A Full Of Possibilities : Being A Child

There are various discourses of childhood that help us understand how childhood is viewed and how children themselves are seen. It is important to also look outside the system world and look towards the life worlds as it gives a more realistic view of various childhoods and shows how diverse the concept of childhood is because children do not share the same experiences. Regardless if you are looking at the system or life world the notions of rights, opportunities and capabilities are often discussed. These notions aids us in understanding childhood, however they can often obstruct us as well.

“Oh, fairytales, where desperate, naïve girls sacrifice everything for their so-called prince charming”. The realities of these childhood classics are controversial, sexist, and dark, yet, it’s also adored by millions of young girls around the world. Cinderella, an often sugar-coated story, is a great example on how sexism and gender stereotypes prevail in literature. The Grimm Brothers touch on a variety of devices, from characterization to symbolism, all revealing the inequality in not only fictional literature but our real-life society as well. A feminist literary critic will interpret these controversial themes and apply their beliefs of equal rights into the study of the Grimm Brother’s Cinderella.

4.1 Analyse the importance of early identification of speech, language and communication delays and disorders and the potential risks of late recognition. It is essential that speech, language and communication delays and disorders are noticed early so the relevant interventions can be used to support the child or young person. Answer the questions below.

The difference between men and women is a very controversial issue, while there are obviously physical differences; the problem is how the genders are treated. It is stereotypically thought that the men do the labor work and make all the money, while the women stay in the house, cooking, cleaning and taking care of the children. While this stereotype does not exist as much in the 21st century, it was very prevalent in the 1900s. By using many different literary tools such as character development, symbolism, and setting, Alice Munro’s Boys and Girls and John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums challenge this controversial topic of the treatment of women versus men in the 1900s.

If one imagines traditional female stereotypes, they may picture a timid stay-at-home mom who cooks and cleans for her husband and kids and is financially dependent upon her spouse. However, it is explicit that the novel The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver and the autobiography I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, work to subvert traditional gender roles. Both authors tend to challenge traditional female stereotypes by portraying the woman in their books to behave like the “man of the house”. These women are written as strong, independent characters who do not have men in their lives that they depend on or need. In The Bean Trees, the protagonist, Taylor Greer, decides to choose a path that scarcely any other girl in her town takes

A child’s sense of self as separate from the world is formulated early in development. Children exposed to early trauma, especially by a primary care giver, develop a distorted sense of the self, others, and the world. When exposed to trauma, children become overwhelmed and are unable to effectively self-regulate thus leading to a disjointed sense of self. They have a tendency to lose hope and expect that life will be dangerous thus challenging their ability to survive (Terr, 1992). Survival becomes the predominant drive for children exposed to trauma and their focus becomes toward responding and adapting to a potentially threatening environment. Feelings of trust and the sense of self become compromised as resources are allocated toward coping with threats. Traumatized children experience guilt and low self-esteem and perceive themselves as unlovable and unworthy of protection or love (Johnson, 1985, 1987).

Feminism has always been a controversial subject in society despite the fact that most individuals can agree that women are people too. John Updike’s “A&P” delves into the way sexism in society affects both men and women as well as how people can break away from the rigid roles society assigns men and women. We, as readers, experience this through Sammy’s eyes as he quits his job in an attempt to be the “unsuspected hero” (Updike 359) to a group of girls in the grocery store where he works. When seen through a feminist perspective Sammy’s view of women in “A&P” demonstrates the attitudes society has towards women depending on their age and status, and it specifically addresses the way independent women are viewed.

We have always learned about men. Throughout our years in the K-12 school systems we, as students, have learned about the contributions that men have made to the development of our country. We learn from a young age that we live in a patriarchal society, in which boys are stronger than girls and fathers should be the head of the household. The idea is pressed upon us that it is unusual for our mothers to make more money than our fathers and that women will always and should always be the secretary to a man’s CEO. In Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson, Twain reflects on the way of life in 1894. The way he speaks of women satirically and stereotypically gives us a clear outlook on what was thought of women of that time period as well as Twain’s own perspective. He makes the argument that they were only good for two things: raising babies and housekeeping.

As a result of the abuse female characters have faced, it has become an objective for authors to prevent this. There have been clear strides recently, putting women as the protagonists, and not in a manner that has them dealing with persecution. The amount of strong, female characters is a large stride in the right direction to end the conflict regarding women’s roles in literature. However, this sudden influx of women in literature may lead to the reversal of the issue; the absence or abuse of men. While certainly literary equality is the end goal, to flip the issue would be just as bad and lead to sexism on the opposite spectrum. To truly mend the rift between genders, there must be no discrimination, the idea that an author is trying to use sexist undertones by not writing the lead as a female should not have to be an idea that readers think about when analyzing modern books. While even still there are issues of gender inequality in literature, there must be moderation from both ends for a resolution to be possible. The only way for equality to be achieved is with the absence of sexist ideals from all

Presenting literature to the public that is meant to be a commentary on social or political issues, masked under the guise of entertaining and fictional, is a tool implemented by authors and activists for centuries. While not all satire is as overt as Jonathan Swift’s suggestion that we eat the babies, it does not diminish the eyebrow raising suggestions that are conveyed once the meaning has been discovered. In Aphra Behn’s The History of the Nun and Eliza Haywood’s Fantomina, the established expectations of the female role within society are brought into question then directly rejected. These expectations establish that women should be deferential to men, morally unblemished, and virtuous at all times. Men, however, are not held to these expectations in the same way. The masculine roles assumed by Isabella and Fantomina demonstrate a private rebellion against the established patriarchal society as it warns against the under-estimation of women and proves that women exist independently.

In Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate and John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, the female characters are presented in nontraditional ways for the times in which the novels are set. Each novel shows a clear distinction between the male and female characters, and it would make sense to feel a feminist vibe from the authors at certain points in the novels. In these novels, the female characters use the traditional distinction between gender roles to change the dynamics of their families and function within the novel.

While reading “A Rose for Emily,” my first thoughts were not any of gender roles. After reading Curry's essay, I see a

A good picture book becomes a joy to the children forever and something that catches the, eye, the ear, and the understanding of children. From having a good relationship between reading and yourself at a young age, it encourages further reading and forms the basis for becoming a literate adult, one who decodes words accurately but also reads for enjoyment and takes time out to do so. It is true that the best picture books are warm and humorous however, they do not have to be both at the same time. A picture book is at its best when it at least has some sense of warm or humorous elements.

In the past few decades, women have been greatly stereotyped and prejudged against due to their roles in literature and society. J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan is a classic tale about the adventures of a young boy who never grows old. When viewing this story, with the Feminist Critical Theory, one can see the negative portrayal of womanhood and its effect on a young audience. The portrayal of women in Peter Pan teaches the readers about gender roles and stereotypical characteristics, the insignificant role of women in society, and the sexualization of women.

The film Zootopia, written and directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore, follows the life of a small, yet spirited rabbit as she endures the trials angst of pursuing a profession as a big- city police officer. The city of Zootopia is a lively, thriving metropolis where Judy Hopps, the story’s protagonist, bravely embarks on her dream of pursuing a career in law enforcement. The writers employ a buoyant, kid-friendly storyline to comment on a myriad of social injustices and inequalities abounding in modern-day society. Feminist literary criticism utilizes feminist ethic and ideology to analyze the way in which male supremacy permeates the language and themes ingrained within literature. It allows readers to observe literature from a renewed, unorthodox perspective, and therefore extends the spectrum of accepted ideas and convictions. Zootopia is wrought with commentary on the pervasive presence of female oppression in the workforce. Oft beleaguered Judy Hopps combats disrespect and prejudice from her colleagues, condescension from her family and community, and gender bigotry that requires her to continuously prove herself as both a legitimate and qualified officer.