...In this essay, I would like to compare and contrast gender roles/marriage and primarily show through two literary works found in my textbook the differences and likenesses of each story, as they are being told to the audience. The short stories that I have chosen to discuss for this essay are “The Necklace”, by Guy de Maupassant and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, by James Thurber. I will try to compare and contrast both stories and give the audience a brief summary, explaining the likenesses and differences and engaging the reader, while doing so. In the short summary of the short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty". This short-story tells the tale of Walter Mitty while on a trip into town with his wife, the bossy and serious Mrs. Mitty. Walter is sadly incompetent of doing many things; he forgets a lot of things, is very absent-minded while driving, and cannot handle the simplest tasks. But, what makes Walter unique throughout this short-story is his imagination. While Walter goes through his tasks, he escapes into a world of many fantasies, each brought on by reality. While driving his car he starts to day dream that he is a commander on a “Navy hydroplane" going through a storm. (Clugston, 2010). While passing a hospital, he believes he is a famous surgeon, known throughout the world for saving lives. He imagines he is being interrogated in court on a case, when he hears a newsboy shouting about a trial. Also, when he is waiting for his wife, he imagines himself...
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...Gender Roles, Marriage and Love: A Comparison of I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act vs. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Cindy Stevenson ENG 125: Introduction to Literature Instructor: Kathryn Ness Santana July 30, 2012 Gender Roles, Marriage and Love: A Comparison of I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act vs. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Gender roles and marriage have been stereotyped for thousands of years. The man earned a living while the woman stayed home did the cooking and laundry and raised the children. Today, however, roles have reversed in many households. Men stay home and take care of the children, do the cooking, and run the errands while the wife earns the income. The biggest change over the years is that husband and wife both work to make-endsmeat. In comparing and contrasting James Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and Tristan Bernard’s “I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act” I will show through differences and similarities in the content, form, and style how these different stories both have the same theme. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber is a short story that was originally written in 1939. This story revolves around the lives of two characters Mr. and Mrs. Walter Mitty and Mrs. Mitty’s constant henpecking toward Mr. Mitty. Mr. Mitty daydreams to remove himself from his wife’s badgering. He imagines himself in heroic scenes as the center of attention, as US Navy Pilot flying his crew out of a hurricane, then as a...
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...‘At the Bay’ largely utilizes natural images as a means of expression, focusing heavily on landscape and setting in order to create the foundation for the establishment of themes integral to the characterization and plot development. The story instantly commences with the light shed on scenery and environment, “The sun had not yet risen and the whole of crescent bay was hidden under a white sea-mist” followed closely by ,”Drenched were the cold fuchsias, round pearls of dew lay on the flat nasturtium leaves”. References to ‘paddocks’, ‘bungalows’ and ‘a flock of sheep came pattering’ provide evidence of a rural, New Zealand setting and the usage of seasonal images of “the marigolds and the pink” indicate a Spring backdrop. Phrases such as ,” It looked as though the sea had beaten up softly in the darkness, as though one immense wave had come rippling” foreshadow the darker aspect this story is to follow as it progresses. The rural setting is further reinforced by the personification of the ‘gum-tree’, “An enormous shock haired giant with his arms stretched out” Mansfield’s composition follows an abundance of paragraphs, each of a constant length allowing for the build-up of a slow paced, tranquil atmosphere to grow at the base of the narrative, in line with the expanse of description. The first hint of one of the recurring motifs comes with the encounter with the Cat and the Sheep-Dog. Mansfield gives the Cat a metaphorical voice, “Ugh! What a course, revolting, creature...
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...Successful marriages today involve communication and support from both partners, yet it was not always like this. Historically, women were supposed to serve their husband—with the only support coming from his finances. This can be seen in supporting-character Christine Linde in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. This play focuses on the family life and the secrets behind husband and wife Torvald and Nora Helmer. From the outside, the Helmers seem like a happy couple. Nora, however, is keeping a secret that threatens to ruin this visor. Mrs. Linde is a long-time friend and recent confidant of Nora’s secret. Christine Linde’s husband has passed, and she finds herself rekindling an old romance with a man named Nils Krogstad. While Mrs. Linde keeps...
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...GENDER ROLES AND COMMUNICATION When two people join their lives together in the unity of marriage how are they to decide what roles each will take within the marriage? The role within a marriage changes not only from year to year but also between each couples own relationship. Cultural believes can also affect the role each partner will take within a marriage. What was acceptable behavior several years ago would not be considered the social norm today. The role the husband or wife plays in a marriage is one that is either subservient or dominant. Within these roles the communication within the marriage often is a key element to defining the role each partner plays. What works for one marriage may not work for another. There are also many stereotypes between genders on what should and should not be accepted. In the story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, (Clugston, 2010) we see very different roles between Mitty and his wife then that in “I’m Going”. (Clugston, 2010) One story takes the stance that the husband is more silent and subservient to his wife, pleasing her and keeping his thoughts to himself for the most part. Whereas in “I’m going” (Clugston, 2010) the husband plays a more dominant role and controls his marriage. Regardless of the role and stance taken on the representation of gender roles in marriage it is more important that the marriage have a strong foundation and good communication skills. Communication is defined as “any process in which people...
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...personal liberty, urged women to gradually develop new roles in society, while still remaining in their tradition roles. Hannah Webster Foster provides a glimpse into the life of women and their gender roles in her novel The Coquette, depicting the value marriage, motherhood and women’s education in the turn of the 18th century. The conflict within The Coquette arises from society’s demand for marriage. Eliza Warton, receiving affection from both Boyer and Stanford, while feeling pressured to marry, is forced to choose between personal freedom or accepting society’s expectations...
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...The Social Changes in Marriage Western Governors University Social Changes in the Module of Marriage Bob Dylan said it the best, “The times they are a changing”. The purpose of marriage in today’s society is no longer what it was over a century ago. Families in the early 1900s were depicted in movies such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” where arranged marriages were the social norm. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet or Leave It to Beaver were the “families” of the mid-1960s.They were comprised of two parents, two children and a happy stable environment. The Husband’s role was that of the provider, with the Wife’s role being that of a homemaker and nurturing mother. The children were a reflection of their parent’s social reverence to society norms. In the late 1960s – 1970s cultural norms regarding marriage, pre-marital sex/cohabitation and childrearing changed significantly. The family was replaced by divorced parents or blended families, reflected in shows such as “Different Strokes,” “One Day at a Time,” and “Parent Trap” reflected such. Currently, non-traditional families are accompanied by same sex marriage and depicted in sitcoms such as Modern Family, which combines multiple variations of family models in one show. These various family modules are becoming widely accepted in society, along with changes in the social module of marriage, as “traditional family values are being swept away by a wave of tolerance toward lone mothers, gay couples and unmarried...
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...been predetermined as something of the opposite sex. Gender roles are socially constructed. It is what society has designed to be of the norm. Marriage is a legally recognized union between two people, usually man and woman. Gender is the expectations that one forms of others based upon them being females or males. When we think about gender roles in marriages, we think about a specific tasks that a husband and wife must perform. In earlier...
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...Marriage has evolved over time in society. Depending on who you ask they will most likely have a their own view of what marriage means to them. In most cultures the general form of Marriage is between a man and a woman; however, society is evolving and the meaning has been changing with time. In all cultures marriage is presented as a 'social institution'. In a society marriage is mostly considered an arrangement of a mutual commitment; rights and obligations between two or more persons. This commitment is bonded by sexual and economical responsibilities. In Society marriages takes on many facets. Marriage Ceremonies are influenced by your cultural background and your religious views. In most societies and cultures 'marriage' is defined...
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...How a marriage is affected when the wife makes more money and/or is more educated than the husband is? Abstract Cases of women earning more than men have been on the rise. This paper concisely tries to find how income gaps, where wives earn more than their husbands, affects marriage. The paper heavily relies on other studies carried out by other researchers. It derives its arguments from journal posts and other sources. The conducted research found out that the state of women earning more than men has the following negative impacts on a marriage: 1) Women become independent because they have less to gain in a marriage. 2) Couples live an unhappy life, full of tension, stress and other psychological problems. 3) Gender roles reverses and women work more than they do if married to a man with high income than them. 4) Wives end to distort secretly their income in order to reduce and avert the risk of divorce. This results to dishonesty in the marriage. The paper also concludes by noting the various flaws and weaknesses found in the sources used to draw arguments for the question under study. The paper ends by noting that monetary gains do not necessarily lead to a happy marriage; true love does. In the traditional family setting, men played a very important role in the family. They were the sole breadwinners while women stayed at home, attending to matrimonial duties and nurturing their children. This is what constituted gender roles, and it was the sole pride of all...
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...Breaking Gender Roles in Bobbie Mason’s ‘Shiloh’ General criticism on Bobbie Ann Mason’s “Shiloh” shows that gender roles are not followed in the mid 1970’s in America. When Mason was presented with these critics over this issue, she defended the idea of breaking gender stereotypes. An example, the couple Norma Jean and Leroy have switched roles within their marriage. Due to an accident as a truck driver, he is left to stay at home and live as though a wife would live and Norma Jean is left to live as though she was a man. When others are reading “Shiloh”, they may find this odd or unpleasing, but it was necessary due to the circumstances they were presented with. Mason rejects the traditional ideas that married couples should be followed by their...
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...Money and Marriage - Breadwinner Wives Adrian M. Wright Com 172 03/21/2012 Lilac Bauer Money and Marriage - Breadwinner Wives “I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.” We have all heard those lyrics before but how true are those words? Merriam-Webster defines marriage as (1) the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law. The roles of a married man and woman have changed so much over the years. Women now maintain a present role in the work force and in a lot of cases surpassed men in the corporate environment. The dynamics of marriage has also changed; some men have taken the role as a “stay at home dad” and assumed the duties of keeping the house or maintain only blue collar jobs. What happens to a marriage when the female is the primary wage earner and the male is the secondary? When this happens it creates an environment of inferiority, confuse the marriage structure, and can lead to infidelity and abuse. However, many couples have adapted to these generational changes and united to make lasting marriages. When the wife is the breadwinner in a marriage it creates an environment that the man is inferior to the woman. Since the institution of women’s rights, more women have set out to prove their independence by obtaining educational degrees and maintaining the same or higher roles than man in the work place. (Tichenor, 2005) Suppose the woman is an attorney...
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...Case Study 2: Steve and Cindy Abstract Martial disagreement is typical within marriages. All couples have a difference of opinions in situations in their lives together. Marital conflict is not a matter of a difference in opinions. Marital conflict stems from a development of unfortunate series of circumstances that have caused a rift in the unity of the partnership of the marriage. The source of marital conflict consists of issues that have boiled up to the point of a severe lack of communication. When married couples stop communicating with each other, they grow farther apart in their marriage. If married couples have the opportunity to identify the causes of marital discord, they will develop healthier ways to resolve the complex issues within their marriage. In general, all couples have dealt with issues with finance, parenting, and domestic duties. This case study analysis will discuss the facilitator’s report of the relationship dynamics of a conflicted couple, Steve and Cindy. This analysis will focus on the identification of key strengths and weaknesses between the couple, how the couple’s personalities might be influencing their situation, and developing a strategy to counsel and support the couple. This analysis will highlight conflict resolution skills that the couple may be able to employ as a way to build upon their foundation within their marriage. Case Study 2: Steve and Cindy Introduction When a couple enters marital counseling, they are seeking...
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...Glossary * Ageing population: A population in which the average age is getting higher, with a greater proportion of the population over retirement age, and a smaller proportion of young people * Arranged marriage: A marriage which is arranged by the parents of the marriage partners, with a view to compatibility of background and status. More a union between two families than two people, and romantic love between the marriage partners is not necessarily present. * Beanpole family: A multi-generation extended family, in a pattern which is long and thin, with few aunts and uncles, reflecting fewer children being born in each generation, but people living longer. * Birth rate: The number of live births per 1,000 of the population per year * Cereal packet family: Sociologists also sometimes talk about ‘the cereal packet family’ - a certain type of nuclear - this refers to the image most people hold of the family. It is also the picture of the family that the media tends to present, especially in adverts. The cereal packet family comprises of Parents and Children. The woman is a housewife and full time mother and the man is the 'breadwinner' i.e. he is the one who has to go to work to earn money. * Classic extended family: A family where several related nuclear families or family members live in the same house, street or area. It may be horizontally extended, where it contains aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., or vertically extended, where it contains more...
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...Gender Roles in India: How do the Men and Women of India live the way they do? Gender roles in India are very controversial as seen from the eyes of a westerner. Many though however view this as culture and tradition. In India, the women are controlled almost completely by the men in their families. They also have to pay a lot of respect to the men in their culture in general. The women must follow the commands of her father first, after him her husband, and lastly her son. Although she must obey these men the restrictions do not end there. After a woman’s husband dies she does not have independence and she is not allowed to remarry. These are the values that are taught to the woman in India and are respected by the men in the country. Starting off with the value of respect, it dates back to the caste system. Generally most Indian communities do not respect the fact where families do not accept lower caste systems into their own. The caste system can be described as segregation in a way. The categories of segregation are Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra. The Brahmans were considered the priests and educated class, the Kshatriya were considered the land owners, rulers and fighters of their town, they dominated the government, and their superiority level was just under the Brahmins. The Vaishya were considered the trader class and the Shudra were servile laborers. What the caste system did was that it...
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