Woman Warrior Essay -- essays research papers

A Warrior’s Triumph   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston presents the story of a girl trapped between the cultures of her surrounding environment and that which her mother and family have forced upon her. Knowing only the Chinese way of life, this girl’s mother attempts to familiarize her daughter, whom is also the narrator, with the history of their family. The mother shares this heritage through the use of stories in hopes the narrator will be prepared for her ultimate return to China, which is a life completely foreign to her own. Through these stories and the strong influence of the surrounding American culture, the narrator’s life and imagination spin off in a new direction. She is confronted by many obstacles, which cause problems with not only her mother, but also with her attempt to discover her personal identity. Although the narrator’s assimilation to the American culture causes numerous conflicts with her mother, she is able to overcome adversity and come of age as a Chinese-American with the help of her mother’s stories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Kingston’s first story, â€Å"No Name Woman,† the reader is first introduced to the stories of the narrator’s mother. This particular tale involves an aunt that the narrator never knew, who was shunned from her family for having an affair. It was through this story that the narrator learned how careful a young woman must be when growing up in the Chinese culture. Years after hearing of her aunt’s misfortune, the narrator realizes that she has carried on this ostracism and is equally as guilty as the others who participated in this punishment of silence. However, the narrator feels an intense connection with the outcast of her family. â€Å"My aunt haunts me—her ghost drawn to me because now, after fifty years of neglect, I alone devote pages of paper to her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (16). Perhaps the narrator feels this bond because she herself feels completely alienated from the family and could never be fully connected to her Chinese h eritage. Although she is angry for the terrible punishment inflicted on her aunt, she feels remorse for â€Å"telling on her† (16). This shows that the narrator does not only disapprove of the Chinese culture, but also feels sorry for those who must suffer in an eternity of exile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"White Tigers† brings readers into the creative imaginatio... ... seems to plague the narrator endlessly. She knows she can never break away from one culture without having to completely abandon the other. In the end, however, she realizes that she must leave home if she is ever to discover her purpose in the world, be it in China or America. The harsh criticisms and endless disapproval causes detrimental effects to the narrator, while at the same time giving her strength to overcome this lifelong struggle by facing her mother. Although the stories of her mother’s Chinese experiences and the insistence on her daughter living there push the narrator further away, it eventually causes an interest to discover what is really true. â€Å"Soon I want to go to China and find out who’s lying†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (205). Though some can constantly feel sorry for the narrator, we can also feel sorry for her mother not knowing any better. This is what ultimately caused the nonexistent relationship between the two. Through this complicated life, th e narrator gained the strength, intelligence, and experience that allowed her to overcome numerous obstacles. Contrary to the belief of some, I feel she has her mother to thank for these gains, and that may have made all the difference.

Woman for President

I think a woman should be president of the United States because it greatly shows that a woman can do anything a man can do. I think unless you give a woman a chance to be president you won’t know if a woman could make a good president or not. I believe if a woman became president it could lower the discrimination of women throughout the world. I also feel if a woman became president it could increased equality between men and women. If a woman was president I think if there was a problem she could talk about it and make a good decision to handle it.A woman should be president because discrimination against women could change a lot. It would show a great deal of people that a woman is capable of running a country. It could show people throughout the world that if a woman can run a developed country like the United States, a woman can do anything. I also think it would be a positive change throughout the entire country. It would be a big change because normally you would see a man doing such a high power job.This proves that if a woman is president more women would be less worried to do a job because of getting discriminated against. A woman should also be president because it would increase equality between men and women. It could start to reveal that men are more accepting of women and vice-versa. This doesn’t mean that men and women will get along happily ever after but it does mean that men and women can try to get along much more easily with a for woman president.This proves that if a woman is president this could improve men and women getting along for the better of the country. A woman should be president because a woman could be more understanding to people in need. A woman for president could do more in giving people what they want in a fair matter. I think if faced with a problem and woman would think and talk about it much more thoroughly than a man would. In recent years male presidents have resulted into poor decision-making when faced with a problem, such as war, and violence.This proves that if a woman is president she could handle problems in a less violent and better way. Overall I think a woman should be president. I think a woman could run the United States of America much better than a man. A woman for president could decrease discrimination of women by showing that a woman can do anything a man can do. A woman for president could increase equality between men and women. A woman as a president can affect the United States in a positive way. Overall I think a woman should and can be president if she has the right qualifications.

Symbolism in A Rose for Emily - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1309 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/04/15 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: A Rose For Emily Essay Did you like this example? Did you ever really understood the power of prejudices and gossip in someones life? The short story A Rose For Emily by William Faulkner, reflects the reality of the life of a southern aristocratic woman, Emily Grierson, who is looked upon as a figure of tradition in an old-fashioned changing society that has her as a subject of criticism and gossip throughout all her life. The story transpires a series of interconnected events including death, the decay of the south, isolation and a search for love that can be shown through literally devices and a Marxist lens to reflect that there are running themes throughout the story. Death of freedom Form of control Death of south after civil after Isolation death of Faulkner utilizes foreshadowing to foretell events that will appear later in the story like the theme of death. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Symbolism in A Rose for Emily" essay for you Create order The initial use of foreshadowing happens as the beginning of the story introduces the death of Emily Grierson, an event that also is mentioned at the end of the story. The protagonist of a story doesnt usually die at the beginning of the reading, but the author uses this technique to directly make the readers understand the importance of death as it is considered a major theme in the story and almost to prepare them for the multiple deaths later in time. Being death a central theme, it is further symbolized as the powdery dust that coats Miss Emilys house. For instance, when the men went to Emilys house to attempt to collect her taxes, the Negro opened the blinds of one window, they could see that the leather was cracked; and when they sat down, a faint dust rose sluggishly about their thighs, spinning with slow motes in the single sun-ray (Faulkner, 55). Everything around her had dust, it symbolizes death, as it is unmaintained, old, falling apart, reflecting that its useful time is almost done. However, dust is not the only symbol of death in the story. Emily brings a skull and bones into her home when she buys the poison to kill Homer, her lover. This sign on the bottle of arsenic is a bit ironic. The author uses a technique of irony because it is clear to see that Homer will literally be nothing but bones and a skull when the story finishes. The story unfolds in a decaying old Southern house symbolizing a significant theme of the decay of the South which can be related to the major them of death throughout the whole story. The hou se hasnt been maintained or preserved. It is in fact, decaying and deteriorating. Emilys house has once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies, set on what had once been our most select street. But garages and cotton gins had encroached and obliterated even the august names of that neighborhood; only Miss Emilys house was left (Faulkner, 54). (isolation) This house represents a memory from the South considering the new generations are modernizing the town and the old south is becoming the New South. The house is described as being built shortly after the Civil War but has become an eyesore among eyesores (Faulkner, 54). Another symbol of the decay of the Old South is Emily herself. Alive, Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town (Faulkner, 55). She is a monument representing the past for the townspeople, but as time goes by, the town has new generations, and the perspective of Emily in the eyes of the townspeople also decays. People in the town then believed that the Griersons held themselves a little too high for what they really were(Faulkner, 57) Emily experiences an unhappy and tragic life far apart from everyone, which brings the theme of isolation in the story. Her father didnt allow her to have a love life. Her father took her away from everyone who courted her None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such(Faulkner, 57). So when her father died, she was left alone and depressed to the point she was in denial of his death. After her fathers death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people har dly saw her at all (Faulkner, 56). Her house also symbolizes isolation. Emilys house was where she hid. It represented the past and the place where she was away from the people. She didnt want to belong in any way, even with the mail services. Miss Emily alone refused to let them fasten the metal numbers above her door and attach a mailbox to it. She would not listen to them (IV). She sent Tobe, her negro slave, to do any errands The Negro man went in and out with the market basket, but the front door remained closed (Faulkner, 59). As Emily searches for love in Homer and he doesnt marry her, she kills him. Homers skeleton is a symbol of Emily wanting to hold on to the love she had for Homer. Knowing that Homer didnt want to marry her, she killed him to keep him with her, even dead. He was found at Emilys house coated with dust by the townspeople after she passed away. In a secret room, they discovered that Emily killed him with rat poison and kept his body. What was left of him, rotted beneath what was left of the nightshirt, had become inextricable from the bed in which he lay; and upon him and upon the pillow beside him lay that even coating of the patient and biding dust (Faulkner, 61). This cruel act symbolizes the intense desire she had to have love, regardless of the horrific way she chooses to keep him close to her. She was searching for love and wanted to keep it one way or another. This brings back the feeling of being alone just like when her father died. Social class and isolation were the cause and effect built in the life of Emily Grierson. The Marxist perspective enables one to understand the social conflict in the story. William Faulkner makes a clear division in the social structure between Emily and the rest of the citizens in the town of Jefferson. Miss Emily held the image of a noble lady whose family roots and fame warranted great honor; therefore it is said that she had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town (Faulkner, 55). This social difference placed on her and the towns conflicted obsession with Miss Emily was the major causes why she withdraws herself from the community. She is considered an aristocrat woman in society and is treated like one. The Marxist theory presents proof that social class influences peoples interactions and assumptions about others. For instance, when Emily was in denial of her fathers death, she kept her fathers body inside her house. If any other person, not in such upper-social class as Emily, keeps a dead human in their house will be considered to be insane. When the people found out that Emily kept his dead fathers skeleton, they said, We did not say she was crazy then. We believed she had to do that (Faulkner, 57). This reaction from the townspeople after the incident shows the different attitude they had towards Emilys abnormal act. It was another link between the gross, teeming world and the high and mighty Griersons People considered the Grierson family superior and justified every action they had, whether it was right or wrong. Emilys father even though no men were good enough for his daughter due to this rigid social structure expressed by the Marxists perspective. None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such (Faulkner, 57). The conflict arises as Emily is prevented a romantic relationship.