Wednesday, October 30, 2019
What is 'Queer Thoery' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
What is 'Queer Thoery' - Essay Example In the stream of interest to set up new scholarly and popular frontiers, the orientation of this theory has been heavily directed at demonstrating how and why long-standing disciplinary accounts have fallen short to defend and do justice to queer groups. However, quite a handful of thorough analyses have investigated the implications and effects of these queer perspectives on current academic disciplines, or possibly will more significantly, in the framework of contemporary social life. The concept of ââ¬Ëqueer,ââ¬â¢ in that case, is the deconstruction of common ideas regarding gender and sexuality, from their embodiment in literature, movies and music to their assignment to the social as well as in the physical sciences. The movement of ââ¬Ëqueerââ¬â¢ is in fact the ââ¬Ëqueeringââ¬â¢ of traditions, spanning from the rereading of characters in literatures and movies to the reviewing of historical analyses. As a movement, we have witnessed the declaration of identity of queers, particularly labelled as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and transsexual, as human behaviour variations that possess their individual rights. As a theory, the origin of queer from post structuralism and postmodernism results into the elimination of all classifications as restricting and branded by prevailing power structures. Before the concept of ââ¬Ëqueerââ¬â¢ was, in its best notion, jargon for homosexual, in its worst, a notion of homophobic ill-treatment. In current years ââ¬Ëqueerââ¬â¢ has been used diversely, at times an umbrella concept for an association of culturally minor sexual self-identities and sometimes to illustrate an emerging theoretical framework which has emerged out of more long-established gay and lesbian studies. The abrupt development and reinforcement of gay and lesbian studies in universities almost two decades ago is matched by an increasing use of the concept of ââ¬Ëqueerââ¬â¢
Monday, October 28, 2019
Ethnic differences essay Essay Example for Free
Ethnic differences essay Essay ?Asses the claim that ââ¬Å"ethnic differences in educational achievement are primarily the result of school factorsâ⬠Most studies found that overall ethnic minorities tend to do less well than other members of the population when it comes to educational achievement. Many factors which occur inside the school are the cause of educational achievement however other factors contribute. The expectations of teachers on ethnic minorities have caused differences in educational achievement. Bernard Coard believes that teachers expect ââ¬Å"Blackâ⬠children to fail therefore labelling the child as a failure. Interactionalists are concerned with how teachers ââ¬Å"pigeonholeâ⬠students this is the labelling theory, this is where the teacher makes a judgement of the child based on the childââ¬â¢s appearance, behaviour, previous family members and relationships with other students. However most labels are based on stereotypes rather than evidence, the reality is that once a label starts it is difficult to get rid of and this can cause problems for a studentââ¬â¢s educational achievement. Teachers will discuss the students label in the staff room and other teachers will attach the same label to the child and this can lead to the child not being allowed to attend school trips. If a student is labelled as a failure by a teacher then the teacher is likely to put the student into a lower tier exam thus the pupil can only achieve a maximum of a grade C and canââ¬â¢t achieve to the best of their ability. When a student is labelled as a failure the student can begin to believe that the label is true and begin to make it part of their part of their identity, become a failure this is known as the self-fulfilling prophecy thus creating ethnic differences in educational achievement within the school system. David Hardgreves argues that anti school sub cultures can be formed as a result of negative labelling. However Maureen Stone and Swann both indicate that those who are labelled may not accept their labels. However many sociologists argue that it is external factors that affect ethnic differences in educational achievement. Cultural Deprivation is the term used to describe serious inadequacies in the socialisation process and its effects on educational achievement. Poor parenting means children underachieving in education. Many sociologists argue that ethnic minorities tend to be more fatalistic meaning that parents tend to have low aspirations and expectations for their child meaning less emphasis is placed on doing well in education. Whereas ââ¬Å"Whiteâ⬠middle classes would have high aspirations and high expectations. Socialisation focuses on the values, expectations and norms transmitted from parents to children. Children from Ethnic backgrounds tend to focus on immediate gratification where they try to reep their rewards at the earliest opportunity such as leaving school at 16 to earn money. Whereas ââ¬Å"Whiteâ⬠middle class children aim for a bright future described as deferred gratification which is putting off short term rewards to gain better rewards in the future. Cultural Deprivation can affect the way parents prepare their children for school. Working class children would sit and watch T. V. whereas middle class parents would take their children to museums. Driver and Ballard state that high achievement in Asian groups may be linked to the fact that they live in close knit families that can help each other. Price highlighted a high rate of single parent families in black Caribbean communities which may explain high underachievement. Nevertheless, some sociologists argue that it is internal factors which affect ethnic differences in educational achievement. Institutional Racism within schools can lead to educational achievement and the differences it causes within ethnic minorities. The ââ¬Å"Swann reportâ⬠found that a small number of teachers are consciously racist however there are a great deal of teachers who are ââ¬Å"unintentionallyâ⬠racist. Bernard Coard states that the British educational system makes children become educationally subnormal he states that ââ¬Å"West Indian children are told that their language is second rate and unacceptableâ⬠he states that within the British educational system the word ââ¬Å"Whiteâ⬠is associated with ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠and the word ââ¬Å"Blackâ⬠with evil. Coard also states that the attitudes portrayed in the classroom are reinforced by the pupils outside of the classroom. Many sociologists would also argue that the mispronunciation of studentââ¬â¢s names and not learning them can be classed as racism within the school system. Cecile Wright found that majority of staff are committed to ideals of equality but despite these ideals there are still considerable amounts of discrimination in the classroom. Asian children were often excluded from discussions and teachers expressed an ââ¬Å"open disapproval of their customs and traditionsâ⬠, these comments from teachers made Asian children feel more isolated from other pupils. Martin Hammersley found that racist comments in the staffroom did not lead to racism in the classroom. J. Taylor found that ââ¬Å"most teachers are concerned to have a fair policy towards the treatment of black pupilsâ⬠. Mac an Ghaill studied 25 afro Caribbean and Asian students studying A levels. He found that ââ¬Å"although they disagreed over the extent of racism within education, this did not directly determine their attitude to education and their levels of academic success. The way that students responded to schooling varied and this was influenced by their ethnic groupâ⬠. This could eventually lead to the formation of anti-school sub cultures. These are pupils who have rejected some or all of the values and rules set down in the school ethos. Peter Woods identified 8 different groups ranging from Ingratiation total conformity to Rebellion outright rejection of school rules and values. This can cause ethnic differences in educational achievement within the school system. However other factors such as linguistic skills affect this achievement. Linguistic Deprivation is the ability to use appropriate language which is an important factor in educational success. Bernstein came up with two codes of language Restricted and Elaborate codes. The Restricted code is used in casual situations. This is limited vocabulary and Simplistic grammar which can only be understood if you are aware of this topic. The Elaborate code is used in formal situations. This is sophisticated grammar and vocabulary and can be understood if aware of the topic. Bernstein found that White middle class children had the ability to switch between the two codes whereas children from ethnic minorities were limited to using the restricted code. This means they are severely disadvantaged in education where the language is all formal. In conclusion, it is probable that a number of factors work together in producing the lower levels of achievement found in some ethnic groups. The Swann report concluded that racial discrimination inside and outside school along with social deprivation were probably the main factors. Others would add that cultural factors also play some part in explaining the differences.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Free Essays On Shakespeares Sonnet Sonnet 107 :: Sonnet essays
Analysis of Sonnet 107 Not mine own fears, nor the prophetic soul Of the wide world dreaming on things to come Can yet the lease of my true love control, Suppos'd as forfeit to a condin'd doom. The mortal moon hath her eclipse endur'd, And the sad augurs mock their own presage; Incertainties now crown themselves assur's, nd peace proclaims olives of endless age. Now with the drops of this most balmy time My love looks fresh; and Death to me subscribes, Since spite of him I'll lime in this poor rhyme While he insults o'er dull and speechless tribes: And thou in this shalt find thy monument When tyrants' crests and tombs of brass are spent. This has been an important sonnet in trying to date the sonnets. Several words and phrases have prompted readers to ponder on the year it was written, ranging from 1588 to 1603. The main areas of concentration rely on the following: 1) the "eclipse" of the "mortal moon," in line 5; 2)who the "sad augurs" are and their "presage," in line 6; 3) allusion in lines 7 and 8, and if "confin'd doom" is in refernce to a certain event and which event that is. Of these, the most supported responses to 1 are: the Spanish Armada, 1588 (Butler, Hotson); the Queen's Grand Climacteric , 1595-6 (Harrison); the Queen's illness in 1599-1600 (Chambers); Essex's rebellion in 1601 (Tyler); the Queen's death in 1603 (eg. Massey, Minto, Lee, Beeching); a lunar eclipse, 1595 (O.F. Emerson); or an eclipse of the Queen's favour (Conrad). Answers to the second problem relate closely with the first, that is, with the addition of a fear of civil war as a result of Elizabeth's death and also the usual forecasts of political (and other) disasters that were forecasted from the eclipse. The third problem cites the confidence seen in lines 7 and 8,a dn therefore the overshoot of the proclaimed disasters. The fourth seems to refer to the imprisonment of some specific individual, eg. Southampton, who was released after James I accession to the throne. 1-4: 'Neither my own fears nor the foreshadowing of worldly disasters can control the extent of my only love, supposing [invented by fears] that it is a "confin'd doom." Lines 4 and 5 evoke a sense of death, saying that all will eventually die, and reading line 6 with stresses on "augurs" and "own" gives the sense that the prognosticators jeer their own predictions due to time being so joyous.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
The Bride Price Essays -- Literary Analysis, Okonkwo
Throughout the world, there are numerous cultures that practice various customs and traditions. These cultures have often set up guidelines for the people of the society to follow and adhere to. Some societies practice their customs and traditions in a more lenient manner. On the other hand, some societies are very strict with their practices and strive to maintain and preserve their culture by teaching the customs to the people and practicing them frequently. Such is the case in the Nigerian society. The Nigerian people follow specific rules and customs in regards to marriage practices, social status, and superstitions. The marriage custom is one specific aspect of their culture that is strictly enforced for all men and women of the society. The manââ¬â¢s family is supposed to pay the family of the bride a certain amount of money to marry the girl. This custom, along with many others, is demonstrated in the novel, The Bride Price, by Buchi Emecheta, when the main character, a you ng girl named Aku-nna, falls in love with a man named Chike, who comes from a family in which the people were once slaves. Throughout the novel, the customs of Nigerian society are explored while Aku-nna and Chike try or overcome their familiesââ¬â¢ adversities. Aku-nna and her brother Nna-nndo live in Lagos with their father at the start of the novel. The two siblings have grown up in Nigeria learning the customs and practicing them at a young age. Aku-nna, being the only female in the home takes on the responsibilities of the family much like all the other women in Nigerian society. The women acknowledge the fact that it is their responsibility to do so and comply without arguments. When Aku-nnaââ¬â¢s father told her to make dinner, she does so willingly in orde... ...ousâ⬠(100). Not only do these superstitions play a role in the Nigeriansââ¬â¢ daily lives, but some superstitions relate to the bride price custom as well. It was said, ââ¬Å"if the bride price was not paid, she would never survive the birth of her first childâ⬠(168). Okonkwo would still not accept the bride price, no matter how much money was offered because ââ¬Å"he still refused to consent to give his daughter to a slaveâ⬠(162). When Aku-nna gets pregnant soon after, the Nigerian superstition is up held and she dies while giving birth to her child. Through Aku-nnaââ¬â¢s upbringing, relationships, and experiences, the reader is able to gain an understanding of the customs and traditions followed in Nigerian society. The Bride Price by Buchi Emecheta is good demonstration of the many aspects of Nigerian culture such as marriage practices, social status, and superstitions.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Justice In ââ¬ÅTo Kill a Mockingbirdââ¬Â by Harper Lee Essay
ââ¬Å"â⬠¦in this country our courts are the great levellers, and in our courts all men are created equal.â⬠Describe and explain how justice and injustice are represented through events and characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. Justice, what is right and fair by all of societyââ¬â¢s standards and morals, is represented, along with injustice, through events and characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. ââ¬Å"â⬠¦in this country our courts are the great levellers, and in our courts all men are created equal.â⬠(Atticus, pg227). One type of justice is the legal kind, the kind in our courts, where men are found guilty or innocent. The other is any right or just act. ââ¬Å"The one thing that doesnââ¬â¢t abide by majority rule is a personââ¬â¢s conscience.â⬠(Atticus, pg116). In To Kill a Mockingbird these justices and injustices are represented through Atticus, Tom Robinson, Arthur ââ¬ËBooââ¬â¢ Radley, and through the prejudices of people. In To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch represents the epitome of justice, through his belief in equality. He has a great belief in the legal system, and a belief that it will be fair and equal to all. ââ¬Å"Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levellers, and in our courts all men are created equal. ââ¬ËIââ¬â¢m no idealist to believe in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system ââ¬â that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality.â⬠(Atticus, pgs 226-227). Atticus Finch, a lawyer by profession, has a deep rooted belief that the court system will be just and fair, as that is what it stands for. Atticus is also just in that he is not prejudice; he does not think himself above another man based on skin colour. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËThe handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say a fair trial is for everyone, not just us; the handful of people with enough humility to think, when they look at a negro, there but for the Lordââ¬â¢s kindness am I.'â⬠(Miss Maudie, pg261). Miss Maudie shared the same beliefs as Atticus, the belief that everyone is equal. Through Atticus there is also an injustice shown, not in how he treats others, but by how he is treated. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËMr Cunningham is basically a good man,ââ¬â¢ he [Atticus] said, ââ¬Ëhe just has his blind spots along with the rest of us.ââ¬â¢ Jem spoke. ââ¬ËDonââ¬â¢t call that a blind spot. Heââ¬â¢da killed you last night when he first went there.'â⬠à (pg173). Because of his belief that Tom Robinson deserved a fair trial, he was a target for anger, which is an instance of injustice. Atticus shows that treating everyone equally is the right thing to do, and that is justice. On the other hand, Tom Robinson is a perfect example of injustice. He had a good character, and was a kind-hearted person who got accused, and convicted, of rape because of the basis that he was black. He tried to help Mayella Ewell, but was looked down upon because of this. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËYes suh. I felt sorry for her, she seemed to try moreââ¬â¢n the rest of ââ¬â¢em -ââ¬Ë ââ¬ËYou felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?ââ¬â¢ Mr Gilmer seemed ready to rise to the ceiling.â⬠(pg218). It was unheard of in the 1930ââ¬â¢s white society that this book was set in to have a black man feel sorry for a white woman, and this added to the reason why Tom got convicted. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËGiven,ââ¬â¢ said Atticus. ââ¬ËTom Robinsonââ¬â¢s a coloured man, Jem. No jury in this part of the worldââ¬â¢s going to say, ââ¬Å"We think youââ¬â¢re guilty, but not very,â⬠on a charge like that. It was either straight acquittal or nothing.'â⬠(pg242). Tom was found guilty on the sole account of him being black. As a result of this conviction, Tom gave up hope and lost all reason to live. ââ¬Å"Atticus leaned against the refrigerator, pushed up his glasses, and rubbed his eyes. ââ¬ËWe had such a good chance,ââ¬â¢ he said. ââ¬ËI told him what I thought, but I couldnââ¬â¢t in truth say that we had more than a good chance. I guess Tom was tired of white menââ¬â¢s chances and preferred to take his own.'â⬠(pg260). Tom couldnââ¬â¢t live with being found guilty of a crime he was innocent of solely based on the fact that he was black, so he decided to try escaping, ultimately resulting in his death. That is one of the greatest injustices shown in To Kill a Mockingbird. Prejudice, a main theme of To Kill a Mockingbird, is another representation of injustice in the novel. Racism is the most obvious type of prejudice, and this is shown through the trial and the outcome of it. ââ¬Å"Well, coming out of the court-house that night Miss Gates was ââ¬â she was goinââ¬â¢ down the steps in front of us, you musta not seen her ââ¬â she was talking to Miss Stephanie Crawford. I heard her say that itââ¬â¢s time somebody taught ââ¬â¢em a lesson, they were getting way above themselves, anââ¬â¢ the next thing they think they can do is marry us. Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad anââ¬â¢ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home ââ¬â ?â⬠(Scout, pg272). In the 1930ââ¬â¢s, beingà racist was seen as normal. Atticus, for example, was seen as unusual because he thought that whites werenââ¬â¢t above blacks. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËCry about the simple hell people give other people ââ¬â without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give coloured folks, without even stopping to think that theyââ¬â¢re people too.'â⬠(Dolphus Raymond, pg222). The prejudice of racism is shown throughout the book, and because of Atticusââ¬â¢ views, Scout begins to see it as unfair and unjust. Another type of prejudice that is briefly touched upon is that of sexual discrimination. ââ¬Å"For one thing, Miss Maudie canââ¬â¢t serve on a jury because sheââ¬â¢s a woman.ââ¬â¢ ââ¬ËYou mean women in Alabama canââ¬â¢t ââ¬â ?ââ¬â¢ I was indignant.â⬠(Atticus and Scout, pg244). Like racism, sexual discrimination is seen as common practice. The third type of prejudice is the most basic kind, the kind where one has formed an opinion of something or someone before knowing all the facts, such as what happened with Arthur ââ¬ËBooââ¬â¢ Radley. ââ¬Å"Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed but Jem and I had never seen him. People said he went out at night and when the moon was high, and peeped in windows.â⬠(pg9). Jem and Scout had a preconceived idea of what Arthur was like because of what they had heard from other people, but they had never themselves met, or even seen him. The way in which he was seen was unjust; most people would not have accepted him because of their preconceptions. In the end, however, Scout and Jem realise what kind of person Arthur really is. ââ¬Å"Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.â⬠(pg308). Whether or not Arthur getting away with killing Bob Ewell is justice or not is a debatable one. On one hand, Boo was protecting the children, so it was a right deed. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËI never heard tell thatââ¬â¢s against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did,â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Heck Tate, pg 304). Arthur is also a solitary creature, so if the fact that he killed Bob Ewell came into light, he would be in the limelight. ââ¬Å"To my way of thinkinââ¬â¢, Mr Finch, taking the one man [Arthur] whoââ¬â¢s done you and this town a great service anââ¬â¢ dragging him with his shy ways into the limelight ââ¬â to me, thatââ¬â¢s a sin. Itââ¬â¢s a sin and Iââ¬â¢m not aboutà to have it on my head. If it were any other man itââ¬â¢d be different. But not this man, Mr Finch.'â⬠(Heck Tate, pg 304). Even Scout seems to understand Heck Tateââ¬â¢s arguments. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËWell, itââ¬â¢d be sort of like shootinââ¬â¢ a mockingbird, wouldnââ¬â¢t it?'â⬠(Scout, pg304). On the other hand, Boo did kill a man, and according to the law he committed murder, even if it was in self-defence. ââ¬Å"â⬠¦itââ¬â¢s my duty to tell the town all about it and not hush it up.â⬠(Heck Tate, pg304). In either case, the murder of Bob Ewell, and Arthur Radley being let off for it, is an example of justice, whether it is for the good of justice, or for injusticeââ¬â¢s sake. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus, Tom Robinson, his trial and subsequent death, the treatment of Arthur Radley and Bob Ewellââ¬â¢s death, and the prejudice of people, whether it be racial, sexual, or a misconception show the issues of justice, injustice, and how they are represented throughout the novel.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The Sweet Hereafter Essays
The Sweet Hereafter Essays The Sweet Hereafter Essay The Sweet Hereafter Essay The Sweet Hereafter ââ¬â Essay Outline Losing a loved one is hard for any and every one, and coping with the loss is a big mission. In the Sweet Hereafter- a novel by Russell Banks- after a terrible bus crash occurs, resulting in the death of 14 children, many of the townââ¬â¢s people isolate themselves due to their loss and grief. Through the many different narrators, the author of this book shows how grief affects different people in different ways. One of the people affected by this tragic accident, Billy Ansel (also one of the narrators), copes with the loss by becoming an alcoholic.He doesnââ¬â¢t take anyoneââ¬â¢s sympathy and stays in his home. Tragedy is inevitable; it affects all human beings at one point or another. Russell Banks illustrates this universal truth brilliantly in The Sweet Hereafter. Bankââ¬â¢s characters, Billy Ansel, Nicole Burnell and Dolores Driscoll all face tragedy, and all gain insight into themselves. However, not all characters react to tragedy consistently. To some this is beneficial, although to others this is the greatest tragedy of all.Billy Ansel deals with tragedy consistently throughout the entirety of the novel. However, his consistent coping methods leave him hopeless and alone. Ansel experiences death and terror at the age of nineteen while fighting in Vietnam. He believes that because terrible things had happened to him while at war, it was impossible for terrible things to happen to him now. Unfortunately, Billy is quite mistaken, as he loses his wife, Lydia to cancer, and then eventually his children to a tragic bus accident.
Monday, October 21, 2019
The Awakening by Kate Chopin â⬠English Essay
The Awakening by Kate Chopin ââ¬â English Essay Free Online Research Papers The Awakening by Kate Chopin English Essay The Awakening identifies those things that were viewed important within society at the turn of the century; responsibility and duty. The culture portrayed visibly reflects a similar emphasis on proper lifestyle. The main character finds her wanting to stray from her responsibilities of marriage and unspoken rules society, embrace her intense desire for personal fulfillment. Ednas choice to escape shows two elements: rebellion to the suppression of her adventurous spirit and the lack of fulfillment in her personal relationship. She invests so much time into social requirements that she loses any happiness that she could hope to achieve. After being reasonable for the twenty-eight years of her life, Edna breaks down. She wants to pursue love and disregard her duty to her husband and children. She falls in what she considers girlish love with the character Robert. Ednas life has been riddled with reason and duty, essentially giving of herself to the people around her. This devotion to responsibility causes her to break away from her common behavioral pattern and moves her to focus on finding her inner happiness. Edna was not engaged in the pursuit of her finest abilities. She lived her life for oth ers, not for herself. In the initial text it states that Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-women, further along in the novel. For the duration of her marriage she stayed in her place as a child-bearing wife, doing little but existing for the pleasures of her husband as a prized token more than a companion. Being subdued by society, the character Edna Pontellier, has no other choice than to rebel and find happiness by redefining her position in life. I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldnt give myself. Her unwillingness to sacrifice herself for her children and her husband demonstrates that she does not want to give herself away in order to make others happy. Edna can give her children superficial items, yet because of her new found awakening she can no longer truly serve to provide for their happiness. The only point that she makes clear in that statement is that she would give her life for her children, showing that she loves them but cannot define herself based on creating their happiness. Her awakening evolves into a selfish agenda, concerned only with her own happiness and disregarding all others. She loves her children, though she cannot give them the same type of nurturing, and care as the other women around her. She simply will not allow her inner self to be crushed by the bounds of mother hood. By nature she craves freedom and happiness, and as a mother she can neither provide that to her children or herself. Edna says the following to Robert: I love you . . . only you; no one but you. It was you who awoke me last summer out of a life-long, stupid dream . . . Oh! I have suffered! Now you are here we shall love each other. Nothing else in the world is of any consequence. In this Edna is craving the adventure, love, and freedom that has been void from her life since her birth. Her dream, as she notes, has truly been her nightmare, a prison containing her very life. This statement marks on e of her greatest transitions, from a woman in a relationship of comfort to one trying to build a relationship on love. Now that love consumes her nothing else matters to her, she exists to find happiness, even if it means awakening from her dreams of responsibility and duty to do it. Gradually, Edna finds herself by a series of awakenings throughout the story. These events give her justification for actions that most readers would perceive as selfish and avoiding responsibility. She has an inherent inability to deal with her emotions and lacks the responsibility to maintain her freedom. Mrs. Pontellier no doubt loves her children, yet she seems to lack any motherly characteristics of the Creole women around her. After her first liberation in the water, she begins to distance herself from both her husband and children. She is willing to give up her children in order to avoid being crushed by the bonds of motherhood. Edna craves freedom from her family in order to find happiness. To facilitate this, she allows her children to be sent to their grandmothers home, where they stay for the remainder of the book. Edna then purchases a house that is noticeably small which displays another indication of her avoidance of responsibility. The house provides little room for th e children to reside, if she had allowed them to return. This act presents a clear example to the reader of Ednas avoidance of her responsibilities. Her selfish lust for freedom and happiness separated her from her children. One of the main themes of Ednas awakening came from her relationships with various men. Her most scandalous relationship took place with Alcee Arobin, a notorious ladies man in the Creole society at her time. She selfishly uses him as a form of rebellion against all that she believes held her back in the past. She no longer cares for her husband and her affair demonstrates this. Ironically when she pondered the act with some regret, it was not directed towards her husband, but to her betrayal of her fantasy love Robert. Edna makes her greatest transitions when she falls in love with Robert. She transforms from a woman in a relationship of comfort to one attempting to build a relationship based on love. Amazingly she even betrays her fantasy love Robert by reject ing him after he returns from Mexico for her. Edna goes from one man to another at her whim, taking what she needs from them. She uses her husband for security, Robert for a feeling of being adored, and Alcee for pure lust. In reality she probably cares very little for these men, but rather what they could provide for her. Her relationships after each awakening prove her to be weak and shallow. Her major decisions result in her disassociation from her children and her manipulation of various lovers. Her venture to the horse track gives the reader a prime example of Ednas disregard for others. She needs to gamble at the horse track to rebel against the values of her family and her society. To further rebel against her husband and her father she refuses to go to her sisters wedding, disregarding her own sisters feelings. This action demonstrates a blatant disregard for the feelings of others. Mrs. Pontelliers final act of irrational selfishness relates directly to her own demise. Alth ough she embraces her new found freedoms, she commits suicide by swimming out into the water she attempts to escape responsibility. She can not face life and her freedom so she responds with her typical behavior and runs away in fear. Many scholars have dealt with the question of whether to live a life of servitude or to pursue ones greater happiness. During this period, society of the nineteenth-century gave a heightened meaning to what it means to be a woman. According to the commonly known code of true womanhood, women were supposed to be docile, domestic creatures, whose main concerns in life were to be the raising of their children and submissiveness to their husbands. Women were uneducated, not allowed to hold office or to vote. Some that were outspoken, those women with active sexual desires, who dares to stray from her husband and have an affair. These individuals were ostracized within societies relm, thought of as protagonist to create upheavals within the natural order of life. Research Papers on "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin - English EssayHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesWhere Wild and West MeetThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Spring and AutumnRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoHip-Hop is Art
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