Abstract Compares and contrasts two films: the 1989 "When Harry Met Sally," and the 1998 "Shakespeare in Love." Discusses the legal institution of marriage in both centuries and describes 16th century marriage as a social, political, and economic institution.
From the Paper "The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast 16th and 20th Century ideas about love and marriage as portrayed in the 1989 film AWhen Harry Met Sally@ and the 1998 film AShakespeare in Love.@
In both the 16th and 20th Centuries, marriage is only ..."
Abstract This paper discusses affirmative action, with particular emphasis on how it pertains to decisions on hiring and promoting. The objective of the paper is to show that, for the most part, affirmative action works well. There are only some instances when it is taken too far so that it becomes detrimental to both white males, because they cannot get work as easily, and minorities, because they are believed to be promoted based on race and gender, and not on the merits of their work.
From the Paper "Affirmative action is a reasonably new development when looking at the history of this country. It is basically designed to ensure that people who were treated unfairly in the past get equal treatment now, but there are some difficulties with this and there are some people who feel that affirmative action is unfair to those that are not minorities. Mainly white males feel that women and/or minorities are chosen before them in hiring decisions and are also promoted at a better rate in companies that have affirmative action policies in place. It has become difficult for many companies to find a balance between being fair to white males and being fair to everyone else."
Abstract An exploration of gender identity of women as their lives evolve from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. The paper discusses various factors that influence the development of this essential self-concept. It discusses the role of society, peers, family, and one's cultural surroundings, which all impact the development of gender awareness.
From the Paper "Gender identity involves not only sexuality and sexual proclivities?as in the establishment of the sexuality of the transgendered. Female gender identity arises from how a woman interacts in and with society. Traditionally, conformation to society's norms was considered paramount. Society says that a young woman should be: assigned female at birth, be feminine, see herself as a woman, and be attracted to men. Therefore, consider the definitions of some basic concepts. Gender refers to the sociocultural facet of being male or female. Sex refers to the biological side of things. Gender Identity is an individual's sense of being male or female. Gender role is the set of expectations that prescribe how females or males should think, feel, and behave."
Abstract This paper explains that poet Anna Akhmatova, born in Odessa, Russia, in 1889, began writing poetry at the age of eleven and experienced lifelong grief and heartache, which is clearly illustrated in her poetry. The author believes that the "Requiem", a set of fifteen thematically linked verses written in 1935, is one of Akhmatova's best pieces. The paper relates that anyone reading "Requiem" could identify with Verse Four because it describes the time Akhmatova looks back on her life wishing someone would have warned her of the troubles that lay ahead.
From the Paper "Akhmatova's use of describing emotions felt collectively by the masses of women makes the reader associate with them. One can almost imagine how it would feel to know that your loved one is innocent but locked away, to wait only to hear that the sentence is death, to be strong yet look so weak and desperate. Once these feelings have captured the reader, they become more and more vivid as one finds out Akhmatova's feelings as an individual:
?At dawn they came and took you away.
You were my dead: I walked behind.
In the dark room children cried,
The holy candle gasped for air.?"
Abstract This paper looks at each symbol in "The Yellow Wallpaper" and explains how it connects to the feminist point of view and, in particular, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's feminist statement. It also explain how Gilman uses symbolism to express the oppression of women typical of the era in which she lived.
From the Paper "The short story The Yellow Wall-paper starts with a nameless female character suffering from postpartum depression. She is nameless, showing that she has no place and no significance in the world that surrounds her. The character with a place in society is her husband John. He is a doctor whose name is often preceded by a loving adjective and forces her to stay in one room of a house for the good of her health. This is the room that eventually transforms this nieve and submissive woman. Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses the different parts of the house as symbolic representations of female oppression and liberation."
Abstract This paper examines the topic of gender inequality and presents a review of literature that supports the argument that stereotypical roles of gender have led to inequality in marriages and gender relationships, which in turn, have impacted the ability of women to become truly financially and emotionally secure.
From the Paper "The issue of gender inequality in relationships is of great social concern, especially in light of the increasing divorce rate and the growing numbers of single mothers bringing up children. The increasing break down of the traditional family structure implies the need for women to be more and more financially independent. Yet, a review of literature on the subject indicates that gender inequality in relationships persists and has led to a situation where women are still unable to break the traditional stereotype of the female role and focus on developing an independent career."
Abstract The paper states that, in the past, when women became less obedient and started to challenge the men, they were said to be crazy; this is the case in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper". The author discusses that the yellow wallpaper represents John and the oppression of women, the woman behind the wallpaper represents the independent woman Jane wants to become, and the ripping down of the wallpaper represents Jane's transformation from oppression to independence and the transformation of women everywhere. This paper points out that feminism is the independent influence of or belief in women; it also has been called the removal of power from men.
From the Paper "When Jane becomes "quite sure it is a woman" (909) that is behind the wallpaper that woman represents the independent woman that Jane wants to become. "John is away all day" (904) and "there is nothing to hinder [her] writing" (904) so Jane "write[s] . . . in spite of them" (903). This is the first small push towards becoming that woman. Jane feels a bit of freedom from the oppression during the day when John is gone just as "the woman gets out [from behind the wallpaper] in the daytime" (911). For Jane to realize that she wants independence is hard enough let alone to go through all the struggles within herself about defying not only her husband but all of society. At first when Jane sees the "woman stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern . . . [she didn"t] like it a bit . . . [and she] wished John would take [her] away? (908)."
Tags: independence, men, obedience, oppression, power
Abstract This paper begins with a discussion of the way abortion has been regarded throughout different periods and governments in history. It then goes on to look at the legal and ethical questions surrounding the issue of abortion and to examine some of the arguments presented both in favor of and in opposition to the legalization of abortion. The paper concludes with the author of the paper taking a position that favors legalized abortion.
From the Paper "What will the world say? That the Americans cannot articulate, legislatively, that human life is expensive, that an infant's life is possibly the most valuable of all other lives, as well as that the American people want to make sure that women are positioned in an "ethical" atmosphere in which judgments on the subject of life and death are taken sincerely and dealt with as matters of ethical seriousness. A lot of women, maybe most, by now treat this matter as an ethically serious subject, however, many do not, it is for them a structure of birth control, and even those who do might not, forever, evidently see, and therefore fully sense, what is at risk. Let them and others see it and then act accordingly to help womanhood."
Abstract The paper examines how sex and scopophilia have played a major role in making the horror genre successful, incorporating also the elements of montage and sound. The primary film discussed in the paper is "Silence of the Lambs", but "Psycho" and "The Birds" are used as well.
From the Paper "With sex as an added element the suspense is increased. If one scene is of a sexual nature it takes our minds off the horror, therefore when the horror comes back we are surprised, therefore increasing the suspense and horror of the film. This is not the only example of the combination. There are many others that we may refer to demonstrate this point. The film Silence of the Lambs proves that scopophilia of women blends with the elements of the horror genre, while making sure to hold the traditional elements strong throughout the movie."
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze women of America during the Great Depression and World War II. Specifically, it discusses the extent to which women who differed by class, race, and ethnicity shared common experiences and responded to common issues.
From the Paper "The women of America altered greatly during the Great Depression and World War II. Beginning with the Great Depression, the roles of women changed, and women began to work outside the home in greater numbers simply to keep the family intact. Many employed women lost their jobs, or moved down the employment ladder from a higher paying job such as a secretary to a lower paying job such as a waitress or domestic, because so many jobs disappeared during the Great Depression."
Abstract One of the most remarkable documents ever written on the subject of peace may be Aristophanes's play ,?Lysistrata.? It is a ribald, extremely sexual comedy about an extremely serious subject, namely, the subject of a war between close allies and neighbors. This paper analyzes the play and the theme of war and peace. It looks at the issue of war between the sexes and how this concept was seen through the eyes of an ancient Greek playwright.
From the Paper "Of course, in "Lysistrata" peace between Greeks is only created through war?namely a war between the sexes, ironically. The war is funny, of course, but it must be noted that even if the message of the play may be read as pacifist, it is not necessarily feminist. The women's main "weapons" at their disposal are those of their bodies, even their metaphors are of the home, of children, weaving, and yes, the marital bed. However, Lysistrata's spirit and her willingness to sacrifice what she loves"for Lysistrata does love sex, and love her husband"for a higher cause is seen as virtuous and noble by the playwright."
Abstract This paper provides a history of the life of Florence Nightingale and all that she did to advance nursing. The paper discusses her role in changing the nursing profession through her progressive ideas and theories on sanitation. It also explores her political activity regarding the rights of dismissed soldiers.
From the Paper "Nightingale was a big advocate for the prevention of infection. She believed that infection arose from dirty, poorly ventilated rooms. From her selected writings on rural hygiene, we are able to understand Nightingale's standings on cleanliness. This belief led to cleaner, healthier living and working environments. She firmly believed that health improved with proper hygiene, fresh air, clean bodies, clean water, proper drainage, and plenty of light (Pulliam). She continued to advocate for improved health standards by publishing 200 books, reports, and pamphlets (Florence Nightingale Story)."
Abstract This paper looks at the lives and roles of women in colonial Latin America and discusses how the class and race of the women helped determined their roles and position in society.
From the Paper "Evidence also suggests that some variability existed regarding the roles of women in different Latin American countries. In late colonial Brazil for example, women married early, generally by age twenty or twenty one; also many of the households were headed by women in colonial Brazil. This may have resulted from the need for men to be mobile, frequently traveling to find mines or off on exploratory adventures. Though illegitimacy was an area of concern and a threat to honor, as described above in greater detail, in Brazil there were high levels of illegitimacy among all people; Lockhart and Schwartz (1983) suggest that in some areas more than 40 percent of children born were illegitimate."
Abstract "Cosmopolitan Magazine" is considered one of the largest-selling, young women's magazines in the world. Since its founding in 1886, this magazine has received much of its fame from its upbeat style, focus on the young career woman, and discussions of male and female relationships. The paper analyzes the messages being put across by the magazine, its effect on its readers and the use of advertising and color to project the desired images.
From the Paper "Cosmo's editors might say that if they address more women's issues and social problems such as poverty or women's equality their readers would stop buying their magazine. However, in reality, their readers would go along with the change because it is Cosmo, the most popular Women's magazine that sets trends for many young women in our society. By using average looking models and writing articles that would help women in daily life, Cosmo could use its popularity to crush the stereotype of the feeble, powerless woman. Through their ads and articles Cosmo needs to demonstrate that 21st century women are far more than just beautiful sex objects that are created to satisfy men and are enslaved by their consumer driven lives, but they are independent, dignified women who have a significant voice in society and are shaping our world today."
Abstract Martin Luther King, Jr. captured a dream that ideally would epitomize a color-blind and gender-blind society. That vision has not materialized, especially in American business practices. This paper shows that sexism and racism coexist with unemployment, underemployment, and poverty. These conditions flourish in our country and feed on one another to perpetuate a cycle of unfulfilled ambitions among women and minorities. The paper argues that the so-called "glass ceiling" is discrimination, and companies who adhere to this tradition are in direct violation of both Title IX and the Civil Rights Laws of 1964 and 1991. The paper comments that what businesses and their captains fail to recognize is that society, as well as the business community, is changing, and without the valuable input of women and minorities, their businesses may very well be in jeopardy.
From the Paper "A seventy- or eighty-hour work week is commonplace for CEOs, and many in this field believe that women are not willing to make that time commitment because their role in the family is to provide a second income and be the primary caretaker of the couple's children. In addition, many women choose not to build the foundation that would qualify them for upper management. For instance, women need an advanced education and need to willingly accept work duties that include making difficult choices, taking risks or performing unpleasant tasks. Oftentimes men adopt an attitude that women deserve lower pay because they simply don?t perform as well as their male counterparts. Moreover, men attribute women's failure to a lack of understanding of the corporate structure and cite this as their biggest stumbling block."
