...Name: Course: Date: Film Essay Antonia's Line (Marleen Gorris 1995) This is a 1995 film revolves around Antonia who is the main character. It is a “feminist fairy tale” film. Antonio returns to her place of birth, a Dutch village and establishes a matriarchal community (Kooijman, pg 19). This film covers several themes including sex, intimacy, lesbianism, friendship, and love. It is after World War II that Antonia, a widow and her daughter, Danielle decide to travel back to their home town. Antonia’s mother dies just after their arrival. Farmer Bas opts to offer a marriage request to Antonia, but she turns it down. However, she develops a romance relationship with him. On the other hand, Danielle becomes an artist and later decides to have a child. She does not accept to have a husband (Kooijman pg 19). Therefore, Antonia takes Danielle to the city so that they find someone who will serve her. This leads to the birth of Therese, and she emerges to be extremely intelligent. Danielle later starts a lesbian relationship with Therese’s teacher as she fell in love with her at first sight. Pitte, a young man rapes Therese. Pitte had also raped her mentally ill sister, Deedee. Antonia curses Pitte because of raping Therese. This eventually leads him to his death whereby his younger brother drowns him in the water tank (Kooijman pg 20). Therese fails to find a partner with intelligence that matches hers. She decides to have a relationship with her...
Words: 1583 - Pages: 7
...Sumarian text, along with two ancient Chinese poems: To be A Woman, written by Fu Xuan and Substance, Shadow, and Spirit written by T’ao Ch’ien, are all pieces of literature from the period of antiquity (the time prior to the Middle Ages). Reading each of them not simply for pleasure, but rather for the message injected into all parts of these works, allows a reader to learn a great many things other than the plot of the story they have written. The Epic of Gilgamesh takes us through the life of the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, as he quests for the meaning of living life and for the comfort needed to accept his mortality. To Be a Woman presents to the reader the perspective of a young woman about the way that her society relates to women with an attitude even less than one of indifference. T’ao Ch’ien, author of “Substance, Shadow, and Spirit,” introduces us to the reality of the commoners of another society during that period who were without the power to control their circumstances. All of these pieces of literature delve into the painful realities of life and the embracing of death; however, they are from the perspectives of those who occupy very different stations in life, and thus have very different problems and experiences which gives the reader vastly different understandings of life during this period of time. The attributes of the characters in The Epic of Gilgamesh and those of the speakers in To Be a Woman and Substance, Shadow, and Spirit, respectively, work together...
Words: 1496 - Pages: 6
...The Prince, written by Machiavelli, was a guide for all the rulers of his time who wanted to become major powers and to find all the solutions to their political problems. In his book, Machiavelli mentions a great amount of key points that guide rulers to the road of success. One of the key aspects that Machiavelli talks about is fate and how it effects the decisions of a ruler. The following paragraphs will discuss how human affairs are governed by fate, and how fate can be contested. During Machiavelli's time, it was commonly thought that events were ruled by fate and by God only. Not only that, but men could do nothing to stop or protect themselves from those events. Machiavelli did believe in fate, but he did not believe in the fact the fate controlled all events that occurred to mankind. If that were so then princes would rule by chance. This is proven when Machiavelli states I am not unaware that many have held and hold the opinion that the events are controlled by fortune…cause of this, they would conclude that there is no point in sweating over things, but that one should submit to the rulings of chance. (Machiavelli, pg.79) Machiavelli argued that fate controlled one half a person's life but the other half was governed by the people themselves. Machiavelli strongly suggests that princes are fortunate when fate and time are in harmony with their procedures, but things fall apart when things begin to change and the princes do not attempt to adapt to the changes. Machiavelli...
Words: 587 - Pages: 3
...Eloïse Stark Midterm Essay How to explain that women still get lower wages than men in the OECD countries? In western countries since the Second World War, women’s growing participation on the labor market has been one of the most profound transformations not only of the economy but also of society as a whole. Dual income families have become the norm and in a bid for sexual equality, most OECD countries have created laws to protect pay equality for men and women, such as the Equal Pay Act in 1963 in the US, or the article 119 of the EEC treaty. Nonetheless, women continue to earn less than men in all OECD countries. There are different ways of measuring this. Comparing annual or monthly earnings shows the difference between what both sexes “take home”, which is interesting from a sociological perspective. However we shall focus on the “gender pay gap”, defined as the “the relative difference in the average gross hourly earnings of women and men working full time”. This shows the difference between the actual “price” of women and men’s labor, taking into consideration the fact that men work more hours on average. How does the gender gap stand today? Despite differences between countries the gender pay gap remains a persistent characteristic of OECD labor markets. In 2006, women earned an average of 16% less than men, per hour worked. … Although we can see a slow but continuous drop over the past few decades in all countries In OECD countries, which are...
Words: 3444 - Pages: 14
...Deloitte & Touches’ revolutionary implementation of Women’s Initiative, serves as one of the most transformational changes any company has ever seen. Deloitte thought women were leaving their company in order to fulfill their wifely and motherly duties. The truth of the matter is they left due to not being considered for partnership roles. When CEO Mike Cook at the time realized the significant impact it was having on the business, he implemented a two day intensive workshop for “the Retention and Advancement of Women”. Implementing Women’s Initiative led to a solid foundation surrounded by an environment full of support and development of not just women but men as well. In reading the Women’s Initiative Annual report I felt that women as buyers (WAB) serve as an advancement towards this movement. Currently women account for 85% of all consumer purchases. Deloitte recognized that women executives within the marketplace were increasing. Currently Deloitte is offering a WAB workshop to its professionals in order to better understand the way women process there purchasing decisions. Such examples of how women provided a trusting relationship amongst their clients by providing personal life stories and their way of paying close attention to detail. The WAB has provided other lessons as well for both men and women: 1. Women have a tendency to sit “ face to face” where are men seat beside themselves and consider their mail client “ Right-hand man” 2. Women...
Words: 462 - Pages: 2
...that I would love to go here and get away from Italy and start a new chapter, hell maybe find an American woman to bring home to my parents and have little American/Italian babies. This day soon came when I turned 18 and my father told me to grab a satchel and fill it with whatever could fit. I was along for the opportunity that my mother had mentioned. As my father and I rode up to the ship it was like nothing I had ever seen before. The steam pipes as my father called them where as tall as the statue of liberty in my eyes. As we boarded I saw the “fancy people” as I liked to call them go upstairs, but yet we were going far downstairs which I didn’t understand why. People would give me dirty looks or turn their noses up to me. Americans where not like this I thought, my mother had mentioned kind and caring, these where assholes. As the ship departed I was surrounded by friendlier people than upstairs. At this point I didn’t care about upstairs because I felt comfortable with the people I was surrounded by. As the trip went on I heard a loud horn blow three times, we were then able to go up top and see the view of New York. Boy was I in for a treat, I can remember the beautiful copper woman holding a torch and a book. I don’t recall what was on that book but do remember her face and it was as beautiful as ever. In my head I was telling myself that I wanted to meet a woman like that. As we docked into a New York harbor I remember waiting for hours while...
Words: 850 - Pages: 4
...In her article “Between the Sexes, A Great Divide”, Anna Quindlen shows us the differences between the genders, and the divide that exists between them, which starts from the first high school dance, where boys and girls are far away from each other, and all the game is about who is going to do the first move. I mainly agree with Quindlen, but there are some points that I have a different opinion, such as the conclusion is which the writer comes. Only one thing is certain• there are not only differences between men and women, but there are also between ages. The first thing I agree with, is that this gap between the genders is something real. Children, from young age, try all the time to come closer to the other gender, and most of the times, without a good result. It is not the fact that they cannot communicate, but the fact that they are so afraid to make the first move, that they end up saying irrelevant things, which do not help the conversation. The writers says that all of us have the memory of “the first boy-girl” party, in which memory there are boys on one side, and girls on the other. That it totally true. Once I read it, the memory came to my mind very clearly. We all had the same experience in our life, and there are always the shy people, and the braver to make the first move. And in fact, children who used to approach the other gender, had the greater acceptance. So, it is demonstrated that there are nothing to be afraid of the relationships with the other gender...
Words: 809 - Pages: 4
...Girls tend not to take enough of an active role in sport both in school and in adult life. Why is this so? How could girls and women be encouraged to take a more active role in sport? Use reasons and examples from your own experience to explain your answer. Sport is important for everybody, especially for girls who are generally less active than boys. There is barrier that makes girls tend not to take enough of an active role in sport both in school and in adult life. Popular sport dominated by men. Football, basketball boxing or Motorsport is exactly to be male dominated. That make the barrier to participation in sport is that sport itself. I believe that popular sport has been defined, organized, promoted as a male activity. For example, some women/girls are turned off sport altogether because they see it as a male dominated activity. It is just not seen as feminine to be interested in sport and for many girls, being sporty is felt to be odds with being feminine. Women and girls are often reminded of this male domination by others who are surprised to see them participating or competing in sport. Working in a sector where they are a minority can make them feel that they don’t belong. They tend to prefer the social aspects of physical activity like having fun and making friends. So it is very important to find the right sport for girls, because a girl is not participating in a sport she likes, she probably cannot stick with it. Girls must find out what she likes to do and...
Words: 346 - Pages: 2
...statement holds some truth today, there are still areas of improvement concerning and relating to women when it comes to being treated fair and receiving appropriate care and services. One of the problems women face and often seek services for is depression. Depression does not discriminate by culture, race, value, or economic status in women. Although depression can affect men as well, women are more prone to be depressed than men. Also, because of the difference in the physical and biological makeup of women, their signs and symptoms can sometimes be different from those of men. Some of the reasons women experience depression can result from hormonal changes in a woman such as, premenstrual problems, pregnancy and infertility issues, post partum depression, and menopause. When these changes in a woman have a negative impact, psychological problems will develop such as, continual focus on negative issues, stress, and body image issues. “Women are about twice as likely as men to suffer from depression. This two-to-one difference persists across racial, ethnic, and economic divides. In fact, this gender difference in rates of depression is found in most countries around the world” (Smith, M.A. &...
Words: 1655 - Pages: 7
...Nathan Zapata Mrs. Pereira British Literature G 11/8/12 The “Millers Tale” and the “Reeve’s Tale” both portray gender, marriage and characters. The “millers Tale”, while it is full of sex, the cleverness and thought that are put into the story make it very intriguing. The “Reeve’s Tale” is the other half that entails revenge, which completes the two half’s to make one incredibly exciting story. Marriage in both the “Millers Tale” and the “Reeve’s Tale” portray the husbands wives as property and show betrayal but for different reasons. John in the “Millers Tale” is sympathetic and is oblivious that his wife Allison is a devious cold hearted women that cheats on him with Nicholas who is madly in love with Allison and serenates her from outside her window. In the “Reeve’s Tale” Sympkyn is betrayed by his wife but unintentionally. Sympkyn is described as being “proud as a peacock” (72). He acts like a tough guy walking around with his dagger and holds his head high above his shoulders. Even though Sympkyns wife didn’t cheat on purpose she is as unfaithful as Allison. Allison and John are not happily married; he keeps locked up like a caged bird. This is untrue for Sympkyn and his wife. Women in both the “Millers Tale” and “Reeve’s Tale” are unfaithful, sneaky, and ignorant and treated as property. John in the “Reeve’s Tale” is a clerk that goes to Sympkyn to get his wheat ground into flour. John is the one who sleeps with Sympkyns wife. Alain who is the other clerk...
Words: 471 - Pages: 2
...military bearing saw that I had no trachoma. Someone else made me cough and breath. I had to take off my clothes and turn around several times. In another room, a big fat man asked if I could bend over. “Why?” I asked in turn, thinking that the only reason he wanted to know was because he himself would never be able to do such a thing. “Is it that everyone who comes to America has to be able to bend over?” “Yes,” he said. “What for?” “Because when we sing our national anthem, we bend over. Now do it or I’ll send you back to Serbia.” “I on’t come from Serbia,” I protested. “Exactly,” he said. “But if I want to, I can ship you yhere, so you’d better do as I tell you.” I bent over and was passed on to the next room. There, a pretty young woman with cold eyes asked me if I knew how to read and write. “Of course,” I said. “What languages?” she asked. When I replied, “ Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, German and French –and English, as you can seen,” she got very suspicious and asked me what I did for a living. “I write books,” I said. Little did I know that in America no one ever believes this. She looked at me the way one looks at a madman. “What kind of books?” she asked sharply, closing one eye and squinting with the other. “Stories,” I replied pompously, “essays, dissertations on Biblical poetry, political science, et cetera, et cetera”. “How can you make a living by doing this?” she inquired, with evident disgust. “That’s very perceptive of you, “I said with a broad smile....
Words: 460 - Pages: 2
...anonymous translator CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY LYSISTRATA CLEONICE MYRRHINE LAMPITO MAGISTRATES CINESIAS CHILD OF CINESIAS HERALD OF THE LACEDAEMONIANS ENVOYS OF THE LACEDAEMONIANS AN ATHENIAN CITIZEN CHORUS OF OLD MEN CHORUS OF WOMEN (SCENE:-At the base of the Orchestra are two buildings, the house of LYSISTRATA and the entrance to the Acropolis; a winding and narrow path leads up to the latter. Between the two buildings is the opening of the Cave of Pan. LYSISTRATA is pacing up and down in front of her house.) LYSISTRATA Ah! if only they had been invited to a Bacchic revelling, or a feast of Pan or Aphrodite or Genetyllis, why! the streets would have been impassable for the thronging tambourines! Now there's never a woman here-ah! except my neighbour Cleonice, whom I see approaching yonder.... Good day, Cleonice. CLEONICE Good day, Lysistrata; but pray, why this dark, forbidding face, my dear? Believe me, you don't look a bit pretty with those black lowering brows. LYSISTRATA Oh, Cleonice, my heart is on fire; I blush for our sex. Men will have it we are tricky and sly.... CLEONICE And they are quite right, upon my word! LYSISTRATA Yet, look you, when the women are summoned to meet for a matter of the greatest importance, they lie in bed instead of coming. CLEONICE Oh! they will come, my dear; but it's not easy, you know, for women to leave the house. One is busy pottering about her husband; another is getting the servant up; a third is...
Words: 13788 - Pages: 56
...Analyzing Poem At first the only aspect that really stood out to me in the poem, I Shall Paint My Nails Red, was the acts of a woman talking about feminine things that woman like to do to change up their appearance. After thoroughly analyzing this poem I came to the realization that it was much deeper than that. Every line of this poem is a distinct statement filled with self-expression and confidence. I Shall Paint My Nails Red by Carole Satyamurti, takes the simple act of painting your nails and shows the meaning behind it. This poem hits home to me because painting my nails is something I enjoy doing with my grandmother. My grandmother has never gone a day without having her nails painted, and after reading this poem I understand why. To me, womanism is the main theme that Satyamurti is trying to portray in this poem and it is being shown through beauty, strength, and passion. Beauty can represent a numerous amount of things, and in this poem Satyamurti does a remarkable job at capturing the true meaning of beauty. “Because I am proud of my hands” (Satyamurti 2), after I broke this poem down piece by piece, the imagery in this line caught my eye. I relate the pride she takes in her hands after painting them to my grandmother and how I never see her go a day without having her nails painted. Although painting your nails is a simple thing, it makes you feel good about yourself. My grandmother walks with confidence every day and though it may not be just because of her nails...
Words: 1080 - Pages: 5
...RDintro STRATEGIC IMPACT INQUIRY EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN-YEMEN RESEARCH DESIGN Use of the research results_________________________________________________ 1. To inform the gender strategy which will be developed as part of the CO LRSP process 2. To build Yemen CO capacity and critical engagement around the issue of gender 3. Improve design and impact of future programmes in Yemen 4. Give feedback of results to participants and other key stakeholders including the IMLT team. Key research questions and sub-questions_____________________________________ Key question Is association formation an effective strategy for women’s empowerment and if so in what ways? If not, why not? Sub questions: 1. How does empowerment of women manifest itself? How is it expressed and felt by women who have been involved in association formation? What has changed for them and what are the major leaps of change? To what do they attribute this change? 2. Why do women join or not join associations and why do they remain in them or leave? 3. To what extent has change occurred beyond the individual and how? 4. Has association formation had any negative effects. Evidence Catagories________________________________________________________ The following key evidence catagories have been identified. A 3-days workshop was held to identify relevant indicators under these catagories, which gauge empowerment in the Yemeni context.[1] The following is a list of...
Words: 3118 - Pages: 13
...Throughout history, the role of Chinese women has changed dramatically. In ancient times women were mutilated with painful foot bindings and forced to marry men of their family’s choosing at very young ages. Today, Chinese women have received world-class educations alongside their male counterparts and command high power roles in business, politics, the sciences and other industries. Chinese men and woman now work side by side in most modern Chinese cities, however; this trend does not hold true for women living in rural Chinese villages. Gender roles in modern China have come leaps and bounds from where they were in ancient times, yet women in rural China still follow traditional guidelines. Women in China have worked hard over the past century to reach where they are today. The change in gender roles was sparked by China’s republic years. During this time, women in large cites were able to seek formal education and even travel to the west to receive it. Communism, although a questionable form of government, ended the distinction between men and women and finally allowed women to break out of their defined gender role. Women stepped up and took positions of political power and for the first time received influences from outside cultures. New laws have been enacted calling for equality in education, marriage, and rights, but a large group of women do not receive these benefits. Women in rural Chinese villages do not see the advances in gender roles that women in the city...
Words: 465 - Pages: 2
