Brunch

It's late Sunday morning and people on the street are popping in and out of stores, seeking shade from the glaring sun reflecting off the pavement on this scorching June day. Naomi checks her watch, realizing she is supposed to be at the restaurant now, she picks up her pace, rushing through the streets and dodging cars, adding to the bustle and liveliness that is New York City. She thinks about how she is going to tell the girls; she attempts to predict their reactions so that she can generate appropriate responses ahead of time. What if they condemn me, reject me, dismiss me, she thinks, I can't get through this without the support of my friends.  Is it wrong of me to not want to bring a child into this cruel world that’s controlled by the media and configured so that women fail?  She realizes she has gotten distracted and taken a wrong turn; she is now ten minutes late.

Where is Naomi, Offred thinks, she is usually on time, a quality Offred appreciates about her.  Time is the only thing that remains constant, no matter where you are there is a when; time, day, month, year, one of the few things she understands.  There's so much to learn, but I'll never know it all; the idea of infinite knowledge intimidates Offred. I would like to be ignorant, she thinks, then I would not know how ignorant I was. She looks away from her menu and back at the other women. Jasmine is whispering something to Eve that Offred doesn't catch. Just add that to the list of things I will never know, she thinks.

Naomi enters the restaurant and all the women stand up to greet her, embracing her, all smiles and warmth, she cherishes the moment believing that it won't last long. She goes over the script in her head that she prepared on her walk here; It's my choice and I don't need your criticism, all I'm asking is for your support. Stay strong, she tells herself, as long as you're happy that's all that matters. Like a car running a red light, she speeds through her story, leaving out details and avoiding eye contact. When she finishes she looks up at all the blank stares, uncomfortable with all the attention on her she attempts to change the subject. "Wait," Jasmine says. Here it comes, Naomi thinks.

"I don't judge you at all," Eve jumps in, "In fact I commend you for taking control over your own body." How can Eve say that, Jasmine thinks, it's not her choice to take control over, it's someone else's life, a precious life, a beautiful life, God's creation. She thinks back to the day her husband died, I am screaming.  My hands touch a red wet cheek, my eyes are closed. She can sense Naomi waiting for her response, but she doesn't know how to express what she's feeling. How can Naomi understand death if she's never lost someone that she loved; She would have loved that child. It's not fair for me to burden Naomi with my pain, she thinks, I had a past that I was still fleeing. Perhaps still am. "As long as you're happy," Jasmine says, "I support you." Offred is silent. 

*Everything in italics is taken from either Jasmine or The Handmaid's Tale

Explanation: 

I wrote this short piece on abortion because it is a topic that we never had the chance to discuss during this course due to its delicate nature and the intense debate surrounding it. In writing this, I tried to imagine which side of the debate each of the fictional characters and actual authors would support. I think Naomi Wolf would not necessarily be against abortion because she believes in women having control over their lives and bodies, similarly to Eve Ensler. Wolf is opposed to the beauty myth influencing women to harm their bodies. She says, "Women have learned to submit to pain by hearing authority figures - doctors, priests, psychiatrists - tell us that what we feel is not pain" (254). I think if having a child would hurt a woman mentally or physically, then Wolf would support the decision of that female to free herself from such pain. I think Eve Ensler would also understand  the decision to have an abortion since she has connected with many women who have experienced the atrocity of rape. I think Offred would not allow herself to have an opinion on the matter because she knows that she has been ingrained with information about the importance of giving birth, to the extent where her point of view is unwillingly distorted. Jasmine on the other hand, I imagine would be opposed to the concept of abortion. Although the death of her beloved husband nearly drove her to suicide, I think she eventually acknowledged the gift of life and all the beauty it has to offer.

The Other Woman

I recently watched a video on MSNBC titled "The Fascinating First Ladies of France." To my surprise, the video compared the appearances of Carla Bruni (the former first lady of France) with those of Valerie Trierweiler (the new first lady of France). It analyzed their career choices only when they involved acting or modeling. There was a link to an article attached to the video that examined and scrutinized the outfits each of the women wore to particular events. It all reminded me of the "who wore it best" section in US Weekly magazine (in which two men are never compared). Women are constantly being played against each other in this "patriarchal culture" Eve Ensler talks about in The Vagina Monologues (53). She recommends that "pussys unite," however, this seems almost impossible when women are encouraged to be averse to "the other woman" (53). 


In our society many women are substantiated by men. Men tend to evaluate them on a superficial level, only taking into consideration physical characteristics. Naomi Wolf says, “The beauty myth sets it up this way: A high rating as an art object is the most valuable tribute a woman can exact from her lover" (171). As objects it is very easy for people to pit women against each other. This is why there tends to be an obscure hatred for "the other woman." I constantly hear young girls saying they wish they had this person's body or hair like that person. It is unfeasible for women to unite if there is this lingering jealousy amongst them. 


In order for women to succeed in this patriarchal culture, it is imperative that women stop being objectified. As soon as women are valued for their character over their appearances, they will no longer be comparable. I do however, think both sexes are responsible for this objectification. Women compare other women because they are insecure. Picking apart someone else tends to be easier than assessing your own flaws. Women also thrive on such competition: the winner is validated and her confidence is reassured. Women need to learn to identify with their personalities rather than relying on their looks. Men also need to stop 
validating themselves based on how good looking the woman they are with is.


http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/16/11727831-oh-la-la-a-look-at-frances-fascinating-first-ladies?lite

Grandmother Interview

A while ago I spoke to my Grandmother about what it was like for her growing up in the 1930's - 40's. She couldn't stress enough that marriage was always her ultimate goal. Education and a career were trivial matters. This mentality clearly carries through to the 50's: In The Hours, one of the plots is set in the 50's and the character Laura stays home and is expected to perform tasks designated to the female sphere such as taking care of the children, cooking and cleaning. However, this particular division of roles leaves women financially dependent on men. In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Mary Wollstonecraft highlights the potential issues surrounding this situation. She postulates that if a woman is "trained up to obedience" and her husband dies then "a double duty devolves on her; to educate [her children] in the character of both father and mother; to form their principles and secure their property. But, alas! she has never thought, much less acted for herself. She has only learned to please men, to depend gracefully on them" (51-52). What is interesting is that my grandmother's mother did not have a good relationship with her husband. Unfortunately, she was compelled to stay with him for financial purposes. I would think if my grandmother witnessed that, she would try to not end up in a similar position. I think in the Western world an education and career are encouraged for females, but I still know many women who depend fully on their husbands for economic support.

My grandmother also made it clear that she never discussed anything related to sex with her friends or family. Those things were unspoken of. I think that is one area where our society hasn't made much progress. Eve Ensler gives us an example of people being afraid to say sexual words when she says, "Women call up for tickets to the "Monologues...The punk ticket seller tells women that if they can't say it, they can't come" (xxx). Just the other day my mom saw my book downstairs and asked if I needed to bring the "Monologues" to school with me. It is clear that even in the 21st century women feel uncomfortable using the term vagina. I don't understand how sex can be so prevalent in our society, where it is portrayed in ads and all over the television, yet people still can't talk about it.

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

Twitter pt 2

In my previous post I discussed twitter accounts encouraging women to be thin. However, twitter targets not only women's weight, but also their life styles. Particular accounts like @ToMyFutureHusband and @TrophyTrainee promote dependency on men. Tweets such as, "#ToMyFutureHusband I can't wait to be all yours <3" advocate for a woman to "submit, right or wrong, to power" (51). Mary Wollstonecraft, in  A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, identifies the troubles that emanate from this situation. "...If woman be educated for dependence...where are we to stop?" she says (51). 


TrophyTrainee tweets, "When people tell me to make them a sandwich I'm instantly offended. Why settler for a sandwich when I can make a million better things?" People then tweet at TrophyTrainee with photos of baked goods and descriptions reading "I'm going to make a great wife!" This assumes that the prerequisite for a healthy relationship depends on the quality of food one is able to produce for their partner (typically a woman for a man). Wollstonecraft acknowledges the ignorance of this statement when she writes, "...Being only taught to please must still find her happiness in pleasing; what an example of folly" (52).


I consistently see girls at our school retweeting these quotes because they think it makes them seem appealing to men. Sadly, as early as the 1800's, the "cult of domesticity" has deemed the home as a female's sphere. Images from the mid 20th century portray women in the kitchen. Men then consider "homemaker" to be a redeeming and attractive quality in females. 

As mentioned in The Beauty Myth, domestic housework goes generally unnoticed without pay. If women do not have a salary earning career outside the home, they become completely reliant on their husbands for income. Wollstonecraft considers the problems that arise when a woman is widowed (or more contemporary: divorced). 

She hypothesises the scenario of a woman post loss saying, "She has never thought, much less acted for herself. She has only learned to please men, to depend gracefully on them; yet, encumbered with children, how is she to obtain another protector?" (52).

Our family friends recently got divorced. The father provided the primary source of income and as a result, the mother had a more difficult time the the divorce. Emotionally, she was ready to detach from him after he cheated on her, but financially she was dependent on him. Whether she wants to or not, she has to maintain a civil relationship with him in order to send her children to college.

As a female, being dependent on a man is not an ideal situation. Wollstonecraft stresses, "Man and woman were made for each other, though not to become one being" (109). People need to be able to make choices for themselves and think for themselves; both of which are impossible if you are dependent on someone else.


http://fiveaspects.com/blog/whats-in-a-name/

Twitter

Twitter in the past couple years has become a mainstream social media website. It is largely made fun of for the meaningless constant updates one receives. People always say "I don't care what this person had for lunch" or "how this person feels about their break-up." It is true that most people don't care about "this person" but the majority of people do care about what celebrities have to say. Twitter gives celebrities an opportunity to shed their divine status and inform the world about their flaws.  They use twitter to connect with their fan base and sharing their problems makes them seem relatable. Kim Kardashian, who has over 14 million followers, recently tweeted "Decided to not eat the cake! This pic put me in check ! LOL" and then attached this photo: 

https://twitter.com/#!/KimKardashian

Without realising it, Kim is a sending a message that Wolf summarises as, "Women's self-denial where food is concerned is represented today as good for her mate and even better for herself" (200). Later Kim tweeted "Up early gonna hit the gym!!!" This is only one of many enthusiastic work out tweets, making 14.5 million people feel like they should be exercising if they want to look and be loved like Kim Kardashian. Popular culture revolves around celebrities and I agree with Wolf when she says, 

"The larger world never gives girls the message theta their bodies are valuable simply because they are inside them. Until our culture tells young girls that they are welcome in any shape - that women are valuable to it with or without the excuse of "beauty" - girls will continue to starve" (205)

There are other twitter accounts that make women feel like their beauty is everything. For example Mens Humor is followed by 1.7 million people. The account recently posted, "Big Sunglasses: An ugly chick's best friend." This is suggesting that women who are ugly should go into hiding. These feelings can be connected with eating disorders, where women physically want their hated bodies to disappear. Men are comfortable joking about eating because dieting and thinnes is not encouraged among them. Mens Humour tweeted, "If You Choose a Salad Over a Steak, Membership Lost" (membership referring to the one's man card). Picking a salad over a steak is a choice that majority of women on diets have to make. Wolf says, "On any day, 25 percent of women are on diets, with 50 percent finishing, breaking, or starting one" (185). Because this choice is so closely tied with the female majority, it is perceived as feminine and frowned upon for men. Consistently choosing a salad over a steak can lead to malnutrition, and weakness and men are pushed to be the antithesis of weak. I hope that one day women too can be valued for strength rather than frailty. Unfortunately however, as more mediums for sharing information are developed, popular culture will continue to shape the public's view on body image.

Mission Impossible (pt 2)

What is so interesting about advertisements today is that nothing is a secret. Women know that photoshop is a customary procedure and commercials are digitally enhanced to make the product appear superior. Yet we still have a difficult time accepting that we will never look like the models on the billboards or have hair as silky as it is in the commercials. We should not however, blame ourselves for this false sense of hope. Particular images are ingrained into our brains, whether we want them to be or not. Specifically regarding beauty, we become accustomed to the images we see frequently. When we are exposed to something a lot, it is possible that we will take a liking to it. For example, when a popular song is playing on the radio all the time, we eventually find ourselves singing along. Despite knowing that these images aren't real, we see them all the time, and subconsciously acquire a taste for this them. Women want to be appreciated for their looks and society appreciates these images. Therefore, women continue to buy products that promise beauty and perfection, allowing the advertising companies to win.

Some companies have taken action against making women feel this way. For example, the movie referenced that back in 2006 Dove did a campaign for real beauty. It revealed to the public just how distorted images our. The original model whose photograph was taken, was virtually unrecognizable in the final advertisement. This campaign was a success, proving that women are more than ready to get rid of the artificial beauty ideals. Some other companies have recognized this, and either stopped using emaciated models or actually edited photos to make them appear larger. An article in the Guardian discusses the reaction to a nude photo of a plus size model in Glamour Magazine. "The overwhelming reaction to the tiny photograph, buried on page 194 of Glamour magazine 'shows that the world is hungry to see pictures of normal women.'" However, these photos of real women will have trouble competing with the glossy airbrushed pictures and it will take more than one company changing in order to reshape society's perspective on beauty. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/sep/02/lizzie-miller-model-fat

Mission Impossible

I thought Jean Kilbourne's documentary was an accurate analysis of how advertisements affect the public. Her research was more focused on women, because women tend to be targeted and more affected by ads than men. Wolf stresses that products sell "by making women feel as guilty as possible" (96). Ads make women they aren't good enough and give them something to strive for by promoting perfection.



Women are expected to be the impossible:

• Emaciated models covering billboards are telling women to be a size zero, while Victoria's Secret campaigns tell women they should have D cups. As Kilbourne says, these two body types are incompatible. A 5'10" woman weighing 100 pounds is not going to have a curvaceous figure. Because it is not natural, women are turing to plastic surgery to achieve this "ideal look." Kilbourne stresses that the majority of models with large busts have had plastic surgery.  
• Photoshop is the more popular way to enhance images. Supposedly "flawless" models are edited to give them longer legs, smaller torsos, bigger breasts, and spotless skin. These images are then plastered on billboards, setting the standard for beauty. Real women are encouraged to look like artificial computer generated images, which is clearly an unrealistic aspiration.
• Constant weight loss ads are telling women to stay thin because fat is unattractive. Women are made to feel guilty about indulging in food. Wolf discusses a woman's options by saying, "women make the same distinction today, between eating to sustain life, and eating for pleasure" (98). However, at the same time as eating is discouraged, food ads have become more and more enticing. Society in part with the media is teasing women, as though they want to see women fail. 
• All kinds of advertisements have women in suggestive poses, while promoting virginity. The ad below is one of the images shown in the movie. How is a woman expected to be innocent and sexy at the same time? Not only are these ads infantilizing women, but they are also telling women to exhibit contradicting mannerisms at the same time.

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/tag/perfumecologne/

• Wolf highlights another impossible challenge for women: dressing for work. Wolf says, "the beauty myth blocks each path so that no woman can 'look right'' (38). She goes on to give examples of court cases where women were scrutinized for being too ugly and not feminine enough and criticized for being too pretty and too feminine. When it comes to dressing and presenting oneself in a work environment, women cannot win. There is a 100% chance that women will be wrong.

Make Up Cont.

Today I was discussing Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth with my family friend Alexandra, by the pool. Alexandra had never read the book and asked me to described Wolf's outlook on the make up industry (Wolf views it as a device to keep women subordinate to men). I soon discovered what Alexandra did for a living: she was the former head of marketing for a cosmetic company. She argued that make up had been around since the time of the ancient Egyptians, when women used black kohl to line their eyes.

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/01/08-01.html

Make up was introduced prior to women joining the ranks of men in the corporate field. Granted, she is inclined to support cosmetics, but she does have a valid point. Wolf fails to acknowledge the existence of make up before the "beauty myth." Alexandra also explained why she wears make up. Already an attractive woman, she said make up makes her feel more confident. She believes that make up allows her to be the best self she can be. "It's a personal choice," she said, "And I choose to wear make up because it raises my self esteem." Wolf acknowledges the relationship between beauty and self esteem when she says, "...'beauty' lives so deep in the psyche, where sexuality mingles with self-esteem..." (36). Wolf says that telling a woman she is ugly, "...can make her feel ugly, act ugly, and, as far as her experiment is concerned, be ugly, in the place where feeling beautiful keeps her whole" (36). On the contrary, telling a woman the make up makes her beautiful can make a woman feel beautiful and therefore allow her to be beautiful.

I think that both Alexandra and Wolf have justifiable viewpoints. However, I'd have to agree with Alexandra when it comes down to why I wear make up. I wear make up regardless of the situation, because I feel more comfortable with it on. I was talking with my friend yesterday and she goes to an all girls school. When I asked her about make up she said, "Why would I wear make up to school? There are no boys to impress." Many girls probably feel the exact same way. I think the problem arises when women use make up as a tool to validate themselves for men. Wolf articulates that when women allow other people to determine their beauty they lose control of their sense of self worth. She says, "...the power elite can, whenever necessary, form a consensus to strip 'beauty' away" (36).

Make Up: A Blessing or a Curse?

I had always thought that women were luckier than men because they had the ability to manipulate their appearance using make up. If a woman has a blemish she can use cover up to hide it. If a woman has small eyes she can use liner and mascara to make them appear larger. Woman have access to lip liner, eye shadow, lipstick, lipgloss, foundation, blush, bronzer, etc...   Posters hang everywhere advertising these products. Beautiful celebrities, such as Sofia Vergara, Taylor Swift, Tyra Banks, Rihanna, and Drew Barrymore endorse particular brands of make up, suggesting that with such merchandise we will look like them. How could we resist these offers? The majority of women and girls incorporate make up into their daily routine, taking time away from other (probably more productive) tasks.

Wolf suggests that women proved they were able to match and in some cases surpass men in productivity while handling "two shifts," paid work and domestic work. She postulates that, "Someone had to come up with a third shift fast," to occupy women's time in order to prevent them from becoming more successful than men (25). She says women, "...had to add serious 'beauty' labor to her professional agenda" (27).

I had never viewed make up in a negative light; however, looking at it from Wolf's perspective, it does seem a bit like a scam. The public and the media encourage women to wear make up, whereas men are discouraged from using such products. When the concept of "manliner" was brought up in class, everyone snickered. Men who are too concerned with their appearances are stereotyped as feminine or queer. The public therefore shelters men from the make up mania, leaving them more time to focus on other responsibilities.

Before my brother went off to university, we had coexisting daily routines. We both had after school commitments, we had a similar work load and household responsibilities, and we ended up going to sleep around the same time. The only difference is that I was waking up an hour earlier to get ready for school. He would roll out of bed 10 minutes before leaving and have enough time to do whatever he needed to. I was expected to do all the things he was, working off one less hour of sleep. Of course it is a female's choice to allocate time to put on make up, but how much of a choice to does one have when beauty becomes a standard for success? Wolf explains the relationship between appearance and wealth by explaining, "The equation of beauty with money was not examined closely, and the power placebo of beauty was redefined to promise women the sort of power that money, in fact, gives men" (30).

And make up is not the only thing that wastes a female's time. Other products such as nail polish (again,  predominantly used by women and not men) have no purpose other than esthetic. And so the "list of things to do when getting ready" accumulates. In order to keep up with their counterparts, women feel the need to fulfill the criteria on this list. Quite obviously, had such products never been introduced and endorsed, women would not feel compelled to utilize them.

Wolf was able to change my perspective on make up, allowing me to recognize it for what it is: an additional burden for women to cope with. This realization will not prevent me from wearing make up, on the account that these images and ideals have already been ingrained in my mind.

Perspective Cont: The American Dream

Living as an expat in London, I witness firsthand the infatuation with America. I recently volunteered at a public British school where the kids were more eager to learn about America than what their teacher had to say about the history of England. They mimicked our accents, saying cliché phrases that they believe sound uniquely American such as, "Let's go to the mall, it's like totally awesome!" We were bombarded with questions about the weather and the food in the United States. "Is everything bigger?" "I heard the food was really good," "Is it a lot warmer?" Most of the kids couldn't even locate the US on a map, yet all of them had heard some rumor about the quintessential place. For them, America represented the unknown and adventure.

Just the other day, my taxi driver questioned me about the states. I was on my way home from SAT tutor and he asked me what the SAT's were used for. Having always complained about having to take the standardized test, I never considered how fortunate I was to have the opportunity to go to college in the US. "I never went to university, especially not AMERICAN university" he said, "But my friend's brother's son goes there, and he says it's the best experience of his life. He told me about all the things he's studying. I don't even know where I would begin." For the taxi driver, America represented endless opportunities and his dream was to explore this world of possibilities. His dream is handed to me with ease, and I take it for granted.

When Jasmine is noticing the changes in town she says, "...every little flat had a television set, and everyone had a close relative in Canada or the United States bringing back the latest gadgets" (88). For Jasmine, America seems like an advanced place where technology is apart of even the poorest people's lives. When her and Prakash are talking about leaving for America, they discuss opening their own store and what they would call it. "'Vijh & Wife,' my husband said from deep inside my embrace. 'Maybe even Vijh & Vijh'" (89). For Jasmine and Prakash, the United States appears to lend itself to social and economic mobility, something that is not very prevalent in India. Similarly to the students and the taxi driver's goals, Jasmine and Prakash want to experience their very own American Dream.

After analyzing different perspectives regarding the "American Dream," I wanted to examine my own thoughts on the subject. When I think of the American Dream, I think of an executive in New York City, who worked his way up from nothing. I think of women working side by side with men. I think of democracy. In short, the American Dream for me represents equal opportunity. And isn't that all Jasmine, the taxi driver, and the underprivileged students want? They yearn for the same opportunities as their counterparts in America.

It's a Matter of Perspective

What I enjoy most about reading, is that I am able to explore the world from someone else's point of view. Jasmine's perception of America is very different from mine. When she first arrives in America she notices trash cans lined on the edge of a clearing. She says, " So much trash in America!" (128). To me, trash piled into cans lined on the street, seems very orderly rather than overwhelming. I looked up photos of slums in Mumbai where trash engulfs the street, and my first response was, "Look at all that trash in India." Whereas for Jasmine, the trash mounds may seem systematic. These contrasting view points remind me of the HSBC adverts that line the walls of airports. 

http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=12812&t=1

The ads are designed to highlight the fact that people can have contrasting views of the same image. I think this variance stems from distinct life styles. The reason Jasmine and I have opposite views might be because whatever we aren't accustomed to seems alarming.

When Jasmine is wandering the streets and encountering other immigrants she says, "I had been in America nearly a day and had yet to see an 'American' face" (129). I am curious as to what Jasmine believes is "American." To me, America is a melting pot encompassing people from all over the world. I think the defining "American" is more of a racial and ethnic blend than purely Northern European.

Most immigrants view America as a place where dreams come true. People flee to America hoping for a "better" life. But better is a subjective term and differs from person to person. The elder people that Jasmine speaks to in New York complain, "Our sons are selfish. Our daughters want to work and stay thin. All the time, this rush-rush" (147). I think the fast pace life of the city is exciting. A world where women can work without discrimination seems ideal. However, the 'old-folks' from India are familiar with different customs and don't find this modern lifestyle intriguing.

Everyone has a different perspective on life due to their background and how they have been raised. Whether or not you agree with someone else's opinions, it is important that you recognize the many sides of every situation. 

Jyoti, Offred, and I

Last class we compared Offred from The Handmaid's Tale and Jyoti from Jasmine. One of the most obvious similarities is that both women are oppressed. What is interesting however, is that both women are oppressed by other women; a theme that tends to be less common in women's literature. Aunt Lydia is constantly brainwashing Offred and the other handmaids. She wants them to believe that they are not worthy of choice and freedom and that they belong under the control of men. In Jasmine Dida, Pitaji's mother says, "Some women think they own the world because their husbands are too lazy to beat them" (47). She too wants Jyoti to believe that their place in the universe is beneath men. Another similarity both women struggle with is the idea of multiple identities. Although she never tells the reader what it is, Offred mentions multiple times her old name and she attaches it to her old life; her life before Gilead. The start of Jyoti's multiple identities begins when her husband Prakash calls her Jasmine. "To break off the past, he gave me a name name: Jasmine" (77). As Jyoti moves around the country and comes across new people, she receives different variations of her name to fit her new situation. From Jyoti to Jasmine to Jazzy to Jane, I'm unsure of how to refer to the narrator. I think for the duration of my blogging I am just going to refer to her as J. J struggles to distinguish between identities. She says,

"And which of us is the undetected murderer of a half- faced monster, which of us has held a dying husband, which of us was raped and raped and raped in boats and cars and motel rooms" (127)

http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/essay-10-03.html

Having lived in two different parts of the world, I understand what J is experiencing. When I go back to my hometown in Connecticut over the summer I have different nick-names than I do for the duration of the year in London. That isn't all that changes though. My group of friends in Connecticut have a different sense of humor, make different pop culture references, and enjoy different activities. Over the summer I subconsciously mold into someone more like them. It is always strange coming back to London right before school begins and realizing how much I have changed. However, within less than a week I am back to my old self. But what is my "old self"? Is that my true self? Is there just one version of myself or do both versions make up who I am? I guess as I get older and make new friends outside of a high school environment where there is so much pressure to conform, I will discover my true identity.

Who Is Jane?

Although Jane's story is unique and specific, I feel as though I've heard it before; A foreign individual desperate to assimilate, yet ends up settling for a mediocre life. At one point Jane says, "He is happy. And I am happy enough" (21). For Jane, anything seems better than the life she fled, a life mysterious to the reader for the time being. Jane appears to be a simple character, but I think there is more to her that I will eventually discover. Teddy Roosevelt's, "Speak softly but carry a big stick" I think is meant to mirror Jane's personality; reserved, but with a lot of depth (28).

Jane's thoughts about acculturation correspond with what I recently learned in my Human Geography class. One of the first things you change in an alien culture is the way you dress. Clothing is the first thing to go and on Jane recognizes this by saying, "Once we start letting go - let go just one thing, like not wearing our normal clothes, or a turban or not wearing a tika on the forehead - the rest goes on its own down a sinkhole"(29). Usually the last custom to change is food, and it is evident that Jane is still making her traditional food for her family and friends. I think the reason people cling to food rather than clothing is because eating is a more personal activity and tends to be concealed. Differences are usually not widely accepted in any host society and clothing is a more obvious dissimilarity.

In the first few chapters, I've been trying to piece Jane's past together. I think she worked as an illegal immigrant for some time. When she is watching a show about illegal Mexican workers she thinks, "One minute they were squatting on the floor webbing lawn furniture at some insane wage - I know, I've been there..." (27). I also know her family was once very wealthy, but that was a life she never knew. This reminded me of The Reluctant Fundamentalist, where the main character was also from Lahore. His family had also been very wealthy, but they slowly lost it all. I believe Jane has a troubled past and I'm eager to discover how it is going to affect her future.

Themes

After compiling a long list of themes last class, I started to recognise the following concepts in The Handmaid's Tale. The idea of identity and infantilism particularly struck me in this past reading. In chapter 41 Offred directly addresses the reader. She gives a reason for telling her story, "I tell, therefore you are" (page 279).  This reminded me of the famous quote "Cogito ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am). I believe that Offred's variation is much less selfish. Rather than focusing on her own being, she is concerned with the welfare of all humanity. It makes my variation seem insignificant - I used to have a shirt that said I talk, therefore I am. 

"Day by day, night by night he recedes, and I become more faithless" (page 281). I found my support for Offred in her quest to find herself and her way out of Gilead increase as she progressively tried to forget her identity and accept her grim fate.

Also the concept of infantilism was very prominent in these last few chapters. Originally we only discussed the idea of men infantilizing women, however on page 286 Offred reflects on the way Aunt Lydia addresses the Handmaids. "Its ladies instead of girls because of the Wives." The hierarchy amongst women opens the door for oppression and infantilization is a key component in belittling the Handmaid's so that they feel helpless and succumb to the rules and regulations of Gilead. Another example of infantilization is on page 294, "For lunch there was a cheese sandwich, on brown bread, a glass of milk, celerity sticks, canned pears." Before Offred even says anything,  I recognize that this is the type of lunch my mom would have made for me in elementary school. Offred goes on to say, "A schoolchild's lunch." She recognizes that the Handmaids are suppressed and she appears to be bitter about it, yet she doesn't do anything to fight it. It could be, like I mentioned earlier, that by this point she has given up and realizes that she is helpless. "I feel, for the first time, their true power" (page 298). 

In the final chapters Offred also manages to answer some of my looming questions. For example, she says that the reason flowers are prominently featured in her narrative is for the sole purpose of alleviating the pain. I also think that she attended Harvard University, where Gilead is set, because on page 284 she says, "It's very strange to be here again." Offred's fate is the one question that remains unanswered even after reading the Historical Notes. I would like to believe that Offred made it out of Gilead and reconciled with Luke and her daughter.  However,  based on everything I know, the chances of that seem unlikely.  

Monstruating: A Continuation of "Generalizations"

Just recently I watched an episode of Modern Family, a light hearted comedy that addresses every day issues. In this particular episode three of the characters (a mother and her two daughters) all had their periods on the same cycle. They are portrayed as emotional, irrational, and fragile. The husband Phil refers to the women as "Satan's Trifecta" and the son Luke tells the women they are "monstruating." The men in the episode think they understand what the women are dealing with and try to discretely avoid and manipulate them. Yet at the end of the episode it is Phil who displays emotional imbalance and the scene closes with the women embracing him into the club of menstruation. The episode in its conclusion reminded me of Steinem's piece If Men Could Menstruate. At the end of the article she says, "If women are supposed to be less rational and more emotional at the beginning of our menstrual cycle when the female hormone is at its lowest level, then why isn't it logical to say that, in those few days, women behave the most like the way men behave all month long?" Steinem is saying that by the transitive property of hormones, if women - estrogen = irrational and women - estrogen = man, then irrational = man. I think Phil embodies the sensitive male persona; however, it is important to take into consideration that this is intended to be an exaggerated situation. I definitely don't agree that all males are melodramatic, but I also don't agree that all women are unstable during the periods.

This leads me to another generalization - men may be as emotional as women, but they just don't show it. I think in our society today it is more acceptable for women to express their feelings while men are expected to conceal theirs. I included a video titled Boys Will Be Girls. Clearly this video is also an exaggeration, but I do think their is some accuracy in the fact that women talk about and analyze (quite possibly over analyze) things. I wonder if men are envious of the communication that takes place amongst women? I wonder if that is the root of all their mockery?

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

Who is Responsible?

Last class someone posed the question "Is Gilead a matriarchal or patriarchal society?" The Handmaid's Tale has intrigued me with its ambiguous story line and at this point in the book (about half way) details are starting to become more clear. At first glance it appears as though men have total control. The women are divided into different positions, such as handmaids or wives, where they are forced to perform repetitive and tedious tasks. The author's use of colours, creates a vivid image of what Gilead is like; "The mirrors have been replaced here too by oblongs of dull grey metal..." The women are deprived of many comforts and Gilead appears sterile, almost factory-like. Women are there for the soul purposed of producing and raising (although we haven't witnessed this yet in the book) offspring. In the past chapters we just read we discover that the commanders have access to books, writing utensils, and even games. We also discover that they still have a hard time finding pleasure in these things. It appears as though the community is not benefitting anyone. By depriving women of happiness, they (whoever they are) are subsequently hurting the men. The commander complains about lacking companionship, and that his Wife no longer listens to him. I began to sympathise with the commander, a character that I originally disapproved of. Offred also discovers that the Wife has the final say about Offred's fate, if she is found secretly meeting the commander in his office. If this is a patriarchal society, I would assume that the commander has final say, but clearly women have more power than I originally believed. Particular statements that Aunt Lydia makes, referencing the irreparable status of women in the past, makes me believe that there are some women in Gilead who believe that this society is in favour of women, making room for the possibility that women are responsible for this atrocity. I can't comprehend how someone could actually preach the idea that liberation comes through denial of freedom. I understand that without options, there is no opportunity to make the wrong choice, but whose to say that the ultimatum that the women are given is the right choice?

I don't want my question to remain unanswered. I am desperate to find out how such a place came to be in order to reassure myself that something like this could never happen to me. I hope that as Offred attempts to bury her past, I will be able to uncover more details.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/n/no_choice.asp

Generalizations

I think women these days sometimes shy away from their uniqueness, not wanting to bring attention to the fact that they are so different from men. The article If Men Could Menstruate highlighted the distinction between men and women. Light-hearted phrases such as, "Clearly, menstruation would become an enviable, worthy, masculine event," had most of the girls in the class laughing. Some of the males however, were offended by the author, Steinem's, generalizations and believed that her argument became increasingly less valid as she continued to poke fun at men. I think the article was more a call on women to take pride in their differences, than it was an attack on men. I think the reason Steinem referred to males as an example, was because men are known to have a way with spinning something negative into something positive. If this is the case, males should be flattered that Steinmen is encouraging women to be more like men. I believe that whoever has the power has the ability to change society's view on certain subjects. For example in the movie Mean Girls, "The Plastics" (a popular group of girls) can initiate any trend they want in their high school because people look up to them. Steinem wants women to take ownership and pride in the qualities that are uniquely female.

In the text Why I Want a Wife, the author uses a sarcastic tone to lampoon the stereotypical "duties of a Wife." I think the reason she capitalizes the word wife is because she views it as a classification that can overpower females. Certain phrases sound absurd in context; for example, "If, by chance, I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, I want the liberty to replace my present wife with another one." However, this particular mindset does exist amongst men in some parts of the world. For example, in parts of the Middle East women are expected to maintain monogamous relationships while it is acceptable for men to have affairs and even multiple wives. On the other hand though, the author's generalizations are impersonal and stereotype men. The majority of husbands are not demeaning towards their wives and I could see how this article could be offensive. Although the course is called "women's literature," it is the first class that prompted me to approach and consider situations from both the male and female perspective.

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/regina-george?before=1294352327

Toxic Relationships

This week I read multiple texts focused on toxic relationships between men and women.  To start - the men were always abusive towards the women. Whether it was blatant physical abuse or subtle oppression of their wives, the men never stopped to reflect on their detrimental behavior. In "A Jury of Her Peers" the main character, Ms. Wright, is being held for supposedly murdering her husband. Based on the evidence, I gathered that Ms. Wright was maltreated during her many years of marriage. Her husband took away from her everything that made her happy. I think it is reasonable to say that her husband "killed" her, before she actually killed him. My class started to debate whether or not the male investigators would pardon Ms. Wright if they understood the relationship she and her husband had. It got me thinking about whether or not ongoing mistreatment justifies murder. There are constantly stories in the news about abused women who are driven to hurt their husbands. I was curious as to whether or not they are found guilty in court. It turns out that "Battered person syndrome" is considered a valid testimony in court that is mainly used by women (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battered_woman_defense). Whether or not the claim will protect you - depends on how severe the case. In one particular case that I researched, a wife shot her tyrannical husband 11 times and was found not guilty of murder. I think it is better to try and get out of the marriage than stay around and stifle feelings that could eventually drive you to commit murder. I think the reason the main character Delia in "Sweat" doesn't blatantly murder her husband is because she tends to stand up to him. For example on page 19 she scolds him saying, "'Sykes, you quit grindin' dirt into these clothes!'" I think these small blows prevent Delia from bottling up all her anger and eventually exploding like Ms. Wright did. An interesting type of abuse that never really occurred to me, was men infantilizing women. This type of oppressive behavior is apparent in "The Yellow Wallpaper." The narrator's husband John calls his wife "blessed little goose," an endearing term that someone would usually say to their child or pet. I think John treats a grown woman like an infant because it gives him a sense of control over his wife. Later on page 30 he says "'What is it, little girl? Don't go walking about like that -- you'll get cold.'" His authority over her eventually drives her to insanity. In any situation it is easier to deny that something is wrong, but I think these types of toxic relationships stem from the women resisting to face their problems head on.

The Beginning of Women's Literature: The End of Men

Hi my name is Chloe. I set up this blog to share my thoughts and opinions on the texts that I am going to be reading in my women's literature class at school. I signed up for the class because I had heard that many people (both boys and girls) enjoyed it. That's why I was slightly surprised when we received our first assignment - to read an article published in 2010 titled "The End of Men." To begin, I thought the title misrepresented the struggle for women's equality. Rather than focusing on female success, it tried to elevate women by denigrating men. Throughout the article, the author Hanna Rosin was focused more on the failure of men than on the progress women have made in the recent decades. She pays a lot of attention to the current role reversal taking place amongst families and portrays it as a bad thing for males. At one point she even refers to men who don't work as having a "condition," making it sound like some sort of illness one should avoid. She is doing exactly what she faults men for doing; associating the head of the household with being the one to bring home the larger salary. 

Rosin tends to base her bold statements off of weak evidence. She says females are dominating professional careers and goes on to say that women make up a third of America’s physicians and 45% of associates in law firms. When I heard the word dominating I assumed that women would be the majority, but she cited statistics showing that they didn’t even make up half the profession. She also contradicts herself when she says that the number of women in the workforce is prominent and rising quickly, but then goes on to say that only 3% of Fortune 500 CEO’s are women and that percent has never really changed.

We read a second article that countered Rosin’s, titled “It’s Not the End of Men.” I agree with the author Ann Friedman when she says that Rosin perpetuates the “narrow, toxic definition of masculinity.” By doing so I think Rosin is prolonging the idea that gender implies job capability, an idea that most feminists tend to refute. Rosin positions herself as a feminist, but her argument is unclear as she consistently contradicts herself.

I enjoyed reading and critiquing both of these articles because it was interesting to see varying viewpoints. I’m eager to read more from female authors and to encounter different arguments within the feminist movement.