A Room of One's Own

“A room of one’s own” by Virginia Woolf is one of the most complete literary works written so far in terms of feminist writing. It reflects how tragic has been women’s fate since beginning of times. Although nowadays women have more intellectual freedom and working opportunities than fifty years ago, there are still inequalities in the way we are treated by society; we need a room of our own.

The essay’s main topic, women and fiction, is a theme that represents dreams and reality of a gender that has suffered the rejection and humiliation from its companions for centuries. However, with First World War (1914-1918) everything changed; women had to take care of their families and work because men were at war. In that context, a new movement came to live, feminism. Once war ended women were working at industries and at home; they proved to be as good as men in the working field. However, they had to struggle to have the opportunity to study at college and being intellectually educated. Women still fought for their space in the world.

Virginia Woolf in her lecture covered the different aspects of women non-existed history as a way to shocked students minds. The three main elements presented that help her to illuminate the audience are: money, the subjectivity of the truth and gender inequality. Through these topics Virginia Woolf develops an interesting essay that called women to wake up and try to write history from a female’s point of view and not only containing a slanting male point of view.

First, money has been an important issue since its appearance. Moreover, “Intellectual freedom depends upon material things. Poetry depends upon intellectual freedom. And women have always been poor, not for two hundred years merely, but from the beginning of time . . .” [1]Until the First World War the ones who controlled money were men; therefore if a woman wanted to do or buy anything they had to ask her father or husband for money. In consequence, without money was almost impossible to write. Even today there are many writers -male and female- that cannot develop their art because they do not have enough money to do it. Unfortunately, today the problem is how to earn money; because until the early ninth century women had no capital for their own: they had to ask their men for some and explained why they needed such amount of money; if men considered it a waste they just did not give a centavo.

Secondly, as history has been written by men its objectivity is more than questionable, therefore literature is a reasonable source to find more about women because fiction tends to have more truth than facts. However, only a few female authors can be mentioned. So, where is the history of women? Women were not consider capable of writing anything original or even to write. Consequently, society just assumed that women were inferior writers, compared to men, and this is why there is a lack of literary works made by women.

Finally, the fact that women are treated inequality in the society can be a reason why women‘s writing are not consider reliable or important by patriarchal societies. As Virginia Woolf declared women have no space to write or money on their own to create a place where they can be themselves. To make this idea clearer Virginia Woolf created the image of Judith Shakespeare, a twin sister of the great William Shakespeare. Judith was as smart as William, but she was uneducated and a women. She was never able to exploit all her potential as a writer because she had to take care of the household. As she refused to get married with the man her father had chosen for her, she killed herself. Although this is a fictional character, her characteristics were not based on fantasy. This was a reality for many women before our times. Female talent was not considered at all and even today female writers have to prove how good they are to win a space among male writers.

In conclusion, how men have described history has nothing to do with the role that women play in life and their abilities to do more than two things at the same time. The main issue is that if you have been treated as a stupid for so long, at the end you would start believing that you are stupid. Therefore, if women were told since the beginning of times that they could not write, they believed it.

To approach this need of self-awareness, Virginia Woolf used symbols and components to demonstrate women’s need of having a space to them; a room, something that men have had without question. Furthermore, privacy, financial independence and free time are essential components of the innumerable inequalities between these genders. Therefore, until these differences will change, women’s literature achievement will still have troubles to win recognition in this patriarchal world.

[1] Woolf, Virginia, A Room of One’s Own, Chapter six, pdf document

words: 826

Reference:

- Woolf, Virginia, A Room of One’s Own, pdf document.
- Kronenberger, Louis, Virginia Woolf Discusses Women and Fiction, http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/12/17/specials/woolf-room.html

Final essay (so far)

A room of one’s own by Virginia Woolf is one of the most complete literary works written so far in terms of feminist writing. It reflects how tragic has been women’s fate since beginning of times. Although nowadays women have more intellectual freedom and working opportunities than fifty years ago; there are still inequalities in the way we are treated by society; we need a room of our own.

The essay’s main topic, women and fiction, is a theme that represents dreams and reality of a gender that has suffered the rejection and humiliation from its companions for centuries. However, with First World War (1914-1918) everything change; women had to take care of families and work because men were at war. In that context a new movement came to live, feminism. Once war ended women were working at industries and at home; they proved to be as good as men in the working field. However, they had to struggle to have the opportunity to study at college and being intellectually educated. Women still fought for their space in the world.

Virginia Woolf in her lecture covered the different aspects of women non-existed history as a way to shocked students minds. The three main elements presented that help to illuminate are: money, the subjectivity of the truth and gender inequality. Through these topics Virginia Woolf develops an interesting essay that called women to wake up and try to write so that history will contain not only a male point of view, but also female’s. Thus, as history has written by men its objectivity is more than questionable, therefore literature is a reasonable source to find more about women. However, only a few female authors can be mentioned. So, where is the history of women?

The fact that women are treated inequality in the society can be a reason why women‘s writing are not consider reliable or important by patriarchal societies. As Virginia Woolf declared women have no space to write or money on their own to create a place where they can be themselves. To make this idea clearer Virginia Woolf created the image Judith Shakespeare, a twin sister of the great William Shakespeare. Judith was as smart as William, but she was uneducated and a women. She was never able to exploit all her potential as a writer because she had to take care of the house. As she refused to get married with the man her father had chosen for her, she killed herself. Although, this is a fictional character was not based on fantasy. This was reality for many women before our times. Female talent was not considered at all and even today female writers have to prove how good they are to win a space among male writers.

Brainstorm final essay

A room of one's own by Virginia Woolf

- A room of one’s own by Virginia Woolf is one of the most complete literary works written. It reflects how women have been and are located in western society. In fact, although nowadays women have more intellectual and worked freedom than fifty years ago, there are still inequalities in the way we are treated by society.

- Women and fiction is a theme that represents dreams and reality of a gender that has suffered the rejection and humiliation from its male companions.

- The essay is compound by three main themes: money, the subjectivity of the truth and gender inequality. Through these topics Virginia Woolf develops an interesting essay that called women to wake up and try to write so that history will contain not only a male point of view, but also female’s.

- As history has written by men its objectivity is more than questionable, therefore literature is a reasonable source to find more about women. However, only a few female authors can be mentioned. So, where is the history of women?

Auden and Spender

Spender and Auden described different aspects of war and destruction in their poems; for example in Auden’s poem September 1. 1939, Auden refers to different aspects of war and the consequences of it like human destruction and the lack of a sense of patriotism in human kind.
On other hand, Spender’s poem Ultima Ratio Regum also refers to destruction, but reflected in the dead of the little boy under the olive tree.

These authors’ writing is so descriptive that without knowing anything about the period of time they lived in, you could guess that they lived through war times.

Virginia Woolf

Through her essay, Virginia Woolf, for me, tried to wake students mind and made them realized how unfair history has been with women. We are a very important part of the life process; women have raised men from the beginning of time. Therefore, the main reason why men did not want to educate women is because they were afraid of what women could do and how much better we could be in comparison to men.

Women are equal to men in terms of imagination. Both have minds that are receiving information and thinking about facts and life. So, we can also have the ability to write and create literature.

The strong call that Virginia Woolf made in her essay still can be interpreted in our time because there are other types of inequalities against women, for example salaries and working time.
There are still thing to fight for, but now we are so inverse in our own worlds and realities that ideals have almost no place in people’s agendas.

Frankenstein & God (correction)

From the point of view of the book, human beings enjoy playing the role of God because they like to control situations. Therefore, artists can be considered like gods since they are able to create new worlds from their imagination. In addition, all artistic production is comparable, in a way, to the creator. In that sense, they are like God who created us similar to him.

The fact that creations are its creators’ reflect makes me wonder, who is the monster? Moreover, analyzing the relationship between God and we his creation, he also could be a monster. Mainly because He gave us free will to decide what is good or evil. Although, we have destroyed almost everything we have touched with wars, hate and eager of power.

Finally, from the point of view of the BOOK, could God be also evil? That is a question that at this moment I do not have an answer to.

Frankenstein & God (original)

From the point of view of the book, human beings play the role of God because they are not afraid of the consequences. Therefore, artists can be considered like gods because they are able to create new worlds from their imagination. In addition, all artistic production is similar, in a way, with the creator. In that sense, that characteristic belongs to God who created us similar to him.

The fact that creations are a mirror of the creator makes us wonder, who is the monster? In consequence, if we take this to God, he also could be a monster. He gave us free will to decide what is good or evil. Therefore, we have destroyed almost everything we have touched with wars, hate and eager of power.
So, from the point of view of the BOOK, could God be also evil? That is a question that at this moment I do not have an answer to.

Charles Dickens (original)

In the short story and in the movie it is possible to see how fragile can the human strength can be. Everything can make wonder what is real or not. This could happen when the signs are misinterpreted; also because human beings are use to see what is more convenient to see.Dickens always tries to make the reader aware of human and social issues: death is one of them as well as poverty, power and social responsibility.

Through his stories it is possible to picture how lonely we are in this world and how it is possible to see in Oliver Twist and the short story, the only person you can trust is you because the world sooner or later is going to leave alone. Therefore, no matter how advance technology become it will only brings more responsibilities and debts. So, progress does not mean safety.

Charles Dickens' post correction

In the short story and in the movie it is possible to see how fragile human strength can be. Everything can make us wonder what is real or what is false. This could happen when the signs are misinterpreted. However, this should is not weird because human beings are use to see the most convenient part of everything.

On the other hand, Dickens has always tried to make the reader aware of human and social issues: such as death, poverty, power and social responsibility.

Through his stories it is possible to picture how lonely we are in this world; and through Oliver Twist’s story, that the only person you can trust is in you because the world sooner or later is going to leave alone. Therefore, no matter how advanced technology could become, most of the time it brings more responsibilities and debts. Consequently, progress does not mean safety.

Charles Dickens' post correction

In the short story and in the movie it is possible to see how fragile human strength can be. Everything can make us wonder what is real or what is false. This could happen when the signs are misinterpreted. However, this should is not weird because human beings are use to see the most convenient part of everything.

On the other hand, Dickens has always tried to make the reader aware of human and social issues: such as death, poverty, power and social responsibility.

Through his stories it is possible to picture how lonely we are in this world; and through Oliver Twist’s story, that the only person you can trust is in you because the world sooner or later is going to leave alone. Therefore, no matter how advanced technology could become, most of the time it brings more responsibilities and debts. Consequently, progress does not mean safety.

The waste land

This Picture for represents what T. S. Elliot wrote in his poem The Waste Land.
For me the main theme of the poem is destruction and desolation. Therefore, this picture shows what human beings are able to do with life. We hardly respect others life; human beings can kill kids, old people, mothers, babies without blinking. After people committed a crime, they feel regret about he/she has done.

This picture also shows how nature punishes us in a way after we destroy something. Every time we try to control nature, it pays us back with natural disasters, fires, volcano explosion and so on.

On the other hand, colors play a very important role in the interpretation of a poem or picture. Here the image has coloring and dark colors to represent the different moments of life; for example when you are happy, sad or you are going through any difficulty in life.

In addition, the faces in this picture are blurry as same as in the poem. I think this is because death and destruction has not a specific face. We related this issues with images and colors because human mind needs to express in some way suffer or happiness.

The odour of Chrysanthemums

Most of the time people don't see the half full of the glass, just the empty side. In this short story by D.H.Lawrence, Elizabeth realted these beautiful flowers to particular situations of her life, marriage, birth and unhapyness. Therefore, the flowers in the story symbolized what she wanted from life and what she got. Maybe if she realized before that not everything in life is easy or honey, she would appreciate better what she had.

In relation with the rocking-horse winner, there are several elements that are similar in both stories. First, the absent presence of the father; death and money. In the first story, the family suffered because there wasn't enough money in the house to afford their expensive tastes. In the odour of chrysanthemums, the family was poor and didn't have enough sources to cover their needs. But at the end death changed everything, Elizabeth learned that her vision of the world was wrong and she was in time to start changing it, while in the rocking-horse winner they felt sorry for the deateh of the little boy, but it didn't seem that they learned something from that event. Sometimes people never learn or understand the lessons.

The Rocking-Horse Winner

This short story by D. H. Lawrence presents a variety of themes that reflect the society of that time. However, the one which I think is the main one is ambition. People in this not-ending searching for more fame, money, truth, knowledge and so on forget about the real things that matter, for example health and love. At the end of the day it would not matter how much money a person has if he/she is with a terminal disease or if is lonely in a huge mansion. It is shocking how life can pass in front of our eyes and nobody see it until is too late, fortunately this is just a generalization.

There are clear examples in the story that reflect how strong the desperation for more was in Paul’s family. One is the constant whispering that children heard all the time “there must be more money”. The second one and more impressive was when the mother received the letter for the layer telling her that she will receive one thousand pound per birthday for 5 years. Instead of being happy, she got serious and went straight to the lawyer’s office to ask for all the money at once. What happened with that money, D.H.Lawrence left it to our imagination.

Ambition can destroy people’s life and it does respect age and condition. For example, Paul died trying to get luck for his family. Although, he was naïve in believing that luck would fix the problem in his family. In that sense, this story is similar to the one by Graham Greene “The Japanese gentlemen” because the lady who pursued a writer carrier believed of everything her publisher told her, like that her novel would be a success.

On the other hand, a big difference is how the stories are narrated. In the Japanese gentleman the author was analyzing the different situations that occurred in the restaurant. But in the rocking-horse winner, the author was getting into characters mind and thoughts, therefore it was easier to understood why some situation, like the conversation about the unlucky sense in the family that the mother had with boy Paul, happened in certain moments.

However, both stories have the strong presence of ambition and keeping appearance at all costs.

Graham Greene: The Invisible Japanese Gentlemen

1. Describe the characters.

The young woman: She had thin blonde hair and how she spoke showed that she studied in one of the best school of London.
Her fiancé: He was doomed and easy to control by others.
The narrator (author): He was a reflective person who analyzed different situation from what people said and expressed physically.
The Japanese gentlemen: They spoke their tongue; they were always with a smile in their faces and doing a lot of bows.

2. What do you think about the comments made by the author in the story?

The author made several comments about how naive upper class people can be in some aspects, especially the young woman who believed in everything her publisher told her and she would become a novelists.
On the other hand, his comments were the main trend of the story without it would be difficult to understand the relation between the Japanese gentlemen and the girl with her fiancé. They come from different cultures and speak different languages. Although it is not clear what the Japanese were talking they seemed relaxed and enjoying that moment in the restaurant. However, the couple was kind of discussing about marriage, dates, what she would write for her next novel and he was talking about how his uncle offered him a job with him. No matter the topic, the situation was delicate because of the topics they were discussing. But, what the author remarked the most was how the young woman truly believed she was a writer and that her novel “The Chelsea Set” would a success just because her publisher told her so.

3. What role does the author play in the story? How do the observations made by the author influence the story? The reader? The characters?

His observations help the reader to understand a bit better the different events that are happening in the restaurant. He also interpreted and described the conversations and actions that occurred in the place.
His comments gave life to the characters and made the reader more aware of the conversation between the couple and what the Japanese were doing.

4. What role do the Japanese Gentlemen play in the story?

They are contrasts. The author was sit right in the middle of the two tables. Therefore, he could compare what each table was doing, how their behavior was and what their goals were. Although the Japanese gentlemen were speaking about goals, they seemed to have a great time, but the couple was talking about weeding dates, dreams and ideas for another book. Also, the Japanese people behaved in a more relaxed way than the other table where everyone seemed very “polite”.

FRANKENSTEIN AND GOD

In Frankenstein it is possible to find different themes that can be applied in every century. This is a transversal novel that covers different contexts. However, the Prometheus aspects presented in this book by Mary Shelley makes the reader wonder if we can have access to the power of God; although, the consequences of the creations can lead into fatalities.

Throughout time human beings have tried to play the role of God by transforming nature. For example, clone experiments. Nevertheless, life conditions have been modified in order to reinvent life from what is known. Scientifics have created, in the lasts years, pills and machines to cover some of the natural human functions; for example sleeping pills. In addition, the power to constantly innovative in every knowledge field does not correspond to everyone, only powerful people and countries have the facilities to create. However, this rivalry with the power of God is guided by the eager of knowledge and power that most of humankind has.

In terms of creation, Victor Frankenstein is the clearest example of the consequences of playing a role that was not made for humans. From the point of view of the novel when a person decided to alter nature the result is not less than a monster. Then the question would be, who is the monster the creator or the creature? Because the creature is its creator’s reflect. Thereafter, the creation and destruction of life is a dangerous game that Victor Frankenstein played. Unfortunately, the chances of winning are not less than zero. The same happens with wars, there is not a winner or a loser because the lost in terms of lives and economical costs, can condemned even to the greatest country.

Even so, did monster Frankenstein born as a monster? He came to life with a blank mind. He was naïve and innocent. Thus, once he was abandon by Victor Frankenstein he was educated by streets. After he lived the rejection of society, he became a person full with hate and anger. Subsequently, he was the only character in the novel that actually had a justification to do the things he did. Indeed, society has not changed a lot since Mary Shelley’s time. Until now society condemned people who are different from it is moral, physical and mentally accepted. In Frankenstein the creation was punished because he looked different. Then, who is the monster?
The fact that the creation decided to take vengeance against his creator can be consider an example of how technology can turned into danger for people if it is misused. That is another point that has an example nowadays. Spaceships were created to take men out into the space. Thus, not all the trips were successful. CHALLENGER tragedy is the example. In consequence, the reason why humankind has not have God’s unlimited power is because we lose control easily once we have access to a little portion of power.

Another aspect of Mary Shelley’s book is the substitution of women from their role as life creators. The fact that Scientifics in the novel and nowadays are looking for new ways of conception, excluding women’s role on it, is also presenting how big is the desire of independence from what was established for nature. At the beginning of times God created man and woman to multiply. Subsequently, to not follow this order will have consequences in how the creature will act and look. Every time external issues affect the natural process of pregnancy, the fetus is the one receiving the impacts.

On the other hand, there are some creations that can take people to other realities and give pleasure. For example art. Artistic works also reflect what its authors were feeling in a certain moment of their life. In that sense, artists are gods because they create from their spirits and imagination. Indeed, not all what has been created by human beings is bad; vaccines are a good example of positive creations.

In conclusion there is an order and reason to everything in this world. Although can be understandable why humans want to be the owners of life control. Ambition is a powerful sin that nobody can control, but to recognize where the limits are makes people greater than trying to reach qualities that were not thought for humans.

Words: 718

Reference

- Frankenstein- Analysis of Society http://www.cyberessays.com/English/183.htm

- 'The author is become a creator-God' (Herder). The deification of creativity in relation to 'Frankenstein'. http://www.kimwoodbridge.com/maryshel/bushi.shtml

Charles Dickens

In the short story and in the movie it is possible to see how fragile can the human strength can be. Everything can make wonder what is real or not. This could happen when the signs are misinterpreted; also because human beings are use to see what is more convenient to see.
Dickens always tries to make the reader aware of human and social issues: death is one of them as well as poverty, power and social responsibility.

Through his stories it is possible to picture how lonely we are in this world and how it is possible to see in Oliver Twist and the short story, the only person you can trust is you because the world sooner or later is going to leave alone. Therefore, no matter how advance technology become it will only brings more responsibilities and debts. So, progress does not mean safety.

Frankenstein & God

From the point of view of the book, human beings play the role of God because they are not afraid of the consequences. Therefore, artists can be considered like gods because they are able to create new worlds from their imagination. In addition, all artistic production is similar, in a way, with the creator. In that sense, that characteristic belongs to God who created us similar to him.

The fact that creations are a mirror of the creator makes us wonder, who is the monster? In consequence, if we take this to God, he also could be a monster. He gave us free will to decide what is good or evil. Therefore, we have destroyed almost everything we have touched with wars, hate and eager of power.

So, from the point of view of the BOOK, could God be also evil? That is a question that at this moment I do not have an answer to.

Coleridge

"Poetry is an art…of representing, in words, external nature and human thoughts and affections, both relatively to human affections, by the production of as much immediate pleasure in parts, as is compatible with the largest sum of pleasure in the whole”.

“It is essential to poetry that it should be simple, and appeal to the elements and primary laws of nature; that it should be sensuous, and by its imagery elicit truth at a flash; that it should be impassioned, and be able to move our feelings and awaken affection”.

“It was agreed that my endeavour should be directed to persons and characters supernatural, or at least romantic; yet so as to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth sufficient to procedure for these shadows

of the imagination that willing suspension of belief for the moment which constitutes poetic faith”.

These three quotations are represented all through the poem. However, there are some stanzas that content more specific examples of each reference. The first stanza Coleridge relates nature in its basic form with human feelings and description.

“…the sacred river, ran…”
“…there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,”

While the second stanza tries to wake up emotion inside you making the reader experiment a mixed set of feelings and danger:

“Ancestral voices prophesying war!
The shadow of the dome of pleasure

Floated midway on the waves;

Where was heard the mingled measure

From the fountain and the caves.

It was a miracle of rare device,

A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!”

Finally, the last stanza refers mainly to pleasure of life and what elements can produce or moved people to feel. Poetry is simple and at the same time a compound of descriptions that play with feelings and dreams. That is basically what Coleridge does in this poem. He creates a place where could be possible to find pleasure, nature and danger. In my opinion, Coleridge represents how the world in those days and nowadays is.

“…he on honey-dew hath fed,

And drunk the milk of Paradise.”