Leading Ladies The novel Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. Connell presents a series of vignettes about a wife, mother, and socialite who finds herself trapped in a materialistic society. Via her ordinary encounters (less the robbery incident) readers understand how the meaningless cultural forces of materialism and class expectations can lead to people feeling trapped. This idea also presents itself through the character of Sapphira Colbert in Willa Cather’s Sapphira and the Slave Girl. However, when one ignores class focusing on kindness instead, happiness is truly attainable as seen in Shadows on the Rock.
Ascher’s juxtaposition between Compassion & Fear Barbara Lazear Ascher, in “On Compassion” Gave two scenarios in which a woman gave a homeless man money when he had stared down the lady and her baby, questioning whether the offering was out of fear or compassion. Ascher then gives another scenario where a homeless man walks into a bread shop silently inside the shop. Moments later a french woman walks out of the kitchen with a hot cup a coffee and food to give to him. Ascher then questioned if the french woman gave the man food out of her heart or she just wanted him out. Out of fear of disturbing her customers and losing sales.
The theme of this story is one of personal freedom and trying to be true to yourself while being a part of something else, like a marriage. During the book Mrs. Mallard was in a mixed emotions with her hearing about her husband dying and her being emotional about it, her telling herself that she is finally free and then finding out he was alive when he walked through the door. In "The Story of an Hour" the central idea would be when she posits the idea that a woman's life may actually be better without a husband. It was a radical idea at the time. In the older days it was assumed that women were the lesser sex and that men needed to make the important decisions in a family.
Langston Hughes was initially influenced and had different perspectives of male and female characters. Therefore, he has interpreted both of them into his texts. The men and women take roles and have characteristics in their stories. In addition, Langston Hughes short stories are about the roles that men and woman characters take their place in.
Roshelli Throughout 19th century America women were prominent figures not only in literature but in history. 19th Century literature depicts women to have four ideal characteristics in “The Cult of Domesticity”. These include piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity. In “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky” married women are depicted in a way that supports “The Cult of Domesticity”.
Within the films Easy Rider and Thelma and Louise there is a common theme of freedom involving escape. Both of the main characters in these movies are on the road in order to escape something. One being a literal escape from the police, while the other is an escape from organized society. Each portrayed in a different fashion, they are able to express the freedom they want, awhile not being sure of how to obtain said "freedom". Despite being produced in two completely different eras, these films do represent counterculture in America.
Children seek after rebellion and grow up before their parents' eyes losing their innocence, desiring to go against their parents’ will to break the family norm. Sometimes these behaviors are expected and sometimes they are difficult to accept. Gwendolyn Brooks’ “a song in the front yard,” was written from the perspective a young girl desiring change and rebellious adventure. The young girl desires to go to the backyard, a place of unknown. While the front yard is beautiful and cultured, the back yard appears more appealing and favors a secret, forbidden garden requiring an invitation.
In the Youth Instructor, May, 1859, it tells how children can be great witnesses for Christ. Their shining faces and innocence melt the hearts of those around them. They give their full trust to God and long to do His bidding. Connecting with Jesus is the only way someone will have true love for the people around them. He makes the hard heart loving and caring.
It’s safe to say “A mother knows best” is a saying you’ve all heard before. Yet, during the transition from childhood to adolescence, each individual mystically turns into this evil and traitorous creature, called a “teenager”. During that time, a majority rebel, others will grow to be defiant and some even pick up an attitude, here and there. Yet, collectively, they all swear that their parents know nothing and that they somehow encompass the knowledge of the world in roughly 13-17 years. Realistically speaking, without your parents you wouldn’t know right from wrong, your left foot from your right, or even how to tie a shoe.
In Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees, the excerpt supports the theme of the novel by explaining that love is worth all. In the statement, Lily watches her father leave her behind at August’s house,because he knows that he can not love Lily the way that all of the women can love her. After T.Ray leaves, Lily looks at the women and realizes that the hole she has felt all of her life, from not having her mother, is now filled with love. Now she does have a mother; now she has many mothers.