That's What Eryn Wanted: A Legacy

Emma had always climbed the highest tree and rode the fastest horse. An inner voice told her that she would not be happy with typical jobs given to women during the Civil War such as rolling bandages, knitting socks or working in textile mills where blankets were made for the soldiers. She wanted a role that was more exciting and, in her mind, having more impact on the war effort.

She came to live with the Fromes after her father died. Women at this time stay at home and take care of the house.

Ironically, as a member of the aristocratic class, she “wore nothing but the oldest clothes” (pg. 64). According to Dashkova’s

Sophia is determined throughout the book to help her country by trying to save her brother and help fight for the war. When Sophia saw her brother in the line of prison ships she knew she had to help save him. But that takes time and all the money spent to get him back failed, when her brother died in one of the prison ships. Sophia knew she wouldn’t give up, her hatred for the british army grew more and

As she began to grow older and stronger she was moved from house work to the fields. She often displeased her Master with her work, landing her in trouble constantly. But the opportunity to work in the fields worked to her advantage. She had the chance to meet free black people who were hired to work alongside the slaves, who told her of slaves who escaped to the north and how they did it. This was the beginning of the lust for freedom.

Despite being looked at in a certain way, Women are being portrayed as “going exactly where their mothers and grandmothers have already ‘been’: into sexual bondage at the hands of a male ‘Friend’” (Christle 1). This is showing how even though women are changing the way society works, some people still want it to be the same. In the story Connie’s mom wanted Connie to be like her and her sister, just the average, not overly pretty looking lady. Some people think that “women have been silenced,” (Spelman and Lugones 574) but Connie had other ideas, she wanted to be different from them. She was constantly looking at herself in the mirror and thinking about what others were thinking about her. When she went out, she would always wear nice clothes that would get her noticed. Looking through a feminist lens one can conclude that Connie’s family sees women now as they always were.

Secondly, she found out many things. She even went undercover while walking the streets she turned herself into an older woman to spy and scout. She wanted freedom for all of her people, others joined as well. She snuck tons and tons of slaves to gain their freedom. But the thing is, if you get caught, you would be hanged. That did not scare them though, they rather die fighting for their freedom than just standing there and letting them push them around. She had been through slavery and didn’t want anyone else to go through it either.

This proves that she is really doubting the idea of going to war as a nurse because she does not want to not be able to see her family again. Also, since this war is taking place during the winter, it makes things harder. However, she is still determined to go to war/help the wounded people. " Winter is always a hard and a dull time, and if I am away there is one less to feed and warm and worry over" (paragraph 5). Finally, her decision also shows that she believes in the Union and really supports the idea of the Union becoming one

Mary’s mother began to disguise Mary as a boy after the death of her older brother. This was done to continue to receive financial support from his paternal grandmother. The grandmother was apparently fooled, and Read and her mother lived on the inheritance into her teenage years. Still dressed as a boy Read then found work as a foot-boy, and later found employment on a ship. Read, in a male disguise, proved herself through battle, but fell in love with a soldier.

"She had full, rouged lips and widespread eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers" (31). Every day she does her makeup, hair, nails, and she wears nice clothes.

When Mary Anne first arrives she is wearing white culottes and a pink sweater, as a typical tennager would in the 1960’s. Throughout the chapter, you witness this typical teenager change into a barbaric esque soldier. She cuts her hair short,

One major thing that Rosa Bonheur was noted for was her sense of style, as well as her pragmatic attitude of clothing choice. If she wanted to wear pants, she believed she could and she would. Rosa Bonheur also had a short hairstyle, and did not feel that it was wrong to dress in men’s article of clothing. This quickly became a controversial thing, and it was easy to become that way especially because of the time period. Yet, Rosa Bonheur was not the type to let the comments of others get to her.

The author of A Pair of Silk Stockings explores female roles based on what other people believe due to stereotypes. In this short story Mrs. Sommers finds $15 which is a sizable about of money to her in New York. She and her family are on the poorer side of New York. At first Mrs. Sommers has no clue on what she should do the money she had just come to. She is thinking about her children and that they could use new skirls because she had seen a beautiful new pattern in a market window, or caps for her boys and sailor-caps for her girls (Chopin 1). She thought of them due to the fact that that is what mothers and wives do in the 1800’s, they but their children and husband before thinking of themselves. She thought back to the time when she wasn’t

Allie’s clothing and hair style were retro 40s. The hair was either long or slightly curled, with a flower or pin to hold it away from the face, or it was

Another area in which women made changes was with their appearance. Women used their attire and style to show an independence, a certain freedom in which they alone had control. Starting with the “Gibson Girl”, women dressed in long, slim dresses, freeing themselves of the poufy petticoats of yore. Women started wearing shorter dresses and shorter hairstyles, leading to “Flapper Jane”. “Women started wearing “less” clothing, shorter dresses, cutting off their hair, and just being more “sensual” than normal”, (Bliven, 1925).