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Iron Jawed Angels Essay

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Film Review: Iron Jawed Angels Traveling back to the early 1900’s, the film “Iron Jawed Angels” takes us on an unforgettable ride by recreating a story very few have heard about. This little-known story focuses on the hardships of Alice Paul, played by Hilary Swank, who gives up her personal and emotional life in order to fight for women’s suffrage in America. This remarkable true story takes place in Philadelphia, where youthful suffragist activists, Alice Paul and her friend Lucy Burns request a meeting with the leaders of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). This association was formed by Susan B. Anthony in 1890 and has proven to be significant in promoting women’s rights. Through this meeting, the audience is shown …show more content…

Alice quickly becomes the most defiant prisoner by breaking a window and going on a hunger strike, all while placed in solitary confinement. These actions lead officers to take Alice to an examination in the psychiatric ward. The doctor reports back to President Wilson and shares that he found no signs of delusion in Alice. This means she can return to the prison with the rest of the women. Upon her return, Alice’s defiant nature encourages the other suffragettes to join in on the hunger strike. The warden of the prison begins to force-feed the women in order to make sure they do not become martyrs. As this sequence of events plays out, a woman officer at the prison provides Alice a pen and paper in order to communicate freely with the other inmates. On the other side of the bars, Catt meets with President Wilson and tries to make him repay her for her years of loyalty by supporting the suffrage amendment. Wilson refuses to do so until the public is informed of the mistreatment of the women at the prison. The “Iron Jawed Angels” become popular amongst the public once again and Wilson is pressed to support the amendment. Alice Paul and the other suffragettes are released from prison and able to witness President Wilson come out in support of the movement in his speech to

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