Ishell Robinson Essays (1276 words) - Gender, Social Status, Biology

Ishell Robinson Elizabeth Kim English 10:40 7 August 2015 Complications of Gender When talking about gender one automatically classifies on by sex, male and female. However, gander has a more socially constru cted meaning towards it, one being masculine and or feminine. Gender is socially constructed by what society believes how women and men should act. In the novel Caucasia , by Danzy Senna, Birdie demonstrates the concept of gender. Birdie who is the protagonist in the novel deals with not fitting in how society perceives feminine to be. Birdie understands gender as a structure, she experiences gender as stratification, and Birdie sees/reacts to gender as a process . In the article," The Social Construction of race" Judith Lober argues that gender is socially constructed through human interaction. Birdie's gender is socially constructed by the students in the Nkrumah school. Birdie states, "I started wearing my hair in a tight braid to mask its texture. I had my ears pierced and convinced my mother to buy me a pair of gold hoops like the other girls at school wo re " (Senna 62-63). Birdie is describing the way she changes her appearance. Birdie never use d to dress this way because she was homeschooled before. There was no norm of how she should look. She changes her appearance due to the other females in her ne w school, Nkrumah. Birdie feels as though if she changes her appearance it would allow her to meet Nkrumah's perception of being feminine. The female students in Nkrumah wear earring and not the boys, to be seen as more feminine. Since Birdie wants to fit in and be accepted Birdie went out of her way to convince her mom to even allow her to wear the hoop earrings. The females in school wear earrings and According to Lorber, "As a process, gender creates the social differences that define woman' and man.' In social interaction throughout their lives, individuals learn what is expected, see what is expected, act and react in expected ways" (Lorber 115). By Birdie seeing the other females in her school she reacted to their appearances by changing her own appearance. The expectations of the students in Nkrumah impacted Birdie. The students impacted Birdie to change her own ap pearance . Birdie took on a more feminine appearance that she was not use to and or did not care for before. The students in Nkrumah allowed Birdie to understand and want to change to a more feminine appearance . Birdie did not use to wear earrings. Seeing the girls in Nkrumah wearing earrings allowed Birdie to think wearing earrings is a female thing that would allow her to become more socially accepted. In the article "The Gender Blur" Blum states, "We're born with predispositions, but i t's s ociety that amplifies them, exaggerates them. I believe that- except for the sex differences in aggression. Those differences are too massive to be explained simply by society." Birdie was able to grasp a better understanding of how gender is socially constructed through "Divorced Father's Day." Deck only comes to see his daughters, Birdie and Cole on Saturday mornings after he left them and their mother, Sandy. Birdie says, "He usually came for us on Saturday mornings. Cole called it Divorced Father's Day.' She said all her friends had them too" (Senna 55). This led Sandy to be the main caretaker for Birdie and Cole, while Deck is viewed as the secondary caretaker. Cole calls these Saturday morning s "Divorced Father's Day." Cole explained that all her friends at school had those days as well. This implies that as mother's it is their job/responsibility to take primary custody of their children no matter what , and that the child would be better off with the mother. Society made it whereas the fathers are not capable to carry out the primary caretaker's role and that is why the mother automatically receives the child. The f ather might be capable of caring for the child but not better than how the mother can. Lorber writes, "As a structure, gender divides work in the home and in economic production, legitimates those in authority, and organizes sexuality and emotional life" (Lorber 117).

Lord Of The Flies Essays (1030 words) - English-language Films

Lord Of The Flies Essays (1030 words) - English-language Films Lord Of The Flies Lord of the Flies Cruelty and savagery are all parts of human life. When the reigns of civilization are lifted, cruelty and savagery are left alone to roam freely. William Golding expresses the need for civilized order to maintain the cruel savage beast in us all. In Golding's Lord of the Flies, the theme of discovering one's true self is displayed through object symbolism, analytical symbols of the cruel tribe and beast, and analysis of key character symbols. The use of object symbolism develops the structure and meaning of the novel. The symbolic meaning of certain items in the novel provide a degree of certainty of what the theme pertains to. An example of object symbolism is noted in the large conch shell. The shell symbolizes order and civilization due to its power to create order through organizing meetings. The conch also symbolizes destruction of order once Roger crushes it beneath a boulder. The act of destroying the shell provides an illustration of how uncivilized the island has become. Another example of object symbolism is depicted in the signal fires that Ralph sternly suggests should exist. These fires symbolize a hope for rescue and a return to order and civilization. Once Jack, who is in charge of the fire, shuns the importance of a signal fire, it then symbolizes lost hope. Once Piggy suggests reigniting the fire it then symbolizes a restoration of hope. Another portrayal of Golding's object symbolism exists in Piggy's sp ectacles. The spectacles symbolize comfort and dependability due to their fire creating capabilities. Soon power to create fire is prevalent due to the lack of fire making ability of Jack's tribe. Once Jack's tribe takes the glasses the glasses then symbolize a shift in power. A further depiction of object symbolism is noted in the appearance of the naval officer toward the end of the novel. The officer symbolizes home, but the symbol is ironic in the fact that the officer is taking the boys from a war torn island to a war torn country. The appearance of object symbolism establishes the theme of looking inside one's true soul and describes the biblical battle between good and irrational evil. The establishment of Jack's tribe and the systematic accounts of the beast provide further evidence of a theme of the introduction to one's true self. Jack's tribe and fear of the beast contribute to the overwhelming belief that savagery, not order, and is needed to survive on the island. A description of this is noted in the behavior of Jack's tribe. The tribe symbolizes total disarray and cruelty, which is exhibited in their treatment of fellow man. The boy's derive pleasure from their bloody slaughter of the pigs. The boys paint their faces and join in savage war dances to satisfy the bloodlust they desire. The tribe continually terrifies the little boys on the beach and takes what Jack commands. Another portrayal of the savagery of the tribe is exhibited in Roger. Roger pretends to be a pig while the others attack almost killing him due to their being overcome by frenzied blood lust. Another section of the novel that creates symbolism is found in the hunted pigs and beast. The de ad pig, for example, creates an overflow of wild emotion in the tribe. For instance, the boys chant a warlike song and carry the carcass of a pig. Another example is noted once the pig's sharp tusks wound Jack. This action causes a change in Jack and promotes more brutality. The brutality by Jack and the allegiance of his followers cause Jack to become god-like. An example of this is symbolically noted in the pig's head on a stake. The symbolic pig's head is Jack's beastlike nature while the flies around it are his followers who swarm about his appealing actions. All of Jack's power resides in the fear of a beast on the island. An example of this fear is noted in the tribe's beating and killing of Simon. The tribe's irrational fear causes them to act in a manner that supports Jack's position of warlike protection. Another example of Jack's control by fear is depicted in his denouncing Ralph's leadership and demanding he