Women in a Changing World
My written task which is of course in the format of an essay will answer the question “If the text had been written in a different time for a different audience, how and why it might differ?” My written task will be based on a dialogue said by Claire, a badminton player. It will consist of diary entries from one man and one woman from the year 1870 and the year 2012.
These entries will clearly show the emotions, feelings and the thoughts of a man and woman in 1870 and 2012. By doing this there will be a better understanding of how an individual’s thoughts were molded by society, and the century. Following the diary entries will be a short paragraph explaining how and why people responded the way they did during different centuries. By doing this there will be a profound understanding of how much society has changed and the way men and women in different centuries respond. The goal is to explore the major difference there is between society then and society today due to the different centuries, and how this alters the way people think. Dialogue said by Claire: “As the mother of three children, I have to consider things other than how I actually do on the court, like making sure my family is cared for.
That’s a consideration for me every day, every time I train, or compete. It’s the same for every parent. My challenge is to keep everybody happy so that I can compete. I love competing. The better the opposition, the more fun it is. In order to get to that point, I first have to look after my family’s needs.
That’s the challenge. The expectation had been, you have children, you quit. It is important to fight off the stereotypes that say sport’s for boys and not for girls. Sport is such an easy way to have fun and get exercise. It’s so sad to see the girls drop off. I would really like to see them keep going.
It’s a matter of health. Girls seem to stop when they hit their teens and then they wonder, 10, 20 years down the road, why they can’t keep the weight off, why they don’t feel good about themselves, why they have niggling health problems. Sport keeps you fit and healthy; it’s a good lifestyle habit”. www.makeithappen.com/wis/articles.html Lara Weinberger 1872 I first heard the story when my husband came home. He hinted at me that there was some exciting new gossip going around. When I asked him he said “Darling I don’t want to get into it, it is news a woman shouldn’t hear off”. However, because of my charms and the batting of my lashes, he told me the news. He told me that a woman was competing in sports.
I almost fainted when I heard those words. What could be more absurd a woman doing sports? Or a woman doing sports when she had children? I knew my husband did not want to discuss such silly matters with me, as he thought I was too delicate and too lady like for such sordid news. Well, he was right; the qualities a woman should possess are delicacy and tranquility, not strength and braveness. When he saw my expression he took my hand and said “I told you Ms. Katherine, it was not a matter your delicate heart should be burdened with” and laid a gentle kiss on my hand and sat down on the mahogany chair. As I reached for my smelling salts I realized this was a matter that had to be known to the whole town.
I got up, reached for my green silk bonnet that matched my eyes, my flowered green parasol, my white mittens, and told Peter to get the carriage ready. Frank knew I wanted to have a taste of the gossip, and smiled. I rode to Ms. Pauline’s house. If anyone had a house full of ladies gossiping away while knitting socks, it was hers. Ms.
Pauline was not surprised to see me. She knew I would come the minute there was news for fresh gossip. I was not surprised to find Ellen, Mary and Jenifer sitting on the rosewood sofa next to the fire place knitting socks. The coffee on the small glass table left undisturbed and getting cold. “We were just waiting for you Ms.
Kath” Ellen said. “Did you hear the news of that woman playing badminton and competing?” Ellen started her face lighting up. Pauline looked up and said “It is not right for a woman to depict herself as strong, and it puts us in a bad position as”. “It sure is! Why would a woman want to do that to herself? Why can’t she be happy and live under the shelter of a man? What is the use of doing sports?” Jeni asked truly angry. Mary as usual said nothing, but the glint of anger in her eyes didn’t say otherwise.
I took one look at all of them and said “if that woman actually cared about her husband and children she would not have done that. What would everyone say when the children grow up? How can her husband call her his wife, and set a foot outside his house? Her insanity is going to affect us all, and we need to put a stop to it!” they all looked at me and agreed in unison. Frank 1872 When I heard the news at the bar at the end of the street, I was paralyzed. It took me a few minutes to realize that my associates were waiting for me to say something. “Can you believe a woman, is going to compete in badminton, after she has had three children?” Alan asked me once again. “No I cannot, and have not heard of anything more absurd” I replied trying to sound calm.
“It makes not only the woman look bad but us too, it’s like we are allowing her to do sports, and what about the rest of the ladies? It makes them look bad too.” James said frustrated. “Yes your right James” I said breathing hard. “Because her husband is useless and cannot do anything, we must stop her for the welfare of our town and our ladies”. “We are the men and we must prevent the meager little creature from doing stupid things and be able to protect them like always” I said, both James and the plump bartender agreed.
