Oana-Patricia Cosma
Essay Writing
8 January 2016
Fifty Shades of Grey – A Book About Abuse and Not Love
Fifty Shades of Grey is an erotic novel written by E. L. James that became a phenomenon in a very short time which presents Anastasia Steel, a college graduate, and Christian Grey, a young billionaire, whose relationship embodies all the criteria of an unhealthy relationship and is more about sexual abuse, dominance, and violence against women. In a society where the access to information is allowed to anyone, such a book can produce a change of mentality, especially among young women who are still discovering themselves and are building their identity. Reading Fifty Shades of Grey may cause effects which are not quite beneficial in the self-esteem of a girl or woman. In our time, women have become more conscious of their power and therefore they are not settling for second best and will not be
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Also, women, especially young women who are still discovering themselves and are building their personality, must be able to distinguish between a relationship based on love, respect, trust, communication, and freedom and one based on isolation, possessiveness, and the restriction of freedom. Despite the fact that some may say that Fifty Shades of Grey is based on a romantic love combined only with some variety of erotic practices, we should not overlook the scenes in which Christian expresses his possessiveness, when he isolates and controls Anastasia, while being concerned only with his pleasures and …show more content…
N.p., 15 Feb. 2013. Web. 2 Jan. 2016.
James, E. L. "Chapter Seventeen." Fifty Shades of Grey. Australia: Writer’s Coffee Shop, 2011. 356.
Introductions: Sam: Good morning Declan and viewers. Today we will be discussing and comparing the ‘true blue’ Aussie novel; The Story of Tom Brennan by J.C. Burke and the classic low-budget Australian film 48 Shades by Daniel Lapaine. Declan: That’s right, we will be comparing and contrasting the narrative and characterisation components of these portrayals of growing up in Australia and on that note, what was your experience of growing up in Australia Sam?
“Even as grown women, they lowered their voices in their father’s earshot when alluding to their bodies’ pleasure” (28). The respect and understanding they have of the views their father continued to hold about sex continued to follow them even into adulthood. Sophia would travel across the globe to Colombia to have a night alone with her boyfriend, unceremoniously discarding her birth control at the airport upon her return to the home where traditional morality still ruled the day (29). Unfortunately, her propensity to collect the love letters sent to her by her beau lead Sophia astray of her father’s view on sex. Challenged about her maidenhood and her sexual activity, Sophia would boldly claim her independence, spiriting herself across the world to her lover and getting married.
When she was at the shop, a man walks in wearing a “stained blanket pulled up to his chin” who smells of “stale cigarettes and urine” (7). This graphic description of the man instills a feeling of disgust in the audience. He stands there until a “moody French woman” walks towards him and handing him “steaming coffee in a Styrofoam cup, and a small paper bag” of what is perhaps a croissant. He accepts the food and leaves the bread shop. Just like she did in the preceding anecdotal narrative she question why the woman demonstrated this act of compassion.
It is proposed by Radway that romance reading offers most readers with an escape from the patriarchal system and mundane existence. By examining the reasons as to why women like reading romantic novels and the meaning that they glean, it is argued that romances follow structure that is very strict, where the woman is portrayed as beautiful, sexually immature and defiant, contrasted to a brooding handsome man who is usually able to show gentle and soft gestures (Click et al. 199). Ultimately, Radway comes to a conclusion that reading of romantic books is influenced by dissatisfaction, where female readers look for care and
In this short story, Gilman devotes the work to the role of females. The book is also known as semi-autobiography of Charlotte. The story is about a woman who suffered from mental illness after giving birth to her little daughter. She knows that she is ill, as well her husband and her brother. To cure her, her husband let her stay in a room with nothing to do, just rest.
“The Odyssey,” written by Greek poet Homer is an epic tale depicting the brutally enduring quest home of the Greek hero, Odysseus. Within this heroic story, women play a very large and pivotal role in Odysseus’s trip home from the Trojan War. In his attempt to get back to his wife, Penelope, Odysseus’s progress is constantly hindered by the intervention of women who will do anything in order to either convince the heroic figure to stay with them or have him killed. The intentions of the women in the epic are all very different but one of the most prominent roles lies in the seductresses and the alluring women who will deeply influence Odysseus. Most importantly, Penelope plays a large role in portraying the importance of women’s roles in the story.
Carol Joyce Oates’ “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” presents how falling into temptation leads to giving up control and innocence. Though her mother is unapproving of her actions, Connie spends her time seeking attention from male strangers. Home alone, Connie is approached by a compelling creature who convinces her to leave her life and join him on his unknown journey. Through disapproving her family, having multiple appearances, listening to music, and her desperation to receive attention from boys, Connie gives up control of herself losing the purity of adolescents and contributing to her detrimental fate. It is imperative that one should not be controlled because of a desire to impress others.
These two books are very well known and loved by young adolescent girls and teenagers all over the world. It is worrisome that these young girls could be soaking up hidden messages about gender roles without even realizing it and then play them out in their own lives. It is also very concerning that young girls let boys and men talk to the in a disrespectful
This deep exploration of the effect that people in powerful positions can have on the rest of society creates the theme of the novel and hooks readers
The novel, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepety has becomes one of the best book I have ever read. In know that can be a cliché statement to make but the novel is truly exquisite. The author put the reader on a page-turning journey through her juicy plot, her unique writing style, and the historical event added to the book. The novel Between Shades of Gray will soon be a classic all will get to know.
In “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates, both female protagonists are faced with opposing male forces that seek to control, undermine and take advantage of them. However, in the midst of the challenges and subordination they face from these dominant male figures, each protagonists independence is tested as they both strive to overcome these forces. Connie, the protagonist in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” is a 15 year old, narcissistic teenage girl, searching for independence through her sexuality as she enters into the realm of adulthood. “Everything about her had two sides to it, one for home and one for anywhere that was not home,” (Oates, 1).
She talks about the dangers of female sexuality because it could ruin her life. She tells how to get the power of domesticity. She also tells her how her daughters sexual reputation should be instead of what it is. Even though female sexuality can be a diverse topic, Kincaid was able to stick to one view of female
Relationships are complicated, but can you imagine what it would have been like back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s? Women were still expected to live in the stereotypical role where men were in charge. Men still have a lot of power, but women are becoming more and more independent. However, it is interesting to differentiate how a woman author and a man author portray relationships. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” and Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” there are different relationship dynamics portrayed.
There are elements of realism intricately woven within the fabric of the novel. Its depiction of sexuality is a positive portrayal of lesbian love, both sexual and non-sexual love. While Celie compares male sex organs to frogs, Sofia is tired of Harpo’s mechanical lovemaking. On the other hand, Celie’s act of lovemaking with Shug is devoid of any guilt and is liberating. Further, it is a powerful ‘womanist’ text showing productive and strong bonds between women characters and their work culture which together combat the elephantine patriarchal exploitation.
Winter was just around the corner. It was my first time in the biggest coffee shop in town. I could see the cheerful and brilliant lighting of the shop as I walked across the vast parking lot. There were tables outside the shop each with a brown vintage style umbrella. This particular coffee shop is not a cafe, it’s a coffee shop literally.