mak&cheese&books
by Makenna Chamberlain
Write an argument essay developing a position on the effectiveness of feminist stands and movements.
Growing up, young girls are told that they can be anything. They can be a leading doctor. They can be a lithe ballerina. They can be a legendary astronaut. They can do anything, but as years pass and they become women, society tears down this promise and begins to treat them as lesser vessels compared to men. They're treated less intelligent. They're treated less capable. They're treated less human. For too long, the majority of women have allowed society to tell them they are inferior to men. However, a great deal have also taken a stand against patriarchal social norms with unrelenting feminist movements that strive to assert equality between men and women in a male-oriented world. Feminist stands and movements have proven to be incredibly effective because they provide a voice for all women and unite them together against preconceived social norms, abuse and economic disparity and take action to achieve concrete change; however, feminist movements also experience setbacks that diminish their effectiveness when faced with issues that steal national priority. Feminist stands are often the most successful when women unite together and support one another to defy stereotypes and stand up to abusers. Although women have become increasingly more supportive of each other, many disparage other women and allow jealousy and differences to keep them from supporting one another unconditionally. In order to establish equality with men, women must put aside disputes and treat each other as equals and with respect that they each deserve. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, demonstrates the importance of strong, supportive relationships between women to combat discrimination against women. While the novel is ultimately a story of triumph and reconciliation, the novel explores the despair of a young girl, Celie, who goes from caring for her siblings and suffering constant abuse from her step-father to caring for her husband's children and abiding constant abuse from her husband. Society sets the precedent that her sole purpose is to look after the home and children and must devote themselves to their husbands while being subjugated to their domination. Celie's conditions make her feel isolated and without anymore to turn to for help she resorts to writing letters to God. Celie's heart-wrenching abuse, restriction gender role and deafening isolation in some way relates to more women than is should. However, as the novel goes on, Celie matures, realizes her worth and escapes from the oppressive grasp of her husband because of her relationships with other women. Her friendship with women, like the independent Shug Avery, her beloved sister Nettie, and the audacious Sofia, support her and inspire her to become her own independent women and develop a business without the restraints of her husband and social expectations. Celie unites with each of these women to celebrate their unique individuality, resist the forces of society that oppress women and assert within themselves that they don't have to tolerate their stereotypes and abuse. The women's relationships in The Color Purple display how the uniting of women strengthens them to defy socially accepted norms and discrimination. Although The Color Purple doesn't describe a full-fledged feminist movement, it does illustrate a stand for feminism that improves the lives of several women with each others strength and guidance. The novel serves as an incredible example for women today of the effectiveness of developing resilient friendships with women and unifying women together towards a common goal: gender equality. Before women can construct and partake in a extensive feminist movement, they must realize each others self-worth and support one another unconditionally, like Celie and her friends. If women don't encourage and believe in each other, they can't expect men to treat them as the equals they are. Celie's success in transforming into an independent women and defying male domination and stereotypes with the support of her friends demonstrates the effectiveness of feminist stands when women form a united front. Although The Color Purple's story is fiction, the strong, women relationships it emphasizes are more prevalent today than ever before and often serve as a voice for those that can't speak out. United groups of women provide a voice for the entirety of women and initiate change by taking necessary actions to form effective feminist movements. Today, a great deal of women are still subject to the abuse, rape and beatings that Celie endures in The Color Purple. The #MeToo movement aims to provide a voice for people and encourage them to speak out about harassment and sexual violence that persists at alarming rates. #MeToo originated with activist Tarana Burke a decade before it erupted on Twitter. Now, a simple tweet spurred thousands of women to flood social media with their stories of harassment and sexual abuse empowering women together through empathy. #MeToo brought women together through common experiences and feelings and allowed them to realize that they are not alone in their encounters with sexual violence. The magnitude of women who have faced abuse or harassment that were displayed through the movement opened the globe up to larger conversation about gender equality. The hashtag caught the attention of the entire world. Although the movement effectively united women through shared experiences and jump-started a long overdue feminist movement to address sexual violence against women, it wasn't enough to enact effective action. However, the #MeToo movement paved the way for the formation of the Time's Up movement in 2018. #MeToo effectively promoted awareness of sexual violence and united women together in solidarity through anecdotes, but Time's Up took the feminist movement a step further by taking legal action to assert equality for women. Time's Up continues to promote women's empowerment and aims to establish concrete change by focusing on the root of sexual harassment: inequality in the workplace. The group is initiating change by getting legislation passed to for gender equality issues, like the lack of equal pay, opportunities and treatment, for women in industries across the nation. The Time's Up movement is proving to be immensely effective as it is promoted by well-known and highly thought of voices in Hollywood and providing legal and financial support for women and men who wish to combat sexual misconduct in the courts. The #MeToo and Time's Up movements have taken the world by storm demanding response and refusing to be ignored. Collectively, the two movements have already effectively stirred change for women by uniting women and giving them a voice and turning to politics to assert equality between women and men. The explosion of support for the feminist movements, #MeToo and Time's Up, has already established 2018 as a year of women. However, as the year the goes on the movements will likely be met with obstacles and resistance because often global concerns take precedent over domestic issues and cause setbacks for social change. 2018 has been an empowering year for women, but even more triumphant time for women was 1920 with the ratification of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. The struggle for women's suffrage was a grueling feminist movement for women, like Jane Addams and Alice Paul. Although inequality persisted, their battle was ultimately successful in gaining suffrage, and the 19th amendment fueled the movement further. The emergence of the flapper defied societal norms and demonstrated the possibility of a strong, independent woman who made her own living without the dependency of a man. Flappers redefined the role of women within society, but a great deal remained bound to the home. However, as the 1940s rolled around, women gained more opportunities at the hands of World War 2. While men went off to war, women were able to take over jobs previously dominated by men. Although equality wasn't perfect and sexism was still overwhelming in the workplace, women experienced two decades of immense improvement through beneficial feminist movements and stands. Despite the achievements, the world was still male-oriented. The majority of women were fired or forced out of their jobs with the closing of WW2. Then, as the Cold War took flight and fear of communism plagued the U.S, women were rebound to the home to bear children and devote themselves to their husbands. The immense progress women had made in redefining their roles and realizing their independence was swept away by the priority of combating communism. The fear of communism during the 1950s-1960s made Americans yearn for stability. With the scapegoating effects of McCarthyism, Americans gradually conformed into nuclear families to not be mistaken as communists. This conformity meant the return of stereotypical gender roles placing women back in the home and barred from the majority of outside life. Equality for women had come so far, but it was setback by the effects of the Cold War. The consequences of the global conflict, the Cold War, demonstrated how the effectiveness of feminist movement's progress can be setback when faced with global issues that take national precedence. As communism forced women back into the cult of domesticity, the triumphs in decades prior dissolved. From 1920 to 2018, women, like Alice Walker, Tarana Burke and Alice Paul, have refused to let society view them as lesser vessels compared to men. Feminist movements will persist until the marginalization of all women has ceased. Feminists movements will persist until the promise to young girls that they can be anything isn't broken. Feminists movements will persist until women receive the human rights they deserve. As decades pass feminists movements become more effective as they increasingly provide a voice for all women and unite them together against preconceived social norms, abuse and economic disparity and take action to achieve concrete change. Although feminist movements will likely continue to experience setbacks due to global issues that diminish their effectiveness, women will always return more determined and more resilient.
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Write an essay developing a position on the validity of psychologists and psychiatrists diagnoses and the extent to which their diagnoses should be trusted.
Philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, once remarked that, " the classifications made by philosophers and psychologists are as if one were to classify clouds by their shape" (Jablensky). In his Philosophical Remarks, Wittgenstein claims that, like clouds, the outcome of psychological diagnoses are difficult to predict because, like how clouds are ever-changing, the outlines of mental illnesses classifications are prone to constant revision because both of their inner structures are not completely grasped. Wittgenstein's conception can be difficult to accept because most people have faith in the reliability of their doctors, like psychiatrists and psychologists. The questioning of their diagnoses seems absurd. Very few have ever thought to ponder the validity of their doctors diagnoses because they are issued from trained professionals. The diagnoses of psychologists and psychiatrists are predominantly valid and should be trusted because of the intensive schooling and training they must undergo to practice diagnosing mental illnesses professionally; however, the validity of their diagnoses should only be credited complete trust with consultations from multiple professionals because false diagnoses can often occur because of the possibility of faking mental illness and poor diagnostic tools. Practicing medicine is a profession that takes immense knowledge and responsibility, as well as years of education. Doctors have the ability to affect and shape the health and the course of one's life. Psychologist's and psychiatrist's diagnoses and treatments can help to improve ones mental health for the better, so its imperative they go through the required education to not damage the state of one's mental health further. Because psychologists and psychiatrists often work together to give patients the optimum treatment, their educations often intertwine. The paths for both professions also have distinct differences. After obtaining a master's degree, those wishing to become a psychologist must acquire a PhD or PsyD doctoral degree through further advanced education where they, "study personality development, the history of psychological problems and the science of psychological research" in schools that provide, "rigorous preparation for a career in psychology by teaching students how to diagnose mental and emotional disorders in varying situations" (Psychology vs. Psychiatry). Of course, depending of the specialty of psychology and the state one wishes to practice in, additional education may be required. Based on the diligent, extensive schooling and required experience described that psychologists must attain, the validity of their diagnoses and treatment can be concluded to be trustworthy because even once psychologists have completed their education, they are continuously learning to methods and gaining more experience as they practice psychology everyday with new clients. Similarly, psychiatrists must earn their bachelor's or master's degree; however, unlike psychologists, they must attend medical school and take part in a psychiatric residency for four years meaning that, "in the end, it takes at least 12 years of school for an individual to become a psychiatrist, which qualifies a graduate to gain licensure in order to work in the U.S. and become certified from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology" (Cost VS Reward of a Psychiatry Education). The minimum of twelve years of required education displays psychiatrists dedication to perfecting their craft and obtaining the greatest knowledge to accurately measure mental illness. The length of their education demonstrates the commitment of psychologists and psychiatrists to assuring that they obtain all the knowledge and experience they need to not create a faulty diagnosis. Between the rigorous education and the prolonged years of required experience to become a licensed professional, psychologists and psychiatrists earn an expected validity of their diagnoses and are prone to be trusted by patients and the public because of their professional status as doctors. Although psychologists and psychiatrists undergo intensive schooling and training to practice diagnosing mental illnesses professionally, some patients can describe misleading information to them which can result in false diagnoses. The possibility of faking mental illness can alter the accuracy of their diagnoses leading faulty treatments. It isn't unlikely for someone to attempt to avoid punishment by utilizing the insanity defense by claiming to be legally insane, arguing they are not responsible for their actions due to a mental disorder. Jon Ronson discovered the effects of the insanity defense in his book, The Psychopath Test. Ronson, in his book, dives into the idea that many of the world's political and business leaders suffer from mental disorders; however, to further expand on his theory, he had to reassure that he could depend on psychologists and psychiatrists to accurately diagnose. On his search to see if there was anything to prove that psychologists and psychiatrists couldn't be trusted, he was told about Tony, a sane man, in Broadmoor psychiatric hospital. Upon meeting this sane man, Ronson discovered that Tony, "was arrested years ago for something, and he decided to fake madness to get out of a prison sentence. He thought he'd end up in some cushy local hospital but instead they sent him to Broadmoor! And now he's stuck. The more he tries to convince psychologists he's not crazy, the more they take it as evidence that he is" (Ronson). Based on the symptoms and characteristics Tony plagiarized from an array of movies, like Blue Velvet and Hellraiser, he was diagnosed by psychiatrists with Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder and was eventually labeled a psychopath. Ronson could comprehend the psychiatrists diagnosis of psychopathy because of the manipulative circumstances Tony used to get into Braodmoor. Tony claimed he wasn't psychopath; he had merely faked some characteristics that deemed him a psychopath based on the Robert Hare Checklist that assesses twenty personality traits and, "if your total score is thirty or more out of forty, you're a psychopath. That's it. You're doomed. You're labeled a psychopath for life. They say you can't change. You can't be treated. You're danger to society. And then you're stuck somewhere like this" (Ronson). His encounter with Tony demonstrates how the possibility of a patient faking mental illness can result in misdiagnosing. This possibility decreases the validity of psychologists and psychiatrists diagnoses and makes them appear less trustworthy to the public because they couldn't identify the fact that a patient was faking symptoms. In the case that the insanity defense is utilized, like Tony, consultations from multiple psychologists and psychiatrists would improve the validity of their diagnoses because it would be evaluated and confirmed by more professionals, instead of merely relying on a single psychologists opinion that may have not caught something. Even though psychologists and psychiatrists receive immense training, they are human and are prone to mistakes. However, their mistakes can harm their patients; Tony's faking of mental illness caused faulty diagnoses that lead him to spend most of his youth growing up in a place meant for rapists and murders. Their one faulty diagnosis labels and effects him for the rest of his life mentally and is his daily life because of the stigma mental illness had in society. More opinions could have saved Tony from the horrid conditions of Broadmoor and label he'll endure forever. Of course, psychologists and psychiatrists can't always know if someone is faking metal illness, but it does lessen the validity of their diagnoses. Psychologists and psychiatrists are respected officials, but the possibility of faking mental disorders and the insanity defense makes their diagnoses less valid and trustworthy because of faulty indication of symptoms. Besides the possibility of faking mental illness, poor diagnostic tools can hinder psychologists and psychiatrists diagnoses. While they initially begin diagnosing with physical exams, and lab tests and psychological evaluations, many psychologists and psychiatrists also refer to the DSM or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The DSM groups mental disorders into categories and then offers specific guidance to psychiatrists by listing symptoms required for a diagnosis to be given. The DSM establishes a common language among professionals when diagnosing and conducting research and can serve as a starting point when attempting to create a diagnosis. It has been revised numerous times since the 1980s, and it is now on its fifth edition, DSM-5. However like previous editions, the recent revision replaced, "DSM diagnostic categories in its research with finer-grained, more elemental categories. The validity concern arises regularly in practice as well, whenever a clinician feels not all major depressive disorder is the same or should be treated that way, or that the DSM strikes the wrong balance in defining post traumatic stress disorder" (Reidbord). Reidbord examines the issues with the new disorder manual explaining how increasing the specificity of the categories of mental disorders inflates the number of mental disorders believed to exist. He gives the impression that the DSM is a poor diagnostic tool by bringing attention to that more natural human life experiences are being classified as psychiatry conditions because the committee that is responsible for the DSM wrongly medicalizes everyday experiences and has lowered the bar for what constitutes as mental illness by creating smaller more precise categories within the DSM. The revision of the diagnostic manual facilitates invalid diagnoses because it is too strict and not subjective to the symptoms of an individual patient. It also creates more mental disorders based on element and characteristics that weren't previously considered symptoms of mental disorders. An increase in mental disorders makes the possibility of psychologists and psychiatrists diagnoses less valid because simple natural distresses of normal life are being categorized as mental disorder when they're merely parts of life. The problem with lowering what constitutes as mental disorders is that it becomes more difficult to make accurate diagnoses and more people are being wrongly medicalized; this problem causes more to suffer from the stigma of being labeled mentally ill and more will be prescribed powerful drugs unnecessarily which is unsafe and can be damaging to one's health. The increase of mental illness in the DSM brings into question the effective use of research and science. The Citizens Commission On Human Rights claims that psychiatry's diagnostic criteria are, " voted into existence and inserted into the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM). What is voted in is a system of classification of symptoms that is drastically different from, and foreign to, anything in medicine. None of the diagnoses are supported by objective evidence of physical disease, illness or science" (Psychiatric Disorders Voted into Existence). The fact that science plays a very minor role in the revisions of the DSM is extremely concerning and makes diagnoses even less valid. Voting is not a scientific practice; it's more of a cultural activity that relies on opinions and not research. Voting creates a larger margin of error for the accuracy of whether something counts as a mental disorder and contributes to less validity in psychologists and psychiatrists diagnoses. As a whole, the DSM serves as a poor diagnostic tool when in comes to creating valid diagnoses that can be trusted. Although the validity of psychologists and psychiatrists diagnoses can be questioned because of faulty diagnoses due to the possibility of faking mental illness and poor diagnostic tools, like the DSM, their diagnoses are predominantly valid and should be trusted with consultations from multiple professionals because of the intensive schooling and training they must undergo to practice diagnosing mental illnesses professionally. Psychologists and psychiatrists in many ways are healers of the soul and, like all humans, make mistakes, but the work they practice improves the well-being and mental health of many and should be respected and never overlooked. Citations: Ronson, Jon. The Psychopath Test. Riverhead Books. 2011. Print. Jablensky, Assen. "Psychiatric classifications: validity and utility". NCBI. 1 February 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4780305/. "Psychology vs. Psychiatry". All Psychology Schools. https://www.allpsychologyschools.com/psychology/psychology-vs-psychiatry/ "Cost VS Reward of Psychiatry Education". Doctorly.org. http://doctorly.org/cost-vs-reward-of-a-psychiatry-degree/ Ronson, Jon. The Psychopath Test. Riverhead Books. 2011. Print. Reidbord M.D, Steven. "Is the DSM Clinically Useful?" Psychology Today. 30 August 2016 https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sacramento-street-psychiatry/201608/is-the-dsm-clinically-useful "Psychiatric Disorders Voted into Existence". The Citizens Commission On Human Rights. http://www.cchr.org/quick-facts/disorders-voted-into-existence.html Last Bowl of Mac and Cheese: 9 days ago
I'd like to think I'm a responsible student. I am. I know I am. Recently, however, I've been beginning to give in to the idea that all of my scholarly responsibleness was drained in middle school. I catch myself slacking on a numerous amount of things that in the past I would have done immediately and treated with the utmost importance. Now, I sparsely study for my weekly verb quiz in French, and I skip a great deal of grueling problems on my physics homework. Fortunately, my grades are still acceptable, and I always somehow manage to get everything done (except sleep). However, in all seriousness, I think junior year is slowly pulling me under and drowning me. Everyday, I have rehearsal till six, I have to study for a quiz or test, I have to spend some allotment of time with my family, and I have required reading for every class, which is creating a damper in my motivation to read. However, I finished Their Eyes Were Watching God; I found the ending particularly shocking, but I would never give away any spoilers. Currently, I'm attempting to knock-out my required historical nonfiction novel, and let's just say, it's been quite the battle. First, I gave Savage Kingdom by Benjamin Woolley a chance, but I soon discovered to my dismay that I didn't find Jamestown all that interesting (Historical Novels - 1 Makenna - 0). Then, I was recommended Warfare State by James T. Sparrow because of my interest in World War II. Unfortunately, I allowed it to defeat me because I didn't relish rereading a single page over and over to end up not completely grasping it ( Historical Novels - 2 Makenna 0). Within the last couple days, I stumbled upon The Age of Edison by Ernest Freeberg, and finally, I have won this draining battle and can dig in to the book. Despite bouncing between several books, I've accomplished a lot of reading and I'm 88 pages into The Age of Edison. I didn't choose to read it because I have some sort of utter adoration for Thomas Edison; honestly, I was merely frustrated at the amount of books I'd passed a long and desperately needed a historical novel. Even though it's chock-full of facts, I'm becoming increasingly intrigued by it as I read, and I might even be enjoying it. It's written more similarly to a story than a textbook, so I'm not struggling to read it. With all the books I've been bouncing between, I'd say I'm reading about 20 pages a day. Although life is busy, I'm creating time for reading as I push through the chaos and hold out for Thanksgiving Break. I'm sure you'll be delighted know that Ernest Freeberg has continued to pleasantly surprise me with The Age of Edison. I was expecting it to a drawn out process and a struggle to read; however, the novel has shown me numerous ideas and issues in a new light: climate change, the lack of wonder and awe in our modern world, inventions should be more valued instead of taken for granted, and people to brilliance are like moths to flames. Although being titled, The Age of Edison, Freeberg's novel doesn't worship Thomas Edison. Freeberg is completely honest with the fact that Thomas Edison wasn't the first to discover or create electricity; his incandescent bulb simply prevailed over the others. The novel's focus isn't centered around Edison, but a story of how the world's hunger for light altered economic and social standards by conquering the mental and physical darkness endured by all people. The electric light has a rich history buried under years that lack gratefulness for an invention that allowed the U.S. to cross a threshold into the modern age. Despite electricity being extremely prominent in our lives today, many opposed Edison and other inventors striving to bring a more reliable source of light to the world. Through this thrilling dawn of innovation and remarkable technological feats that left most awestruck, many were not as naive and uncritical of the inventions transforming their lives. A great deal of people opposed further technological advancement; these critics "cast doubt on their cultures faith in technological progress, complaining that the new machines trampled on imagination and poetry" and believed that "the new tools of modern industry had some questionable properties" (Freeberg 13). Initially, these lines confused me; I couldn't comprehend why anyone would be against technological progress. Electricity was more sufficient. stronger and brought new opportunities for all people. As I continued to read, I found that many more people opposed the incandescent light bulb. Some were scared of its unknown abilities, others found it unnecessary when they already had gas lamps that appeased them, but gas companies posed the greatest opposition, as they knew electric light would steal away gas customers. While the critic's opinions and motives are valid, this quote of their doubts demonstrates how opposition to progress simply fuels the advancement of ideas. Edison and numerous other inventors refused to let critics sway the public against their inventions that would ultimately shape their lives for the better. Even as failed attempts left the public questioning its reliability, Edison stopped at nothing to bring Americans the light their increasing dark world demanded. Opposition to the electric light that is used in everyday modern life proves that such opposition made progress inevitable. There will always be people, like Edison, who challenge what is commonly accepted and pursue new ideas will progress and develop society. Critics strived to stop the widespread use of electricity, but they failed because change and advancement is unavoidable. This quote provides evidence for the idea that opposition to progress only encourages advancement because the electric light critics opposed we continue to utilize today. Although many questioned the incandescent light bulb or were outright against it, Edison and other inventors were confident that once "a person's eyes were 'trained up' to a higher level of light, as they put it, no one would ever feel quite satisfied living in a dimmer world" (Freeberg 70). This quote stood out to me because it displayed the enormous amount of confidence Edison and the other inventors had that nothing, not even critics, could stunt the progress they envisioned for the future. Despite opposition, they felt secure that their inventions would positively affect society. Opposition encouraged their advancement rather than diminish it. Resistance to electric light only aided inventors struggle to advance the technology. Both of these quotes display different views on the technological advancement of the electric light; they both display constructing opinions on progress. However, whether progress is viewed as positive or negative, opposition to advancement only helps to forge its path. Progress has existed since the beginning of history, from the creation to the wheel to the iPhone. Technological advancement is constantly occurring, yet it experiences much resistance. People have different views on what constitutes progress as positive or negative. In both cases, the attempt at progression experiences some sort of opposition from the other side that argues for consistency and no change. Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulb faced an enormous amount of resistance which only fueled more technological advancement. This article, argues the need for tension between those yearning for innovation and others who wish to maintain continuity and stability in life. The challenging between the two facilitates progress and advancement in all aspects of life. The article explains how inventions, like coffee and tractors, faced enmity because some preferred for life to remain constant and not experience change where the results were unknown. However, this opposition made supporters more apt to assert their advancements as realities. Often resistance to technological progress is enhanced when a majority of the public perceives that the technology will only primarily benefit a small portion of society, but the results could effect all parts of society. This is true with resistance to Edison's electric light because many in poorer areas wouldn't get to experience the light and its opportunities as others did. It also heightened the gap in status between the wealthy and impoverished because it became a symbol of wealth due to its expense. Technologies are attempting to be increasingly more beneficial to all parts of society to prevent opposition. However, resistance is almost always present where progress is visible. Despite The Age of Edison being a historical nonfiction book, I am enjoying it, and I'm glad I chose it after struggling to find a historical book I didn't dread picking up. I'm excited to see how Freeberg continues to shock me with the wonder and opposition evoked in response to Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulb. Citations: Freeberg, Ernest. The Age of Edison. Penguin Books. 2013. Print. - MLA Citation "Why do people resist new technologies? History might provide the answer". World Economic Forum https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/07/why-do-people-resist-new-technologies-history-has-answer/ . Calestous Juma. July 6th 2016. Accessed November 11th 2017 - Chicago. I have a distinct memory from my childhood of scampering out of the pool during the summer at the first sign of a thunder storm and cozying up with a Harry Potter or the latest nauseating romance book I was reading, while I munched on a whole box worth of spiral Kraft Mac and Cheese. Ever since that random summer day, I have always associated the best books with mac and cheese. That might be why I've given this blog such a cheesy (lol) name. Most likely, it might just be the only semi-creative title that worked with my name, but I'm gonna go with the first one because that's a much cuter story. Anyway, I promise I'm not obsessed with mac and cheese; I enjoy splurging on a bowl of mac and cheese just as much as anyone else, but I do eat it just as frequently as I did when I was a kid. However, I'm apparently not allowed to read Harry Potter on repeat like I used to. Now, I'm required to read challenging AP books that'll help shape my way of thinking and enhance my knowledge for the future. In my opinion, I don't know who could prepare me more for life than J.K. Rowling, but that's just me. Currently, I'm reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston as one of my AP required texts. I chose to read it because it fulfills the need for one of my required books and feeds my guilty pleasure of reading romance novels. Despite the fact that the syntax can be challenging and hard to follow, I'm really enjoying it.; however, it's taking me a while to read. This book is challenging me primarily due to it's syntax. I've currently only read 88 pages, and I've tried really hard to read at least fifteen minutes every night before I go to bed, but I'll admit that I've definitely missed some nights. Other than that I've struggled to find time for reading, I'd say that my reading is gradually becoming part of my routine.
Even though I'm only at the beginning of this book, I have been constantly highlighting quotes that I have felt connected to since I picked up the book. Many of the quotes made me think beyond the surface message, but of course, I don't have time to discuss all my thoughts and impressions of them. Since I've probably made it clear by now that I'm a complete and utter hopeless romantic, I don't think it's much of a surprise that I discovered a deep truth about love and marriage in Their Eyes Were Watching God. I can infer that this novel, in many ways, is similar to self-discovery books. From the beginning, Janie Crawford exudes a wonder for the world around her unlike anyone else in the book. She's full of curiosity, hope and ambitious dreams while her grandmother just wants her to be married to a pragmatic man. Despite her grandmother's wishes, she still yearns for love that will connect her to the world and possess mutual respect. She believes she will feel fulfillment within herself once she's married and in love. Janie's ideal vision of true love is depicted when she is a young girl as she "saw a dust-bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister-calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from toot to tiniest branch creaming in ever blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage!" (11). The interaction between the bee and the flower illustrates Janie's view of love that it should be between two who reciprocate mutual trust and respect for each other. During this time period, many didn't associate marriage with love; marriage was merely a necessary part of life to gain status and a stable life. However, Janie still believes that marriage comes with love and that marriage should be a give-and-take relationship where both people bring forth something desired by the other. This quotation is significant because it sets up the fulfillment Janie is seeking from love throughout the book. From very early on in Janie's life, it is noticeable that her main priority is to feel a sense of gratification from love as soon as possible, and she'll overcome any challenge or obstacle to make her ideal vision of love a reality. That is why Janie so often jumps from husbad to husband because she is searching for that passion that fills her soul and exposes her to all the world has to offer. Her second husband, Jody, represents those opportunities because of his ambition and wealth. At first, his confidence and power fascinates and excites Janie; until, his confidence and power turn into selfishness and tyranny. This shift made Janie not only question her marriage, but her belief in true love. She discovers the waning of the love in her marriage as she realizes she has "no more blossomy openings dusting pollen over her man, neither any glistening young fruit where the petals used to be. She found that she had a host of thoughts she had never expressed to him, and numerous emotions she had never let Jody know about,"..."She was saving up feelings for some man she had never seen. She had an inside and an outside now and suddenly she know how not to mix them" (72). Janie depicts how her love for Jody withered away and how their love was no longer flourishing and growing. Janie's second attempt at finding her ideal vision of love has failed, by why? How could the love in her marriage die, if she knew exactly what she was looking for? I believe it's because she hasn't learned how to love and be fulfilled with herself. To outside observers, she may seem incredibly happy and in love, when in fact, she is utterly heartbroken that she has not found the give-and-take relationship she desperately desires. Janie displays uncertainty and discomfort in her marriage because she is unsure of who she is. Her inside feelings don't match the things that go on around her because she hasn't taken the time to discover who she; her mind is clouded by her dream of love. However, one must know who they are and learn how to love themselves before they can love and support another. She continues to refer back to the blossoming flowers and bees which shows her how her focus is on love. Of course, she is prone to bad luck when it comes to husbands, but what else is she doing wrong? Many would say that Janie is doing nothing wrong and that simply her husbands are to blame for not reciprocating the respect and trust she grants to them. However, in my opinion, her objective was in the wrong from the beginning. Janie longs for fulfillment in life through love with another in marriage; however, love is not meant to be the source of ones happiness and personal fulfillment. That fulfillment should come from with; essentially, one must learn to love ones self before they can love another. Janie's desire to feel connection to the world around her and experience fulfillment and self-worth is an understandable aspiration, but her tactics of obtaining such sensations lack sense. How can one ever love another without loving ones self first? To me, you can't. Now, I've never been in love, and my idea of love could be completely different from someone else because love is subjective. However, I believe no one can put their whole self into a relationship without knowing who they are and loving themselves for who they are. I think it's extremely important to realize ones self-worth before submitting themselves into love with another. This article dives deep into the importance of realizes ones self-worth and focusing on yourself before anyone else. The clear message I got from this article is that your own happiness should be your top priority before any romantic relationship. You should be selfish and focus on yourself. You should understand who you are and what you want. You should feel comfort and fulfillment from within yourself. This is something I think many people don't take the time to do. Many hurry into relationships before they are content and happy with who they are, and then, they become dependent on the love that their partner provided them for happiness. Janie skipped this part of her self-discovery. Her enthusiasm for love spun her into unhealthy relationships because she had't learned who she was and who she was going to be. I have no doubt that love is an incredible thing. Personally, I love love, or I at least love the idea of love. However, there is an often overseen value and necessity in the journey of self-discovery. I think its important that people are encouraged to love who they are and find fulfillment from within themselves before rushing off into relationships and marriages that will end in disaster. I hope by the end of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie has discovered who she is without a man and that her wish for fulfillment is found from within and not from her marriage. Citations: Huston, Zora. Their Eyes Were Watching God. J.B. Lippincott & Co. September 18th 1937. Print. - MLA Citation "The Truth is That You Must First Love Yourself Before You Can Love Another". Ricardo Martinez. April 7th 2014. - Chicago. |