This book is a good read once the reader gets used to Cohen's extraneous notes and references. However, the dedication that went in to creating such a descriptive study of sexism and its effects on society and the criminal justice system make the book compelling. Therefore, it can be firmly stated that Cohen establishes a wonderful case study the effects of sexism in the 1800s based on a horrendous and sexually charged
With great power comes great responsibility—even if said power was not rightfully earned to begin with. In positions of power, humanity is prone to an overexertion of force to ensure those positions are secured, vying to push them to greater heights that cannot be overtaken. In Poisonwood Bible and Things Fall Apart, these tendencies manifest into ardent displays of cruelty; within itself, cruelty becomes a defense mechanism, a coping method, a disciplinary tool, rash and injust from fear of this superiority being lost. The driving point of this cruelty is that it festers within insecurity and is fed by greed. In the novels it reflects the presence of not only patriarchal dominance, but also religious, cultural, and racial puissance.
Written by Karin L. Zipf, Bad Girls at Samarcand: Sexuality and Sterilization in a Southern Juvenile Reformatory focuses on the ghastly moves made by the elites in order to control the idea of a “bad” girl. Bad Girls at Samarcand was published by Louisiana State University Press in 2016 and contains 194 riveting pages. The events that occurred in Bad Girls at Samarcand reflect many ideas covered in American History II. This course introduces the idea of a new woman and social change. Although Bad Girls at Samarcand focuses mainly on the idea of what it was like to be a woman in the 1900s, it helps the reader have a deeper understanding of its relation to American History II and how various events helped shape the role of a woman.
Women are known to go crazy killing everything around them and not realizing the crimes they committed afterwards. They are forced to let out cries regularly because when looked upon from the front they are only points. Figures that are deformed or irregular are almost always destroyed when found. Despite this some are found among the criminal class of Flatlands. Advancement within the ranks of society is possible, but only by generations.
The issues that Kilbourne is attempting to attack are highly sensitive ones. Therefore, it would follow that her essay would appeal to pathos more than usual. The violence that Kilbourne is talking about affects nearly all women and is something that demands attention. It is true when Kilbourne says, “Most of us become numb to these images, just as we become numb to the daily litany in the news of women being raped, battered, and killed” (430). While they are certainly important, all the statistics and data can appear disconnected from the reality of real life abuse women endure.
(Stoker 319) The revolting depiction of a man restraining a woman against her will, forcing her to do as he wishes, is by far the most suggestively insinuative scenes involving the notion of rape and sexual
They do not seem like they derive any pleasure from their treatment to women. They seem as pitiful as the women, as if they are compelled by invisible forces to perform their duties. Bausch depicts an image of a despondent community bounded by rules made perhaps many generations ago. This is clear in the scene where the men exhaust themselves running from one woman to the other with all their
Often, we see a society’s cultural values reflected in its citizens. For example, the United States values equality, a standard that is shared in all facets including gender. The opposite is true of Gilead, a fictional society in Emily Bronte’s The Handmaid’s Tale. The novel’s main character, Offred, is subjected to degrading treatment simply because she is a woman. It becomes apparent that this repeated degradation has affected the protagonist’s mind.
In both Crime and Punishment and Pride and Prejudice, the reader is afforded a glimpse of the darker side of human nature. Raskolnikov’s shocking coldblooded murder of Alyona Ivanovna, an elderly pawnbroker, and her sister Lizeveta, reflect a degree of brutality almost unimaginable in a human being. Likewise, Miss Caroline Bingley, while certainly not guilty of crimes as grievous or horrific as Raskolnikov’s, betrays a similar sentiment of heartlessness in her treatment of the Bennet sisters throughout the plot of Pride and Prejudice. However, the nature of each character’s cruel actions remain remarkably different. Raskolnikov seeks to transcend the ethical conventions binding society and act as a conscience-free moral agent, whereas Caroline Bingley’s behavior is very much a product of institutionalized classism, and she acts wholly within the parameters which Victorian England’s strict
Gloria Jean Watkins, better known by her pseudonym, bell hooks, is a black woman who is often cited for her work as a writer, feminist, and cultural critic. As a passionate scholar, she is a leading intellectual of her generation and has published dozens of books and articles that discuss topics such as masculinity, patriarchy, feminine consciousness, representation, and politics. In 2004, hooks wrote her essay, “Understanding Patriarchy” in which she explores her understanding of patriarchy in American society and proposes a call to action to improve gender issues. hooks is able to develop her ideas through her complex rhetorical choices that all add to the overall effect of the essay. hooks is able to make and maintain claims that
But maybe there is something else you want.” (Bala 366). The theme of women being sexually assaulted and mistreated was recurring throughout the novel and provides evidence to display how the abuse was mainly
Sexist Young Goodman Brown In reading this classic tale from 1853 which was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, I became intrigued first by the theme of the 1800’s with shadowy undertones of biblical evilness. Although, in reviewing the story further I noticed a certain distinctive trends of old world flare that was unmistakable. These tones are of sexism which sadly marked the time period historically to such extent in which the structured confinements of gender responsibilities. Hawthorne orchestrates the underpinning of chauvinism within the very first paragraph “put his head back, after crossing the threshold, to exchange a parting kiss with his young wife.
In The Handmaid’s Tale, the novel critiques gender inequality and autocratic authority. The hierarchical class of men consists of Commanders, Angels, and Guardians. In particular, the Commanders are the highest-ranking social group in Gileadean society. The Commanders are represented as powerful men. They have leadership roles, autocratic governance, and are oppressors controlling the Gilead regime.
In 1984 and society today, there is a casual disregard to sexual assault, ultimately leading to the dehumanization of women. Women are dehumanized in today’s world and 1984 because society dismisses sexual assault. Winston describes his physical attraction to Julia, saying, “I wanted to rape you and then murder you afterwards” Winston says this comment directly to Julia, Julia laughed, and shortly later dismissed the comment. (Orwell, 121).
Standing Female Nude, written by Carol Ann Duffy, is a poem which describes the condition of a prostitute who is struggling to make a living. Duffy, as with a majority of her other works, attempts to give a voice to voiceless women in the middle and lower economic classes in an effort to promote her feminist agenda. This poem is in fact very layered and explores multiple aspects which may not be spotted on a superficial level, and enables her to transmit her ideas to the readers. Duffy puts across her main ideas of society’s treatment of the prostitute versus the treatment of males, and the prostitutes introspective views. Duffy creates a society, not too distorted from our own in fact, which objectifies the woman and values her purely for her physical assets.
