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Inequality In The Short Story 'The Yellow Wallpaper'

Submitted By
Words 1598
Pages 7
Maddie Hawkins
Accel. English 10
Presswood
01.05.15
Equality
“A woman is human; she is not better, wiser, stronger, more intelligent, more creative, or more responsible than a man. Likewise, she is never less. Equality is a given. A woman is human” — Vera Nazarian. Unfortunately, this idea is not seen in action in society. A story that displays the equality rift between men and women is the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper”, which displays the worsening of the human condition in women when they’re controlled and suppressed by the men in their lives. There have been many instances of inequality between men and women expressed, and sometimes addressed, in the media as well. Women continue to be treated unequally in society compared to men, socially …show more content…
Award-winning director Sitthiwat Tappan even describes the rape scenes as some type of public service. He indicated that "’There might be a scene where a woman is dressed sexy, and she walks past a man who has been drinking, and it shows on his face that he's aroused and wants her... In the end, she succumbs to the physical power of the man. Scenes like this try to teach society that women should not travel alone or wear revealing clothes,’ the director said” (Gecker). These rape scenes in the soap operas desensitize people to rape. It sends the message that women are lesser beings and that rape is acceptable. It also perpetuates rape culture when they advise women in their shows not to wear revealing clothes, putting the blame on women if they are raped. Many rape Public Service Announcements (PSAs) also put the blame of rape on women. Police in Northern Ireland released a SMART campaign poster advising to “Say no to any sex you don't want, Make yourself clearly understood, Alcohol or drugs will affect your judgment, Rape can stay with you for life, Take care and reduce your risk of assault”. They address this as if every person who has been raped forgot to say no or didn’t make themselves clear enough, effectively blaming the women who were raped. The only …show more content…
Web. 4 Jan. 2015.
• Coontz, Stephanie. "Women Have Come a Long Way, but Have a Far Way to Go." Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. 10 Mar. 2014: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
• Gecker, Jocelyn, and Thanyarat Doksone. "In Thailand Prime Time, Rape Seen As Part of Love." Los Angeles Times. 19 Oct. 2014: A.4. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
• "How We Teach Our Kids That Women Are Liars - Role Reboot." Role Reboot. 18 Nov. 2013. Web. 4 Jan. 2015.
• "The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration Quotes." By Vera Nazarian. Web. 4 Jan. 2015.
• Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper. Champaign, Ill.: Project Gutenberg, 199.

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