The above photo is of a woman ironing and I believe there are also dishes sitting on the left side of the picture. It is an American housewife, who is stating "If by 'happy' you mean trapped with no means of escape...? Then yes, I'm happy." While this may be from a more recent time than when the book was published, probably the fifties, I still think this photo is applicable to the book.
What I would like to hinge upon within the book is the power struggle with women. While you would look at black women not containing power since they are born into slavery, live through slavery, and eventually die through slavery, you could look the same at the white women of the book. While white women had more power in which they could marry and have it be legal and not worry about ever selling their children, they didn't have certain white privileges. White women may be free, but only in their houses. They were free to rule the homes and nothing else.
We notice that within the book, they have no reign over the slaves as seen with Mrs. Shelby's hold on Eliza in the beginning of the book. As much as Mr. Shelby fights with Haley, he eventually gives in, Haley telling him to just barter with his wife with different trinkets that would amuse her. It seems to me that they relate women to being that of children. And that is why my point would be that women in the novel are either regarded as animals/property - black women, or as children - white women. The women are constantly talked down to, are regarded as a "little girl" or "poor girl" which, we discussed in multiple classes is just degrading to a woman. A girl is referred to, in my mind, any female who has not menstruated yet, and in this way, you are referring to a grown female as being an adolescent.
It is sad to see the portrayal of women in this way, that they are so degraded, and that Stowe portrays this on purpose. In a previous section, I explain that Stowe believed that women were underclass to men, and she doesn't understand why a woman should be getting such an outstanding congratulation to a work. She doesn't understand why women should be in the limelight and this, as I have previously stated, is disgusting. I know that women were to think this way back then, but we have instances in this book that say otherwise. Marie St. Claire, for example, has degraded the slaves in the same way as any white male and soon treats them the same. She seems to be ruthless, yet again, staying in the household, yet shows some sort of reign over the slaves.
Overall, I believe that women of any race in the book are owned, whether that be as slaves or as housewives, which could be changed to be called a slave as well.
What I would like to hinge upon within the book is the power struggle with women. While you would look at black women not containing power since they are born into slavery, live through slavery, and eventually die through slavery, you could look the same at the white women of the book. While white women had more power in which they could marry and have it be legal and not worry about ever selling their children, they didn't have certain white privileges. White women may be free, but only in their houses. They were free to rule the homes and nothing else.
We notice that within the book, they have no reign over the slaves as seen with Mrs. Shelby's hold on Eliza in the beginning of the book. As much as Mr. Shelby fights with Haley, he eventually gives in, Haley telling him to just barter with his wife with different trinkets that would amuse her. It seems to me that they relate women to being that of children. And that is why my point would be that women in the novel are either regarded as animals/property - black women, or as children - white women. The women are constantly talked down to, are regarded as a "little girl" or "poor girl" which, we discussed in multiple classes is just degrading to a woman. A girl is referred to, in my mind, any female who has not menstruated yet, and in this way, you are referring to a grown female as being an adolescent.
It is sad to see the portrayal of women in this way, that they are so degraded, and that Stowe portrays this on purpose. In a previous section, I explain that Stowe believed that women were underclass to men, and she doesn't understand why a woman should be getting such an outstanding congratulation to a work. She doesn't understand why women should be in the limelight and this, as I have previously stated, is disgusting. I know that women were to think this way back then, but we have instances in this book that say otherwise. Marie St. Claire, for example, has degraded the slaves in the same way as any white male and soon treats them the same. She seems to be ruthless, yet again, staying in the household, yet shows some sort of reign over the slaves.
Overall, I believe that women of any race in the book are owned, whether that be as slaves or as housewives, which could be changed to be called a slave as well.
the sad part is, i still feel as is women are slaves today. maybe not a slave how blacks were slaves, but look around you.
ReplyDeletewomen are pushed with an image of what we are supposed to look like, what we are supposed to dress like, and what we are supposed to act like. we are supposed to be sex icons, yet still containing the innocence and purity of a four year old.
HOW?
but this message will continue to be spread unless women stick together and don't let this message continue. the biggest attack on other women if from other women pushing at each other and competing to become better than another woman.
women are still trapped into the roles of what beauty is, what a mother is,and overall what a woman is. its disgusting. AND NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
Exactly, we shouldn't accept that "Oh that girl deserves it, she dressed that way" or "She went out drinking, what does she expect?!" No. I'm going to make the assumption that women don't dress themselves to be abused. We need to band together and think feministically.
DeleteInteresting post-The suppression if woman during that time really does show through the women in UTC. Perhaps this isn't an accurate way of explaining what I'm thinking, but I find it somewhat ironic that Stowe portrays the suppression of women in the book clearly, while at the same time being a woman herself writing anti-slavery literature. I feel as though she was breaking the social norm. Like I said, I'm not quite sure of that makes complete sense-just a thought.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm confused, but I'm more confused as to why Stowe would do this. Why would she say one thing and then agree that it's for the best?
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