Free Essay

Silent Voices

In: English and Literature

Submitted By adfrazr
Words 1369
Pages 6
Silent Voices

Since the beginning of time women, have taken on many intricate roles. These roles are often unnoticed or are part of an unspoken code. Women have played a major role in the development of greatness, but will often go unrecognized for their input, effort and involvement. Many times the role of a woman asked her to take a back seat to men’s work and not be in the fore front. It was not important for women to be educated, for they were not made to be leaders, creators, commanders or organizers. Sister Flowers by Maya Angelou and I Want a Wife by Judy Brady bring light to the dynamics of a woman and the many facets of a woman. Whether of a high or low class the, fortitude of a woman is astounding. In this ever changing world, women have begun to evolve and smile at the ratification of the positions that they have long held. These essays provide us with a piece of history that shows the growth and development that women are making to get the recognition that is their-due. Sister Flowers by Maya Angelou is a descriptive essay told through the eyes of a young girl named Marguerite who has admiration for a woman in her community that is full of grace. The presence, stature and charisma of this woman was enough to put her in a class with the elite. This woman was different from the others within her community and due to education. Sister Flowers words and language supported that image. As she would often have conversations with Marguerite’s mother that would be very shameful to her, due to her mother’s lack of knowledge in the proper use of language. Sister Flowers set out to share with Marguerite the importance behind education and the power of a voice. Sister Flowers encouraged the young girl to use her voice and informed her that “language is a man’s way of communicating with his fellow man and it is language alone which separates him from the lower animals”. (Angelou 1969) I Want a Wife by Judy Brady is a self-reflective essay told by a wife. After encountering an old friend who is looking for a new wife, it sparks the thought of all the many roles a wife fills. It shares the thought of a wife belonging to a special class of people that has the responsibility of building and maintaining a foundation for others. In this role, a wife becomes a nurturer, a provider and a supporter as clearly stated when the author writes “ I want a wife who takes care of the children when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care, because, of course, I cannot miss class at school.”(Brady 1971) This essay speaks on the success that one may experience after becoming educated. A wife has the ability to empower, encourage and stimulate a desire within herself and others that can manifest into greatness. This essay shares a view of all the behind the scenes roles that a woman is expected to fulfill in addition to her own sense of being. The similarities of these essays is in the content of the material. They both speak on how women are often viewed by others and the demands that are expected them. Sister Flower and the wife both belonged to the same class of people however, on, different levels. Sister Flowers may not have acquired formal education but was able to recognize that intelligence goes way beyond a school setting. The wife appears to have received some formal education, however she is looking for a supporter so that she can return to school and proceed with her education. The women in these essay recognize the possibilities that are available after becoming educated and long to become educated whether in a formal school setting or through the power of reading a book and acquiring self-taught knowledge. The differences in the essays were in the style in which the essays were written. Sister Flowers appeared to be written in a narrative form and I Want a Wife appears to be more descriptive. Sister Flowers has various phrases within the essay that are of a different dialect that can be associated with people who may have a Southern drawl. The tone in Sister Flowers is passive, yet authoritative, clearly stating her point of view and making it known. I Want a Wife is written in formal language not using any form of slang or broken dialect. The tone in this essay is aggressive, very straight forward and direct with stating its purpose and making it clear to the reader what the main character’s needs are. The tone is this essay could be taken in an offensive manner as it does not truly speak about a woman as being a partner but that of a slave, maid or nanny. This essay has a hidden message that clearly shares the desire of wife looking for freedom and her way of doing so is by furthering her education. In my opinion both, essays were very interesting as they both provided the reader with two different perspectives of the intricate roles of women. Sister Flowers by Maya Angelou is a more superior essay in my opinion. Sister Flowers allowed you to feel connected with the characters of the story. This essay appeared to be more of a narrative because it felt as if Maya Angelou was recalling an event in her life that was memorable for her. When reading this essay you, are able to feel as if you are one of the characters and experience a woman taking on the role a becoming a mentor to young girl in her community to help uplift her spirits, reshape her faith and mold her future. The reader may likewise identify with Marguerite a young girl knowing that there was greatness in her but not knowing how to bring it forth. In Marguerite’s discovery of Sister Flowers, she found a role model and idol from which she could gain a true education apart from the society in which she felt stuck. Sister Flowers was a prime example of a woman’s desire to seek out her independence and not rely on others to make things happen and making the ultimate sacrifice. I view this essay as a celebration of life for a young girl that may not have been afforded the same opportunity as others, however due to the knowledge shared with her, her success bar has been raised. I Want a Wife was a very informative essay that introduced the reader to the many aspects and duties that a wife often takes on. This essay was able to capture the reader by making note of the many jobs of a wife. The wife in this essay true desire was to return to school so that she could also gain her independence that would allow her to provide for herself and others that may depend on her. However as this essay reads on it appears as if the wife is looking for someone to take care of her while she takes on the challenging task to return to school. With the wife looking for someone to support while she completes her life’s dream, how much independence will she acquire. This essay also contributes to the drive, determination and success that may lay dormant until a spark is lite. In comparing and contrasting these essays you are able to get a view of the many challenges that women have faced in life. These essay provide you with a glimpse of life for women of high and low social classes and how they both shared a common ground; the desire to be educated. Education was their way to find independence as it would set them apart from others within the society. Each essay provided you with a vivid image of a phenomenal woman, very different but the same.

Reference Page
Brady, J. (1971). I want a wife. Retrieved from http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/everythingsanargument4e/content/cat_020/Brady_I_Want_a_Wife.pdf

Angelou, M. (n.d.). Sister flowers. Retrieved from http://ux1.eiu.edu/~madwiggins/sister_flowers.htm

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Don Lockwood Singin In The Rain Analysis

...In 1952 MGM released "Singin' in the Rain", a satirical look at the harsh transition from silent film to one with sound in the late 1920's. This film was codirected and stars Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood, one of the biggest stars in Hollywood but things aren't peaches and gravy for him. Jean Haggen plays Lina Lamont a gorgeous silent movie star with a voice that would make Betty Boop blush. Feeling down on his luck Don gets the idea to make his current film into a musical with the help of Kathy Selden patriated by the phenomenal Debbie Reynolds. Don isn't surprised that Lina can't sing either that’s when Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor) has the brilliant idea to have her lip-sync with Kathy's voice. Lina soon finds out and strong arms the studio...

Words: 292 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Science

...heel shows and I added a fancy hat, we met at a java shop because that is the only place people wont ask who am I with, because women’s are only allowed to go with their family. After having a java we watched a movie of Conrad Veidt it was a horror movie called Der Januskopf, as you know I am usually really scared while watching a horror movie, Drake noticed that I was really scared so I felt like a wet blanket. While watching the movie he asked me if I am enjoying the movie and my answer wasn’t that impressing so he decided to leave this movie and watch another movie, I told him that it was ok but he is kind of stubborn, we went to another theatre and watched another movie. The fun thing was it had voice in it and it was a colored movie, the previous movie was like always a silent movie and black and white. After all that nifty fun, it was time to go home because it was owl and women’s are not allowed to hang out late night. So Drake was going to drop me in his Jalopy, I was sitting in his car and he played music my favorite jazz music. It was time to leave, but a date without a kiss would be baloney so I was staring his kisser and was wondering about “when is he going to kiss me” we reached my home and guess what we kissed. I was scared about my dad coming out so I said him to scream but I wanted to be with him for a bit longer, oh it was a swell day. And remember you had a crush...

Words: 422 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Leading Intergenerational Teams

...provides many opportunities and challenges. While generational differences can and do lead to frustration, conflicts and poor morale, they do not have to. This section of the handbook will help you to better understand effective methods for leading and working with intergenerational teams. You will see that the differences brought to the mix by different generations can lead to increased productivity, creativity and success. In addition, you will understand the programs and benefits offered to enhance and optimize the benefits of maintaining an inter-generational workforce. Defining the Generations In an article published in the Journal for Quality and Participation, Gesell provides the following definitions of the generations. The Silent Generation. Born between 1925 and 1945, this group values hard work, conformity, dedication, sacrifice and patience. They are comfortable with delayed recognition and reward. The Baby Boomer Generation. Born between 1946 and 1964, this group are optimistic and team oriented. They place a high value on their work ethic while also seeking personal gratification and growth. Generation X. This is the group born between 1965 and 1980. They are self-reliant, global thinkers who value fun, balance and informality. Millennials. This group was...

Words: 1708 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Nice

...are involved in the perusing plot.  Each character should have their own distinct personality, age, appearance, beliefs, socio economic background, and language. * The characters must be shaped to fit the needs of the plot and all parts the characterization must fit together. * Protagonist – the person who is attempting to resolve the problem. The conflict he faces, frequently involves a struggle with some force outside himself (external conflicts) as with an antagonist and or struggle within himself (internal conflict). 3. THOUGHT * What the play means as opposed to what happens (the plot).  Sometimes the theme is clearly stated in the title.  It may be stated through dialogue by a character acting as the playwright’s voice. Or it may be the theme is less obvious and emerges only after some study or thought. The abstract issues and feelings that grow out of the dramatic action. * 4. LANGUAGE * The word choices made by the playwright and the enunciation of the actors of the language.  Language and dialog delivered by the characters moves the plot and action along, provides exposition, defines the distinct characters.  Each playwright can create their own specific style in relationship to...

Words: 2078 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Spanish Cinema

...Global Studies 298: Barcelona Winter 2009 Cinema History in Barcelona and Spain Cinema reflects the voice and culture of a nation. It documents important changes in politics, lifestyle, and even language. Barcelona was the birthplace for Cinema in of Spain. During the silent period of film all of the biggest Spanish directors including Marro, Chómon, Gelabert, and Bános were based out of Barcelona (Alvarez 6). The first films that had sound where shown in Barcelona before anywhere else, although without sound due to the lapse in technological capabilities (Alvarez 7). Barcelona’s movement in film did not stop there. Throughout the years and generations Catalan cinema has been a part of Spanish culture and has in its own right fought to survive. In the beginning Barcelona was the sole player in Spanish Cinema. Madrid, the other major metropolitan area, was more concerned with traditional forms of entertainment such as bullfighting and la zarzuela (musical theater) (Alvarez 6). The first Spanish film was actually that of a group of church goers leaving Sunday Mass which was entitled Salida de la misa de doce del Pilar or in English: “Leaving the Midday Mass at the Church of Pilar in Zaragoza.” This film was already the way from 1896 and would seem to show an enthusiastic future for film if it were not for such factors as foreign competition, government, and an overbearing church (Stone 14). During the turn of the century in particular themes of the church...

Words: 1671 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

The Role of the Arts in Life

...story full of humanity and moral value. Reading this novel we can learn how terrible the black people were treated in the white society that is unimaginable in the modern world. Besides, readers can perceive an idea that all people are equal whatever their color or ethnic and they deserve to be treated fairly. After the publication of “Uncle Tom’s cabin” a lot of novels and articles were printed showing an outstanding work has the great effect not only on the audiences but the other authors also. While the educational role of the arts can be not easy to see, almost people take the arts especially the performing arts as a way of entertainment. One of the most notable comedians is Charlie Chaplin who along with his silent film series was the phenomenal of the silent-film era. It is obvious that people despite of the age or nationality may find the relaxation each time watching this movie. By unique and lively acting, Chaplin brought to the audiences not only the laugh but also the meaningful stories. That is reason why so many modern artists try to imitate his moves and create various works affected by Chaplin style. From audiences and authors’ point of view, the arts in generally have a power to improve life. It is an effective way of teaching and relaxing and also is a mean of...

Words: 342 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Lure of Disaster

...happening to other humans. One of the oldest stories in Western civilization, The Iliad, describes the destruction of Troy by its enemies, the Greeks. But of course, before Troy is destroyed, the story introduces us to the people inside the city. Thus, when we finally reach the violent climax, we are swept up in the personal cost of the Trojan War. To judge by the enormous box office earnings for movies like 2012, the same basic formula is still effective today. In this paper I will present a brief history of disaster movies, starting with the silent film era and continuing on through some more recent movies. Throughout, I hope to illustrate the way directors get us to care about the characters, and then unleash the forces of disaster against them. In the hands of a true artist, this formula can create exciting, interesting drama. Disasters in Silent Films Disaster movies have been popular since the beginning of cinema. Directors of the silent film era readily understood the value of good disaster. Such works tend to fall into two categories, personal dramas and epics. Personal dramas focus on an individual working out a private problem against a backdrop of impending catastrophe. The Last Days of Pompeii, for example, capitalizes on the excitement inherent in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the devastation that we, the modern viewers, know will follow this cataclysmic event. Because the majority of the movie focuses on the people of Pompeii, living their lives unaware of the...

Words: 843 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Haefrens

..."Movies were intended to talk from their inception, so that in some sense the silent cinema represents a thirty-year aberration from the medium's natural tendency toward a total representation of reality." This quote by David Cook deals with what is referred to as the “silent era” in film history. This era was between 1894 to the early 1920s and dealt with films with no synchronized sound. These films that were produced in this era were known as silent films and include motion pictures with subtitles instead of sound. Some of the motion pictures known as silent films include: The Gold Rush, Girl Shy, For Heaven’s sake, The Dark Angel, and Dangerous Money. The film reviews of these motion picture films will be looked into for a better understanding of how the audience felt about these films. These American films were born in the age of reform and addressed themes that focused on major social and moral issues that the audience could relate to. A common theme that was prevalent in the aforementioned movies is the openness of romance in the American society. Romance films mainly involve a connection or bond shared between the two protagonists. There were many ways the theme love was displayed in these silent films. Some examples of the themes displayed in these romance films include: young love, love at first sight, unrequited love, spiritual love, sexual and passionate love, sacrificial love, tragic love, and forbidden love. The film, The Dark Angel, could be looked...

Words: 1079 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Entitlment

...generations we have labeled, and how the idea of Pluralism plays a part in the Entitlement way of thinking as well. Along with how this mentality is perceived, why and how it’s been acquired by our new generation and how other generations played a part in this new mind set and the potential effect and how or what we can do to remedy the situation. Introduction I would like to explain my background as I feel this will lay the groundwork for this paper and portray my personal beliefs as to why the various generations have played a part in my life and others lives as well. I myself was born in 1964 in Chicago the last year of the “Baby Boomer Generation” (1946-1965) one year before “Generation X’ (1965-1981) and from parents of the “Silent Generation” (1928-1945) and I now have children from the “Millennial” (1982-2009) or “Generation Y” (Pew, 2010). I am the oldest of 6 children my father is the son of Sicilian immigrants, and my mother is one of twelve children from a Irish Catholic family who for a while lived in Irish poverty before as my grandfather would say, that he got lucky and made it. My father (Frank) started working at around the age of 8 in his father’s (Tony) and grandfather (Frank) fruit store/stand, and he learned a very...

Words: 5667 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

The Iliad to Modern Blockbusters

...happening to other humans. One of the oldest stories in Western civilization, The Iliad, describes the destruction of Troy by its enemies, the Greeks. But of course, before Troy is destroyed, the story introduces us to the people inside the city. Thus, when we finally reach the violent climax, we are swept up in the personal cost of the Trojan War. To judge by the enormous box office earnings for movies like 2012, the same basic formula is still effective today. In this paper I will present a brief history of disaster movies, starting with the silent film era and continuing on through some more recent movies. Throughout, I hope to illustrate the way directors get us to care about the characters, and then unleash the forces of disaster against them. In the hands of a true artist, this formula can create exciting, interesting drama. Disasters in Silent Films Disaster movies have been popular since the beginning of cinema. Directors of the silent film era readily understood the value of good disaster. Such works tend to fall into two categories, personal dramas and epics. Personal dramas focus on an individual working out a private problem against a backdrop of impending catastrophe. The Last Days of Pompeii, for example, capitalizes on the excitement inherent in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the devastation that we, the modern viewers, know will follow this cataclysmic event. Because the majority of the movie focuses on the people of Pompeii, living their lives unaware of the...

Words: 844 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Silent Spring Analysis

...Silent Spring Analysis Silent Spring is a book that makes just about everyone think, except for the major chemical companies that it was attacking. This is definitely one book that help shaped how we look at the environment today and also how we approach it. Rachel Carson aimed for a book that was going to open peoples eyes to what really was happening and who and what was doing it. She nailed this right on the head, while the book was very technical when it came to talking about the details of DDT, it was written at a level that everyone could understand and relate too. Easily this could be one of the most important books written in American history, where would we be without it and how would our future have turned out. While this book was aimed for the public to be able to understand, it also directly attacked the companies who were manufacturing the chemicals that people were using, especially DDT. If one were to try to explain how DDT worked at the chemistry level, most people would think your insane, but Carson is able to explain the devastating effects of this chemical in a way that everyone can understand. She does this by explaining the process chemically first, but then switches gears into how it is hitting people at home. This starts in the first chapter where she begins with “There once was a town…”. This is the beginning of the account that shaped Americans way of looking at the environment, especially when it came to using chemicals and other harmful substances...

Words: 1771 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Parenting Practices over Generations

...Assignment 3: Parenting Practices Over Generations You learned in your readings that parenting practices and techniques used to shape child development are influenced by many factors including culture, socioeconomic status, non-normative life events, and cohort effects. To understand cohort effects, consider that the experiences of a child growing up in the 1940s are different in many ways from a child growing up today. Read the article: Kotchick, B.A. & Forehand, R. (2002). Putting parenting in perspective: A discussion of the contextual factors that shape parenting practices. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 11(3), 255-269. http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/210500919/abstract?source=fedsrch&accountid=34899 Synthesize what you learned in your readings as well as the above article to address the following: •Using the chart/table below, list at least 4 parenting practices of 3 generations. (Note: Parenting practices are not the same as parenting styles, which will be discussed later in the course). You can describe parenting practices of 3 generations of your family members, another family you interview, or general practices of generations based on research you find. For example, how did each generation address issues such as education, extracurricular activities, breastfeeding, sleeping arrangements, religious involvement, etc.? Include brief demographic information (e.g., sex, age, region of the country) Note: 3 different generations means...

Words: 540 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Self-Knowledge

...Jian Chen ENG 68 Pro. Hight 7/10/2015 Self-knowledge Many people always want to be a famous movie star, and it is not rare to wonder what it would be like to have the general public know one's name. While this desire for fame is not unusual, it is not always healthy. The film “Sunset Boulevard” describes a faded silent movie star, Norma, who has one great desire to make a return and be famous once again. Although she was a hugely successful actress during the silent film period, she never realizes that times have changed and left her behind. At last, her hunger for fame destroys her. This film uses Norma’s mansion to tell a deep message about how deceptive is people wrapped in gorgeous appearance; the dialogue between she and Joe and her former director showed her egotistical character; the ending suggests that it is very valuable to know oneself. People who live in the past are foolish and ignorant. When Joe went into Norma’s mansion, he was shocked. The mansion was totally different with outside. The outside was deserted and dirty. The tennis court and the swimming pool were neglected, and there were even several disgusting mice in it. However, the inside was distinguishing. It was full of framed photos of herself and memories of her past, and she even had a movie theater. She was completely sucked into a world of herself. This mansion was a symbol of her empty inside which could not be covered by fancy outside. The world is dynamic and changing, and it will not...

Words: 819 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Hal Roach

...Film d’Art – France * French stage plays * To preserve the great triumphs of French stage. * First movies – only scenes * From 1906 such films are made and by 1912, an hour length * 1910: bigger screens for multi-reel movies for a greater audience Italian film business * Emerges in 1912 * More like a grand opera * Multi-reel, gigantic elaborate sets * Stories and legends about ancient Rome * Movies can last for up to 2 hours * The feature films do not qualify for nickelodeons because they are too long and they are worth more than a nickel, which is the maximum price of movies on nickelodeons. * George Kleine adopts the movies and charged an admission price of around $0.50-$1.00, calling them special films. Gaumont-Palace, Paris, France Adolph Zukor * Early 20th century – Nickelodeon * Knows that people would be willing to pay more than a nickel to watch. Brought from outside the states the Passion of Christ from Germany which has multiple reels. With special advertising in Church magazines, charge $0.50-$1.00 for the tickets. * 1912 – American Film Rights for Queen Elizabeth with Sarah Bernhardt (45min-1hr) * Company in 1912: Famous Players to open the movie Queen Elizabeth. * Promised starting 1913 every week will be new movies * Notices that the best selling movies are the stage play movies starring 19-year-old newbie Mary Pickford. He sweeps all the old stars and stars Mary Pickford in...

Words: 1272 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Millenials

...The New Great Generation Writers Joel Stein and Josh Sanburn make some particular and rhetorical choices in their portrayals of Millennials in their article posted in TIME magazine, “The New Greatest Generation”. The assessments they make are broad in their descriptions about the generation known as the Millennials: They’re narcissistic, They’re lazy, They’re entitled, They’re selfish, and even a bit delusional. Those are not just unfounded negative stereotypes about 80 million Americans born roughly between 1980 and 2000 (Stein and Sanbrun 3). The authors analyze a decade of sociological research. In this article, they examine the overwhelming negative data about Millennials and argue that rather than being inherently self-centered or overconfident, Millennials are just adapting quickly to a world undergoing rapid technological change. In this article they use a factual tone. The authors effectively use the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos to convince a mainstream audience that Millennials are adapting quickly through expert testimony and scientific data. While interviewing psychology professors, and english professors, the authors use a Journalistic approach as they employ a logos appeal for their article “The New Greatest Generation,” meanwhile convincing the mainstream audience that Millennials are adapting quickly to their ever evolving with technology and social media driven world. A psychology professor at California State University at Dominquez hills...

Words: 1655 - Pages: 7