Historical: “How I Learned to Sweep” can easily be viewed through a historical lense due to the mass amount of history and war that plays a main part in the story of the poem. Although the Vietnam War lasted for a long period of time, America did not get involved until they believed that they had no choice. In the poem, the author Julia Alvarez, was a young girl watching this on television as she “turned to watch the President, / live from the White House, talk of war: / in the Far East” (16-18). The goal at the time under President Lyndon Johnson was to help the South Vietnamese people and teach them how to defend themselves against the north and to also cut off the supply through the Ho Chi Minh trail that ran through the country. As a …show more content…
Along with her four other sisters, they experienced the U.S. soldiers occupying Santo Domingo and also as she talks about in this poem,the Vietnam War. The main type of fighting was through Jungle Warfare, where the Viet Cong (North Vietnamese), would attack the US and South Vietnam in big unexpected groups. Using booby traps and explosives, they had a definite advantage over the US because of the lack of experience from the American soldiers. Also, the fact that Americans could enter a village and did not know whether some women or children could be the enemy and possess the ability to set up traps and explosives kept everyone on the lookout. Soldiers were dropped in as Alvarez says, “our soldiers were / landing in their helicopters / into jungles” (19-21). The war had a big impact on everyone throughout the country, especially due to the media. The graphic images and video shown on the televisions during that time made it possible for everyone watching, including children to witness …show more content…
In the very first sentence of the poem the young girl states, “My mother never taught me / sweeping…. (1-2). This clearly displays the stereotype that women are only 'used' to sweep and keep the house clean. During the entire poem, the girl is sweeping her house while she watches the men do the grunt work, such as going to war, on the television. Also she also compares her sweeping to another type of cleaning when saying, “Her floor was immaculate / as a just washed dinner plate” (15-16). Here when analyzing the newly cleaned floor that she has just swept, she compares it to cleaned dishes, implying that she washes dishes as well. Through her expertise in several types of cleaning, the reader can see the gender role of women being chained to house work. The judgment passed on women that they know how to clean and how to do it well serves as one of the main feminist point of views in today’s culture. This demonstrates the classic opinion of women’s role during important times of history; the women of the family simply stay at home and clean while the husband is most likely off fighting in the
Elizabeth Salas’s piece Soldaderas in the Mexican Military is a historical nonfiction work which addresses the role of the soldadera in Mexican warfare. Written from a modern perspective, the piece intends to expose the true lives of the soldaderas and dispel preconceived notions that many incorrectly hold regarding these women. Thus, Salas writes in an argumentative and persuasive manner in order to propagate her claim that the soldaderas played a more imperative role than what history gives them credit for. Her writing is intended for those who have no background knowledge on the soldaderas or those who hold incorrect preconceived notions about them. Myths that surround the soldaderas stem largely from an era in which the only people who
It was useful for Alvarez to apply literary and rhetorical devices to enhance the appropriate understandings of her symbols, and foreshadowing in her novel. The four sisters were most known as “Las Mariposas”, which in the English language translates to Butterflies. “Even in the church during the privacy of the holy communion, Father Gabriel bent down and whispered “Viva la Mariposa”” (Alvarez 259). Butterflies are known for its beauty, freedom, and short term lives. Which all three known facts represents the Maribel sisters, they had the face of angels but strong and determined to fight against Trujillo and the regime.
Eulalia Perez was a housekeeper in a California mission. The source, written in 1823, is an account of the lives of women in the missions. Perez’s account helps people from later on learn about life in Spanish colonization of Mexico. Perez starts off by saying “the duties of the housekeeper were many” (Mintz 35).
The book tells the story of soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War. The short stories are inspired by O’Briens personal experience while fighting in the war. O’Brien conveys his experiences during his time fighting into each short story. This book evidently exhibits an anti-war tone. “In this essay, author Tim O'Brien writes about his war experiences and how they affected his life.
World Class is a statement that proves what one’s work is memorable and important to the world. A scientist is memorable because of their work and how they manage to finish their research that will change our perspectives about the world in general. Lisa Randall is a world class in Alvarez sense and the reason why is by her work. Lisa Randall is considered world class by her explanation of Dark Matter and the dinosaurs extinction in the reason it connects to each other. Alvarez was a world-class man to see the cause of the extinction of dinosaurs and by the search of the crater.
In her article, “Three Inventories, Three Households”, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich argues that women’s work was crucial not simply for subsistence but that “women were essentials in the seventeenth century for the very same reasons they are essentials today-for the perpetuation of the race” (Ulrich 51). She believes, women were expected to do everything. They were not only to take care of the children, but they were also cook, clean, raise the greens and ranches. Mainly, women plays important role for the survival and continuation of life.
The author, Tim O'Brien, uses a variety of criticism throughout his work. One of the main types is historical; as well as romantic in his short story. By referencing World War 2, Vietnam, and his love for Martha; O’Brien relates to these criticisms through his main character. The war setting of this story plays a large part in analyzation. By presenting Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, the main character, in world War 2 gives the reader knowledge of the time period the many characters are placed into.
Among the upper class, the traditional importance of housekeeping increased. There was a possibility that it increased due to the fact that the roles of friendly neighbor and deputy husband had begun to decline. As early American women kept up with the daily housekeeping,
Throughout life, evolution, or change, becomes the center of each day as people overcome many different obstacles. Literature, such as in Thomas Hardy’s poem, “The Ruined Maid” and Karen Russell’s, “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves,” often upholds the same idea about change. In Hardy’s poem, two country girls simply conversate about the times they were apart to emphasize how ‘Melia changed in the city, yet she kept her same individuality. On the other hand, Russell displays through her writing more obvious change as girls were trained by undergoing five different stages as a way to teach them how to conform to new environments while remembering who they were at the beginning. Both authors illustrate the importance of change while hanging on to one’s roots, but Hardy uses a naive tone to create tension between the two girls while Russell uses an abundance of symbolism to represent each stage of change.
The scene “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” depicts reasoning as to why people should have a maid, and the importance of which they serve. There are many long shots throughout the scene including when they are outside of the house in the door way at the beginning of the song. Static composition is also very key in this role because the two main character prominently remain in the middle of the shot practically the whole time. There also a couple of close up shots of each of the characters when they are in the doorway of the house.
Women are characterized to be a particular way since they are constantly being prejudiced on the basis of their gender. They are expected to dress a certain way, act in one way as opposed to another, take care of a family, and be able to cook. This prejudice is prevalent across the globe, whether in America, as depicted by the poem “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy, or in Antigua as described by the prose “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid. Even though there is a great similarity between the social pressures faced by women in both America and Antigua, American women are greatly judged on a physical level, while in Antigua, women are predominantly judged on their capability to completing household chores.
Women in today’s society, are treated more as equals than they were in the time The Odyssey was written. Society has a big influence on people’s mindsets and the values of society are different for every century. Treatment of women has evolved over the years depending on how they are depicted. In the 21st century we see commercials promoting women’s rights and women workers. However, in Homer’s
In Girl by Jamaica Kincaid, a mother is giving her daughter advice on how to become a woman. The story takes place in the 1950s where parenting methods, expectations and roles of women, and behavior of men were very different. These differences make this short story very irrelevant to modern times. The mother cares for her daughter and wants her to grow up to become what was believed to be the ideal woman.
Taking chances, trust, and having an open mind will eventually lead to a great reward. In “The Forest Bride,” by Parker Fillmore, a man named Veikko and his older brothers have reached manhood. When they become men, their father sends them out to find a sweetheart. Unfortunately, Veikko was unlucky because he had to go into the forest to find a sweetheart, while his brothers went to farms where very pretty girls lived. It seemed futile for him because there were no indications of any humans residing in the forest.
During the 1890’s until today, the roles of women and their rights have severely changed. They have been inferior, submissive, and trapped by their marriage. Women have slowly evolved into individuals that have rights and can represent “feminine individuality”. The fact that they be intended to be house-caring women has changed.