of the hidden, unsuspected part of a fairytale that I believe can be overlooked.  This interpretation of the fairytale was so different because of its journey through the discovery of reality and human life. I specifically loved Alice's experience with her period, such a common and normal part of human life, yet so strange in the eyes of an outsider. I felt that this story almost turned humanity and reality on its head, allowing for readers to discover a new and different part of reality that had escaped their knowledge.
Lately, I've been obsessed with the show Once Upon A Time. Essentially, its a parallel of common fairytale characters such as the princesses, and the world of reality. These characters are placed in every day, real life situations and experiences that truly draw the line of distinction between fairytale and reality. I think it's a brilliant concept for a show that brings a modern and unexpected view to the original fairytales, much like "Wolf Alice." Definitely check it out!

Blog Post

I was looking through my notebook and realized I wanted to talk about Adrienne Rich's piece a little more than we did in class.

She mentioned that people see her as mostly white, but she identifies herself as Jewish and female as well. Although this was written in the early/middle 1900's, that's still a common theme people use to identify others in the 21st century too. The reason it's like this (and specifically in America) is because the majority of our country's rules and standards have been made by white men. And for the longest time, white was always seen as the main reason you got respect, a job, a better life, etc... Therefore, many people didn't associate themselves with their religion, background, and real beliefs as much because being white was all you needed! That mentality still remains in many peoples thought processes today due to the way we learn specific psychological themes growing up: treatment, authority, manners, differences/sameness, and social class. So, my point is that the reason she was only seen as "white" for the longest time is not only because that was how she was seen to the eye, it's the knowledge of what we've been taught as well. For example, if you take any single person of color, and you have someone identify them, that person will most likely be labeled at black or colored. Of course, who knows what they're true identity is... Dominican, Puerto Rican, Indian, Colombian, Greek, Haitian, Mexican, etc... but the fact that they are colored is all most people need to know. And why? Because we live in such a westernized white world. 

Blog Post #5-"Trifles" By Susan Glaspell

I really enjoyed the play, “Trifles” By Susan Glaspell. I actually read this play for the first time last year in my Drama and Film class. In the class discussion on “Trifles,” we talked a lot about gender roles and symbolism, so it was interesting to revisit these ideas in class.

I personally think that Glaspell did a really great job portraying gender roles in this particular time period. Throughout the play, she shows how the men are dominant over the women, do not realize everything that the women do, and look down on them. They feel that the women always worry about things that they feel are rather silly, shown in lines such as “Women are used to worrying over trifles (page 983).” They don’t realize that their household would not be able to function without their wives. They pick on them constantly, laugh at them, and devalue them.

However, I feel that the women in this particular play are extremely strong. The men don’t take the time to think like Minnie, think about what she went through, and really connect with her. However, the women do the exact opposite. Because Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters have similar lives to Minnie, it is easy for them to relate to her due to society at the time. Women at this time had many specific duties, such as cooking in the kitchen, and because they were in “women’s territory,” they found clues that the men would not have found. Because they were in the kitchen, looking in her quilting basket, and around her preserves, the women found more evidence than the men would have dreamed of. When the women found the dead canary in the sewing basket, the women knew it had been Minnie Wright who had killed her husband, although they still did not want to completely believe it. However, through this and Mrs. Peters prior background knowledge of Minnie Wright, the women were able to understand what Minnie was going through. They understood that Minnie felt like the bird in the cage. Her marriage to Mr. Wright had changed and she was no longer happy; she couldn’t even sing anymore. She most likely suffered from abuse. At the very least, she was probably treated in a disrespectful manner, just as Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale are by the men in the story. On page 989, Mrs. Peters states that, “We all go through the same things—it’s just a different kind of the same things.” When Minnie murdered Mr. Wright, she snapped because she could not take her life anymore. Although Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale recognize that murder is wrong, they understand the turmoil that Minnie went through and decide to keep the evidence a secret in support of her. They are able to sympathize with Minnie. This is also a silent act of rebellion against the men. The women are actually stronger, smarter, and more important than the men give them credit for.

Throughout the play, there are many other emphasizes on the major differences in gender in this time period. For example, on page 989, the County Attorney references that men and women are treated differently in the court system with the line, “But you know the juries when it comes to women.” This also comes off in the general attitudes of the men and women as well. The men are very dominant, condescending, and arrogant, while the women are quiet, submissive, and respectful of their husbands. There are also differences in where men and women belong. There are many references in the play to the women belonging in the home doing womanly duties, such as cooking, quilting, and cleaning. In contrast, the men are out working to support the family, which is more important than the women’s duties in their eyes.

I think that Susan Glaspell did a brilliant job writing this play. Some of the lines have a lot of deeper meaning behind them. For example, Mrs. Hale’s line, “We call it—knot it, Mr. Henderson.” is a very empowering line in the play because of what it stands for, due to the various references to it throughout the duration of the play. She was able to make many significant points in a fairly short play, which is impressive. It was very nice to re-read such a female-empowering play.