An Obstacle Poem Analysis

An Obstacle

Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Critical Analysis

(In three different perspectives)

Submitted to : Trupti Ratnaparkhi

Submitted by : Ahsaas Verma

Batch : B.A.S.S I

Roll Number : 02

Perspective I: General, as a human being:

The poem, an obstacle written by Gilman, communicates the difficulties, in general, that a human being faces in accordance to life. Symbolically compared to a mountain path the poet understands that a human has oodles of labour to do within a lifetime not just his own but of others too. It’s during such times when things like misconceptions, pre-judgements, partiality, biasness and chauvinism smash into the lives of every mortal being, without an exception. A human being naturally goes through many

Parallel to what every being faces, a sex worker also referred to as a prostitute, has a different set of complications that she has to go through. Within an Indian Society, ironically, the mother of KAMASUTRA, a profession like sex work is looked down upon. A sex worker faces problems that can be really dissimilar to those which an ordinary human comes across. The conservative attitude within the society is a prior complication. A lot of questions arise with respect to one’s morality and values. The job is so dejected by the culture and the people that one has to even skin their profession from their own relatives and even the loved ones. The moment one recognises a Sex Worker is the moment that can destroy one’s career, one’s social life and even the peace of mind. The manner in which one tackles with the complications that tag along the label of a sex worker is also interrelated to the kind of background one comes from. It would be an easier task to answer a society that can be really open-minded and western to accept a woman in a pleasure seeking job to make a living but to the same within a society that satisfies the younger generation with an response like “A child is born with the God’s Grace and nothing more”, sex education and sex as a profession cannot really be seen as an option! Therefore, the same profession and the prejudices attached to it appear a mammoth deterrent to a female sex worker. Though there have been many protest and marches for the same to be legalised but frankly not much improvement is shown in the condition of the women in this occupation. Even if legal amendments, one day might allow the existence of the job within the society, still, to change the mind-set of individuals is another huge task to achieve. The narrator though motivates them that just to listen and not