More handpicked essays just for you.
Childhood as a social construct
Introduction to childhood as a modern construct
Childhood as a social construct
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Born the daughter of a British trader and a Creek Indian mother, Mary was a child of mixed heritage. Her mother died when she was around seven years of age. After her mother’s death her father took her and her only brother, Edward Griffin, to live in Charlestown, South Carolina where she spent most of her time in school.
I don’t think the way her parents died really affected the story; it just changed the reason why she had to go live at Misselwaite Manor. When Mary was going to meet Mrs. Medlock at the train station,
It is wholly recurrent to blindly skim through a detailed piece of literature and be unconscious to the likeness it shares with other pieces of literature. I am surely guilty of this ignorant practice, however. As I was reading “Hanging Fire” by Audre Lorde and “On Turning Ten” by Billy Collins, I didn’t truly perceive the connection right away. The obvious was already divulged in my mind; they’re both in the points of views of children. They, however, both have a mutual theme; growing up brings uncertainty and disappointment.
The appeal of adulthood and independence reaches its apex in fervent children. However, Maria Mazziotti Gillan, poet of My Daughter at 14, Christmas Dance, 1981, conveys the paternal perspective of viewing one’s own kin experiencing the “real” world through her daughter’s first relationship. The Family of Little Feet, written by Sarah Cisneros, illuminates the negativities of young girl’s eagerness to physically develop in hope of acquiring attention from possible suitors. While both pieces of literature possess varying perspectives of epiphanies, Gillan and Cisneros divulge the significance of cherishing one’s youth, as the realities of maturity divest children of their innocence.
Mary immigrated from Ireland in during the late 1800’s and lived with her aunt and uncle until she found steady work. Mary began her career as a cook in New York City, working for some of the wealthiest families. While working for those families, a short time after her employment, members of the family and other workers who lived in the home
In Willa Cather’s book, My Antonia, the theme of childhood can be seen throughout the book and affects the meaning taken from the story. A childhood theme can add so much to a story and really drive the points the author wants to make. As the novel follows Jim throughout his childhood the theme of innocence and maturity are displayed throughout the story in multiple circumstances. Jim and Antonia’s relationship revolves around their adventures as they explore the prairie and all its wonders.
The Terrors of Youth There are many memories that may come to mind when someone speaks the word of adolescence. Some people recall times of gratification and innocent adventures, but for others the phrase “teenage years” holds horrific memories. For a section of the populace their “teen experiences” may be the most appalling time period, as they begin to undergo many changes. This concept of dark adolescence is present not only in the real world, but in the literary world as well.
“They live for the nursery” announces Lydia, frightened by the truthful thought (Bradbury 2). It is hard to admit painful truths, but Lydia manages to. She is, unfortunately, too late in her wake up call. The children already have a lot of “death thoughts” while in The Nursery(Bradbury 3).. It is sadly ironic that a place like the Nursery, meant to foster creativity, has the complete opposite effect on Wendy and Peter.
In some works of literature, childhood and adolescence are portrayed as times graced by innocence and a sense of wonder; in other works, they are depicted as times of tribulation and terror. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding the author portrays that children are not completely innocent. Golding’s representation of childhood and adolescence also shows us the attitudes children have towards participating in work. In Lord of the Flies Golding portrays that children are not completely innocent.
Age 7 In America Film Age 7 in America is a film narrated by Meryl Steep about detailed lives of 7-year olds from diverse social classes and ethnic backgrounds in the United States. They are fifteen kids in total. Each place of stay for the kid is mentioned and other details to do with the family status, family structure, and their different thoughts on issues such as drugs and crime, education, the opposite gender, on the future, on the world, and so on. Integrated into the film explanation is Bronfenbrenner’s theory as regards child development.
In her short story “Marigolds”, Eugenia Collier, tells the story of a young woman named Lizabeth growing up in rural Maryland during the Depression. Lizabeth is on the verge of becoming an adult, but one moment suddenly makes her feel more woman than child and has an impact on the rest of her life. Through her use of diction, point of view, and symbolism, Eugenia Collier develops the theme that people can create beauty in their lives even in the poorest of situations. Through her use of the stylistic device diction, Eugenia Collier is able to describe to the reader the beauty of the marigolds compared to the drab and dusty town the story is set in.
“Fern Hill” and “Nothing Gold Can Stay” Life as a child is beautiful, not yet being exposed to the sins of the world they often find themselves experiencing something new every day and know not the monotony of adulthood. After being exposed to the pains of life, many often reflect and reminisce over how their pasts could have been different, or how quickly the shining lights in a child’s eyes are replaced with the dull luminescence of monotony and reality. While both “Fern Hill” and “Nothing Gold Can Stay” portray thematic ideas concerning the loss of childhood, “Fern Hill” expands upon the details of a farm boy’s life and dissention into reality while “Nothing Gold Can Stay” is brief but far-reaching into many other realms of life. However, they both serve as an effective reminder of the mortality of innocence. “Fern Hill’s” length allows the narrator to expand on his ideas about childhood and allow him to add insightful imagery in order to present a snapshot of what his life was like.
In the short story “The Flowers”, Alice Walker sufficiently prepares the reader for the texts surprise ending while also displaying the gradual loss of Myop’s innocence. The author uses literary devices like imagery, setting, and diction to convey her overall theme of coming of age because of the awareness of society's behavior. At the beguining of the story the author makes use of proper and necessary diction to create a euphoric and blissful aura. The character Myop “skipped lightly” while walker describes the harvests and how is causes “excited little tremors to run up her jaws.”. This is an introduction of the childlike innocence present in the main character.
Alice Walker uses imagery and diction throughout her short story to tell the reader the meaning of “The Flowers”. The meaning of innocence lost and people growing up being changed by the harshness of reality. The author is able to use the imagery to show the difference between innocence and the loss of it. The setting is also used to show this as well.
Alice Walker, the author of an essay “In Search of Our Mother’s Garden”, is a famous American writer and activist. She speaks for the rights of people and helps the offended while supporting revolutionists and leaders whom she considers to be bringing change to the world and seek for its transformation. Her essay, “In Search of Our Mother’s Garden”, dedicated to the struggle of African American women, is based on the feminist insights of the author. Based on her own experience, the experience of others, and the historical events, the author reveals the topic of the suppressed talent of African American women, of their lost artistic skills resulting from slavery and the imposed on them role. However, Walker point out that somehow the dark past has not completely damaged the creative power of the mothers and grandmothers since it has manifested itself in the small things they did for the people they loved.
