I had never heard of or read anything by Fern - whose real name was Sarah Willis Parton - before this class.
I was quickly caught-up in her rebellious and outspoken manner as I read through the selections.
I was quickly caught-up in her rebellious and outspoken manner as I read through the selections.
As a woman that is often annoyed with sexist attitudes, I found myself feeling elated at Fern’s sharp wit and observations while feeling saddened that these experiences and examples were an actuality for women in Fern’s time.
Fern utilizes both schools of thought to present full information on the times. For her to dispute common cultural ideas, she needed to illustrate the ridiculousness of popular opinion. Just when you think she’s re-affirming male superiority, she shows her true colors by blasting men with parody or satire!
Fern’s daring and ferocious approach would have sent men into seizures, but women of her ilk, would have been inspired and further encouraged... Or at least, I would have been!
{Meanwhile...}
My ENGL112 class just reviewed another feminist writer, Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Again, I had never even heard her name. Like Fern, Gilman set out to disrupt the placid lake of gender inequality. Her "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a searing examination of gender roles and perspective on mental health during in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
I appreciate how much of a journey the selection takes you on. Not only does Gilman accurately describe the repression of women, but she also does a brilliant job of demonstrating the overwhelming suffocation of depression and mental illness. The piece builds beautifully until it crescendos like a concerto. It gains in intensity. While I finished reading it, I felt tired.
Gilman's use of the wallpaper to reflect the decline of her mental state is genius. I love the way she describes its pattern, color, and even smell. Like depression, one can easily be consumed with trying to make heads or tails of something that others may view as simple. I appreciate the way the wallpaper becomes this rolling machine that carries the story along into frightening oblivion.
The husband in the story makes me furious. The lines where Gilman describes how much he loves and cares for her make me want to scream! I hate how condescending he is. I hate how he refuses to acknowledge the very reality of her depression and helplessness. I know this was the prevailing view of mental illness in those times (and even up until a few decades ago). The husband's existence and attitude are maddeningly accurate for Gilman's time.
Likewise, I find John's sister to be irritating as well. Gilman's reference to the fact that the sister is a "perfect and enthusiast housekeeper, and hopes for no better profession" and that she "thinks it is the writing" that has sickened Gilman makes me hate her even more. As if it wasn't bad enough that women needed to fight men for their advancement, it is much worse to need to fight those of your own gender. The repression of women by other women is a very real thing, even now. It never fails to incite fury in me.
{What I'm Getting At...}
Both of these authors were pioneers in their time.
Women of their day were coached to be only good wives and mothers. They should serve their husbands without expecting anything in return, cook lavish dinners but eat theirs cold if necessary, maintain the house impeccably while raising intelligent, "normal," but quiet children, and still be groomed and dressed in a manner that pleased their husband. {And no, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with a woman today that continues these goals; however, there IS something wrong with an entire culture that tells women they are incapable of anything else.}
Women of their day were coached to be only good wives and mothers. They should serve their husbands without expecting anything in return, cook lavish dinners but eat theirs cold if necessary, maintain the house impeccably while raising intelligent, "normal," but quiet children, and still be groomed and dressed in a manner that pleased their husband. {And no, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with a woman today that continues these goals; however, there IS something wrong with an entire culture that tells women they are incapable of anything else.}
At great personal costs, Fern and Gilman utilized their writing as a means to inspire women to respect themselves even if no one else did. Their ideas and words proclaimed that there could be more for any woman who wanted it. Not only did F & G refuse to submit to cultural norms, they essentially called for a revolution.
I'm sure that there were times when they wondered whether anything would ever change. I'm sure name-calling, harassment, and hate mail were endured. But I think they both knew the cause was greater than just their discomfort.
I wish I knew more "women warriors". I haven't been this worked up in a long time! "Write" on! ;)
I really enjoyed your post. I too, loved what Fanny Fern had to say and I thought it was great of her to be so outspoken. That was one inspiring lady! I love how she called it as she saw it. That's pretty brave,even by today's standards.
ReplyDeleteYou also have me interested in reading "The Yellow Wallpaper". As a matter of fact I am going to read it after I am finished with this post! I am Bipolar Type 1, which used to be called manic-depression. I like to read about other people, especially their own perspective of mental illness, when the writer has a mental illness. Just from what you have said about "The Yellow Wallpaper", I can relate to Gilman. I get told quite often that my depression is all in my head and that I can control it. Do I wish that were the case and that simple! I can not wait to read Gilman. Thank you for the wonderful post!