Abstract The paper examines the works and life accomplishments of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179). Hildegard was a notable medieval Christian Abbess and founder of the convent at Rupertsberg. The author discusses her contributions to philosophy, theology and science.
From the Paper "Many of the works of Hildegard stand as examples of primitive attempts to derive a rational explanation for the world in which she lived. She strove to provide a coherent philosophy of the material universe within the context of the Middle Ages. Her life was a time when matters of science, philosophy and theology were thought of as inexorably interdependent. Although her conclusions may appear grotesquely incorrect in comparison to modern standards, we must be careful not to underestimate her intellectual merits. There is great beauty and power to be found within her ecstatic mystical works, despite the absence of any modern scientific foundation."
Abstract A review of Alice Walker's "The Color Purple". An in depth discussion of the main theme of women's struggles with racism. The author reflects on the critical reviews of three writers: Elizabeth Bartelme, Dinitia Smith and Trudier Harris and compares their novels to the theme of book.
From the Paper "Alice Walker is a black American novelist, a short story writer, a poet, a critic and author of children's books. She won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award for her controversial novel The Color Purple in 1982. Her concerns and descriptions of the black women's struggle for racial, sexual and political equality are prevalent themes in her works. Many of her novels focus on the effects of poverty and racism. In her characters she supports the bond between women. Some critics criticize her for the unfavorable portrait of black men because in many of her themes, black women are ruled and controlled by black men. Most of her novels are set in the deep South and contain its actual use of black dialect."
Abstract In this paper, the author examines Gilman's motivation for writing "The Yellow Wallpaper" and discusses some of the main themes and characters in the book.
From the Paper "The Yellow Wallpaper, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman represents a woman suffering from depression in the Gothic era. The woman protrayed in this short story
"plays the inferior archetype, ready to bearchildren on command and ever so eager to placate her neolite of a husband" (Segura) just like every other woman of her era.
There is a difference in this woman, however; "She is independent; still has her mind" (Segura), which creates a depression."
Abstract This paper analyzes the close bond, depicted by Toni Morrison in her novels "Beloved" and "Sula", between African-American women that gives them the strength to continue on, regardless of what crosses their path.
From the Paper "For African-American women, the strong bonds formed in friendships are necessary for survival in a world that always seems to be against them. Alone, they are targets, but together, there is strength. In Toni Morrison's novels, "Beloved" and "Sula", the friendships that take place between young women supply the required bond of unity and love that each needs to live. Inevitably, the bond is broken and although the women are no longer targets, their lives are irreversibly changed."
Tags: african, american, beloved, friendships, morrison, sula, toni, women
Abstract This paper examines the role of women in the colonial period of the United States and finds that although the colonial female led a comparatively better life than her English sisters she went virtually uneducated, possessed limited legal status, and was politically nonexistent.
From the Paper "Under English common law, married women were unable to contract or sue in tort unless they had their husbands? permission. English women had no contractual capacity because they had no proprietary capacity. Common law also dictated that a husband's interest in the personal and real property of his wife was absolute and he had an unlimited right over her possessions and chattels.[1] He also had an almost absolute authority over his wife's person. By law, a husband, as master over his wife, was permitted to restrain her in case of misbehavior, as well as "chastise" her in the ways he saw fit to correct her wrongdoing. [2] "
A critical evaluation of two sociolinguistic studies which demonstrate the Difference and Dominance positions regarding the differences in female and male language usage.
1,715 words (approx. 6.9 pages), 4 sources, 2001, $ 55.95
Abstract This paper discusses the two contrasting theories regarding gender differences in speech: the Dominance approach and the Difference approach, by reference to Deborah Tannen's study "You Just Don?t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation" and West and Zimmerman's study "Sex Roles, Interruptions and Silences in Conversation". The paper critically evaluates these positions and considers explanations for the differences in male and female languages usage. In conclusion, the paper reviews possible strategies to decrease the confusion, frustration and hurt that is caused by men and women's contrasting speech styles.
From the Paper "A wide range of socio-linguistic research shows that men and women do use speech in different ways. Yet interpretations of these differences, and arguments concerning what causes them are complex and varied. The two main stances taken when analyzing gender and language are a Dominance approach or a Difference approach, with some linguists taking a position somewhere in between the two. This paper evaluates two studies that demonstrate a Difference and a Dominance approach and explores the different ways in which they analyze gender differences in speech."
Discusses the construction and formation of sexuality in the past and present and how it is produced, molded and affected by political, social and economic forces.
1,405 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 5 sources, 2002, $ 46.95
Abstract This paper discusses the ways in which heterosexuality and homosexuality have been formed as direct and indirect results of political, social, and economic forces. Includes historical meanings of sexuality: colonial America and classical Greece as well as a comparison of different critics' views.
From the Paper "In Is There a History of Sexuality, David Halperin defines sexuality as a cultural effect with lots of history and an "appropriation of the human body and of its physical capacities" (416). For the purposes of this essay, sexuality can be thought of as the sum total of a person's sexual thoughts, feelings, desires and behaviors, whether expressed or hidden. It is an aspect of a person's individuality and identity that is produced, molded, and affected by political, social, and economic forces in our society. In this essay I hope to cover each of these topics that are important in the development of sexuality and to explain why it is that they are such key elements."
Abstract This paper is based on the public role in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The author uses statistics and examples to present the case of FAS. The paper examines what causes it, how it manifests itself, and preventions that can be used and future research needs to combat the problem.
From the Paper "In recent years the public has been made aware of a syndrome called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The syndrome has received publicity for many reasons including the fact that it is a completely preventable syndrome based on the pregnant mother's behaviors. The syndrome causes disabilities for the children and in recent court hearings mothers have been facing charges for causing the syndrome in their children. It is a life long syndrome that cannot be reversed once it is achieved. The public has a responsibility in trying to prevent the syndrome from occurring. The public pays the price each time it happens in the way of funding special education needs, funding welfare checks and funding the cost of foster care. It is in the public's best interest to use education and legal means to stop the incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome."
Abstract This essay explores and evaluates Katherine Mansfield's literary style with reference to her short story Bliss. It discusses the ways in which Bliss demonstrates her desire to break with the past and experiment with new methods of writing. The paper evaluates the story as an example of Modernist literature and reviews Mansfield 's importance in the Modernist movement. The paper also provides a detailed analysis of Mansfield's original and distinctive delivery of the short story.
From the Paper "An important figure in the modernist movement, Katherine Mansfield was a highly experiential writer who sought to find new ways of representing the world. The beginning of the twentieth century was a time of terrific change due to technological advances, scientific theories and capitalism. The First World War compounded this disturbance and literally shattered the universal values which held society together. Society was left fragmented and disillusioned and the Modernists felt that the traditional mode of representing the world in literature, specifically realism, was outdated and no longer appropriate. Mansfield 's short story Bliss, 1918, demonstrates the desire to break with the past and experiment with new methods of writing which would express this transformed society more aptly."
Abstract This paper compares the level of women's rights in the two countries. It compares historical voting rights, political power, positions in legislative systems, domestic violence, infanticide and the one child policy. There is also an account of Chinese women's prison. Includes many numerical comparison and discusses cloaking of actual figures by government agencies.
From the paper:
"The "China Daily," discusses women's rights in China in a positive manner, bringing up several points that show women in China have no fewer rights than women in the United States. Unfortunately, there are many topics that were not discussed in this paper, that prove women in China still have a long road ahead of them in achieving true equal rights.
The article says that women of China did not have to wait 144 years after the forming of a constitution to vote. "American women belatedly obtained equal voting rights 144 years after the founding of the United States, while Chinese women were grated such rights immediately after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949" (Editors, 1995)."
Abstract The following paper critically analyzes whether divorce is a devastating act that reverberates down the decades, inflicting permanent harm on adults and children or whether it is a healing act for the family torn by conflicts that are far worse than any divorce might be.
From the paper:
? Wallerstein's research is anecdotal, limited to a homogeneous, affluent, Caucasian sample, and was not contrasted with a control group. She did not track similar families torn by conflicts who nonetheless stayed together. Her work's most serious flaw, however, is her skewed sample: every family came to her because they were already experiencing serious problems. And thus her work has been criticized by some colleagues, because it does not take into account the complex tangle of emotions and difficulties that dysfunctional families suffer, whether they divorce or not.?
Abstract This paper examines how certain genes, specifically BRCA1 and BRCA2 can be used in diagnosing and treating breast cancer. It outlines the possible causes of breast cancer, its symptoms, and treatment. It also discusses the issue of genetic screening, as an ethical issue and how it can help to treat breast cancer.
From the paper:
"Breast cancer is a disease characterized by the growth of malignant cells in the mammary glands and can actually can strike both men and women, although women are about 100 times more likely to develop the disease than men. Most cancers in female breasts form shortly before, during, or after menopause, with three-quarters of all cases being diagnosed after age 50. Generally, the older a woman is, the greater is her likelihood of developing breast cancer. Worldwide, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and in North America and Western Europe, where life spans are longer, the incidence is highest."
Abstract An argumentative essay discussing the occurrence of co-dependence among women, how it can be dealt with, and what some causes may be. The author looks at women in physical and mentally abusive relationships.
From the Paper "There are many women today who are in relationships that are abusive either physically or emotionally. What's worse is that many of these women stay in the abusive relationships or go from one abusive relationship to another throughout the course of their lives. When asked why, some common replies are that their partner doesn't really treat them badly, they have a lot of good qualities, or that he says he will change. The truth of the matter is, these women stay in abusive relationships because they are codependent and this is a problem that needs to be dealt with."
The following paper discusses the multi-faceted narration in "Life in the Iron Mills" focusing on various critical questions that arise through analysis.
Abstract The following paper discusses the story of "Life in the Iron Mills" on three levels. The first level is the style of narration of the writer in the story. Second is the suitability of the writer, being a female, to write on such a topic and the third is the portrayal of poverty, and the interpretation of various actions as being the consequence of poverty.
From the Paper ""Life in the Iron Mills" has long been recognized as a strangely bifurcated narrative: with its proto naturalist detail juxtaposed against didactic direct addresses to the reader, its tone shifts frequently from scrupulous objectivity to moral exhortation. While critics rightly celebrate Davis's transitional role between the sentimental and realist traditions, they frequently betray a discomfort with the "I-you" relationship established with the audience, either outright dismissing it as "overwritten" or justifying it as part of a complicated, "ironic" narrative structure. These addresses are not uniformly didactic but manifest an effort to link the broadest possible audience by interweaving gendered styles that complement the gendered narratives of Davis's two main characters"
Abstract This paper looks at Mariama Ba's "Scarlet Song" from the perspective of attitudes towards women in the Muslim religion. It focuses on inter-religious marriages and bigamy using the characters Ousmane and Mareille as examples.
From the Paper "When reading Mariama Ba's "Scarlet Song", one particular scene has caught my eye. It was an argument between two friends, Ousmane and Ali. Ousmane was involved in a serious relationship with the woman of an opposite race. While he was in a relationship with Marielle, he cheated on her with another woman. In an argument between those two friends Ousmane tried to make sense by saying that it as O.K. for him to stay with both women. Ali tired to stop him from cheating on his wife and forget about the other woman. In my paper I will be supporting Ali and his argument on why should Ousmane dump Oleymatu and stay only with Marielle. "
Tags: marriage, faithfulness, religion, love, Muslim, convert, family
