From the Paper "The novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott stands as an archetype of feminine writing from the nineteenth century, a story emphasizing the choices facing women in terms of home and family, career choice, and aspirations. Much of the sense of choice is placed in the hands of Jo, the strongest female in the novel and the one who becomes the center for her family as well. It is this power of choice and inner strength that has attracted generations of readers and that was the attraction for filmmakers recently when they produced a new version of Little Women and successfully shaped the story for a feminist age.
Little Women is not a complex novel nor a complex study of human nature. It is largely about Jo and her struggle to be good and to improve herself in the world, and as such it is believed to represent Louisa's own struggle with the same issue..."
From the Paper "One of the most potent film genres in terms of subsequent influence was the so-called film noir, so-called because no one making a film noir at the time of its creation and ascendance ever used the term or even assumed that they were working in a genre or style that might deserve a name of its own. The term was applied long after by French critics who noticed a stylistic shift in American films in the 1940s, and as Thomas Schatz notes, this style dominated films in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
It came to identify both the narrative-cinematic style of those films and also the historical period during which they were produced (Schatz 112).
The style would have an influence long after that historical period ended. Indeed, it continues to have an influence today, though the underlying social dynamic that produced it in the ..."
Abstract This paper examines how gender affects an inmate's prison experience and looks at different reasons why women are incarcerated and their different needs in prison. The paper evaluates the programs addressing women's needs, especially those who are pregnant in jail, and makes recommendations to make prison policy more responsive to the rehabilitative needs of its female inmates.
From the Paper "The differences between male and female inmates starts before imprisonment. For many women inmates, the seeds are sown in childhood, as a significantly larger percentage of women than men report being sexually, mentally or emotionally abused while they were growing up. Various studies of female prison inmates consistently find high rates of abuse suffered during childhood and as adults."
Abstract The media has a large effect on society as a whole and there has been an increase in media exposure over the years. The thin, waif-like look is seen as the ideal, a standard for women to be measured against. The paper shows that women are under lots of pressure to conform to the ideals of society and the majority of women are on diets or have dieted at some point in their life. This leads to low self esteem and poor body image, which is a precipitating factor in eating disorders. This essay discusses whether the media is the catalyst for preoccupation with slimness and a major contributor to eating disorders in young women.
From the Paper "The media is often quoted as a scapegoat for the increase in eating disorders. Linda Grant's opinion is that: "Women don"t set out to become anorexic, they begin by thinking they"re too fat because everywhere they go the media is telling them that they are right" (Barrett, 1997). This assumes that the causes of eating disorders are simply triggered by an individual feeling overweight, which is not the case. Eating disorders have many causes, some evidence suggests that an eating disorder can exist without this pathological fear of being overweight (Lai, 2000). If these effects of the media are obvious then why is it that only 1-3% of women suffer from an eating disorder? "
Abstract The aim of this paper is to draw attention to conflicting and unresolved issues of gender equity in workforce. In order to capture the diversity of the problem, the paper focuses on three major concerns of gender equity namely, organizational practices, wage gap and access to technology.
Abstract The paper examines Nella Larsen's novel as a complex response to U.S. racial and class segregation in the 1920s. It discusses black feminist criticism's concept of social marginalization and the politics of sex and race.
From the Paper "Nella Larsen's Passing is a complex response to and critique of the patterns of racial and class segregation that characterized the US in the 1920s. However, the critique has resonance for the modern period because, despite the demise of legalized ..."
Abstract Using Stephen Pressfield's "Gates of Fire", the unique role of Spartan women and their influence over men is shown. The paper explains that women were not subservient mothers, but played an active role in polis life and had considerable leverage in directing the men and the state to act.
From the Paper "During the times of the ancient Greeks, women were generally considered inferior to men and afforded very few rights and privileges. In these male dominated societies, a woman's only function was to bear children and attend to the needs of her husband. However, the Spartans thought very highly of their women and granted them more freedoms than anywhere else in Greece. This is because unlike the women in other cities, Spartan women played an active role in the life of the polis. The role of Spartan women was not merely to produce male warriors, but to uphold Spartan ideals and ensure that the men maintained the standards which Spartan society was built upon."
Abstract This paper argues that, for most women, cosmetic surgery is a foolish option because the potential risks and complications outweigh any possible cosmetic benefits. The paper argues that the results of many procedures are temporary and affected by aging and changes in lifestyle. The paper also shows that cosmetic surgery skews the public's perception of how a woman's body should be.
From the Paper "We currently live in a society that is utterly obsessed with the concept of youth. Everywhere we turn we are bombarded with airbrushed images of scantily clad women advertising everything from cosmetics to cars. We flip on our televisions and are shown a perpetual reel of synthetic beauty that is forever touted as "natural" and "healthy", and sadly, many Americans have been persuaded to accept this notion. Rather than concern ourselves with expanding our minds and appreciating life's changes as they are bestowed upon us, thousands of people throw away billions of dollars each year in an attempt to fight the inevitable. Many continue to finance these costly procedures that result in a lengthy healing process, a great deal of pain, and in many cases only marginal results. Yet, this is the current popular trend and it only appears to be gaining speed as time goes on. Will there eventually come a day where women are expected to undergo cosmetic surgery because a natural physique is no longer deemed as attractive?"
An analysis of the concepts of love, sex, and career in the HBO television series, "Sex and the City," reflecting various facets of women in American society.
Abstract This paper discusses and analyzes two important points that emerge from an analysis of the TV series, "Sex and the City". The first issue covered is that the show demonstrates a transition among its characters, wherein the image of the modern woman is immediately replaced during the last season of the program to illustrate women facing challenges that real women confront in real life. The second point examined in the paper is that each "Sex and the City" character represents a particular facet of femininity and womanhood that the show's audiences can relate to, giving the show its human and realistic element.
From the Paper "More than a study of femininity, "Sex and the City" is also an example of a popular culture material that intends to fuse the experiences of individuals eventually achieving self-realization and accomplishment in life, while at the same time presenting life as it is projected by the mass media through the medium of television. Because the program is representative of the contemporary American society, "Sex and the City" provides insightful information about changing concepts about love, sex, and career in the women sector, as illustrated in the characters of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda."
Abstract This paper discusses arranged marriages versus love marriages, the pros and cons of each and the circumstances under which each take place.
From the Paper "There is an ongoing debate about which is better - arranged marriages or "love marriages". One can argue that arranged marriages are based on practical reasons and thrive on mutual respect and responsibility. On the other side are those who argue that love is what holds a marriage together and that love equals happiness. The truth is everyone has his or her own reason for getting married and the debate is likely to go on. Arranged marriage has evolved from an ancient tradition to a valid life choice for young men and women today."
Abstract This paper introduces, summarizes and analyzes Gloria Anzaldua's book, "Borderlands". The paper explains that Anzaldua's book is about the identities of the people who live on the borderlands and, in particular, of those who are immersed in contradictory cultures.
From the Paper "Individuals derive their sense of identity from their culture. In Borderlands/La Frontera, Anzaldua crafts a collage of lyric and prose, myth and autobiography, Spanish and English, past and present, inviting her readers to experience the clash of cultures. Through literary experimentation with the autobiography genre, Anzaldua was able to express her Chicana Mestiza identity as a site of multiple and often over-lapping and contradictory subjectivities."
Abstract This paper looks at Oprah Winfrey, a mega-star in America at the end of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st century, who is so well known and familiar to the public that everyone refers to her on a first name basis whether they know her or not. It examines Oprah Winfrey and her rise to super stardom and also comments on her unique kind of stardom which is more than superficially matched with philanthropy and wanting to help others and change the world.
From the Paper "Oprah Winfrey was not born into riches or stardom, but instead suffered through a childhood of rural and ghetto poverty. This type of upbringing may be one of the reasons that she is so committed to social causes and to fighting poverty and helping people out as a mega-star. But it is also something unique to Oprah's character that
makes her remember the lessons learned in a youth of poverty, because going back and trying to help people you know are suffering is not done by all people once they make a lot of money. Many hip hop stars for example say that they are still all about ghetto poverty when they are driving around in hundred thousand dollar cars, rapping about how much money they make and how many possessions they own, and in fact if they went back to the ghetto they are so proud of they would have to bring fifty bodyguards."
Abstract In this paper, the writer discusses the implication of silence that is portrayed in Maxine Hong Kingston's book "The Woman Warrior". The writer examines how this aspect of silence relates to the narrator's Chinese roots. Further, the writer explores the debilitating and empowering effects of the silence.
From the Paper "In Maxine Hong Kingston's "The Woman Warrior Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts" the concept of silence plays a significant role in illustrating concepts of gender, culture and prejudice. Above all, silence is used as a symbolic representation of the muting of individuality and individual expression due to gender culture and prejudice. These forces of gender culture and prejudice that undermine individuality and stifle expression manifest themselves both within the culture of the individual and the mainstream culture. Kingston's semi-autobiographical novel demonstrates the struggle ..."
Abstract In this article, the writer points out that women are discriminated against in the workplace with lower salaries and fewer promotions compared to men, regardless of the education or experience they have. The writer questions why people take employers to court for discrimination. The writer notes that before discussing how women are discriminated against it is important to understand why discrimination is wrong.
From the Paper "Four out of ten American women visit one of Wal-Mart's stores weekly ... Yet Wal-Mart is not only a horrifyingly stingy employer: Many workers say it is also a sexist one. Wal-Mart is not the only business discrimination against women. Five different areas of discrimination are race, sex, religion, age, and disability. Another large company that discriminates against women is Boeing."
