Women and the New Modern Society, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Women and the role that they play in the society have become more important that it has been during the past few decades. In relation to this matter, The Word for World Is Forest by Ursula Leguin and The Handmaid Tale by Margareth Attwood are two among the most notable stories that define womanhood in the future setting that specifically mirrors the contemporary era as well. These stories are both set in an imaginary future and are considered as science fiction novels. Both deal with women living in a male dominated world and the struggles they go through. It is then rather interesting to note how the ideal principles of feminism work in the process of defining both the characters and their attitudes as placed within the context of the story.

The Presentation of Gender Roles

In line with the presentation of masculine authority, Attwood and Leguin remarkably utilized the essential points of totalitarianism; an authoritarian form of operation that specifically gives power to the more dominant member of the society to rule over the supposedly weak ones. In short, the nature of a totalitarian regime is control. This is one of the main themes that dominated the stories being discussed herein. In the Handmaid’s Taleit could be observed that the regime has pro women rhetoric principles embracing it. However, this presentation seems to be in contrast with what is really happening at present. In a way, women are reduced to being mere objects of fertility and reproduction. In this sense, women are forced to simply respond to their duties as established by the society and do nothing more than that. It was as if the women were expected to do nothing but to aid in the reproduction of humans. In one scene the character Offred was presented in a bath reflecting how her body was seen to be a mere source of babies as if suggesting that there is no better use for it other than producing humans that are to embrace the new generation. To make the oppression even more depressing, language and terms were used to redefine the meaning of women close to being nothing, and almost worthless at most costs. They were referred to nothing more than a maid or “Marthas” which relatively indicate a lower status in the society referring to servants who only respond to their “lords” commandments. The use of language is important in that it makes it easier to persecute anyone who is not a white protestant Christian. Another example of this is when women were called as “Children of Ham” and “Sons of Jacob”(Bloom,2001) indicating their placement at a remarkably lower end of the society who deserve nothing but insults which they were specifically made for.

Defining Humanity in a Larger Context

In remarking “these are the children of Jews and black “[both Jews and blacks are then regarded as members of the society with lower reputation] ( 1985, 67), Atwood specifically points out the willingness of the people to be oppressed so as to be able to realize a bit of the freedom they wish to experience. This explains away the high levels of discrimination and gross sexual violence represented in this particular aspect of defining the society. While the story hopes to define the supposed changed living that the community is intended to be subjected in, it still cannot do away with the fact that humans are trying to contend with their differences with a weak approach to morality and distinction of what is right and wrong. This indicates the manifesting course of imperfection that humans are known for. One particular weakness is the need of human individuals to feel that they are in control of another. This could be further noted through the lines: “I don’t know what ‘human nature’ is. Maybe leaving descriptions of what we wipe out is part of human nature” (Bloom,1986) . True, it could be noticed herein that the theme of power and violence is a constant in both works; a remark on the human need for domination that often brings out the possibility of oppression among the weaker ones.

Thus through relative understanding it could be agreed that men rule the world because they are the seemingly stronger gender in the society. The most powerful countries in the world are those that are the strongest militarily (Wheeler, 1995, 67). In a very bizarre way those societies in which equality between men and women are at their widest have never been fully conquered or fully colonized. In a way, the reality presents obvious proofs to this matter as countries most likely dominated by men like China, Japan and other communist nations that give high importance to the masculine population are the ones who are able to establish strength middle of international relationship between countries (Wheeler, 1995, 69).

The Battle of Human Importance between Genders

This brings about the question of the sexes being released from their gender’s reputation.Through many years, women have constantly struggled to receive a name, a reputation that is rightfully their own. In the stories of Leguin and Attwood, it could be noticed how women have been described to be longing for so much attention and consideration that they [thought] they could only dream of. Relatively, the authors specifically wanted to make sure that womanhood would be presented in a way that it really is at present. Redefining the realization of womanhood in the society bears no specific impact in the process of making a reflective message that the readers ought to embrace. Realizing what the women experience and how they struggle with it is a desired option that is hoped by the authors to raise some questions into the minds of the readers hence causing them to make assessments on how they themselves view the women in the society. The battle between authority and submission and the issues that are inculcated behind this matter is specifically affecting the ways by which men and women become strongly differentiated from each other. The constant reference that the authors used to impose matters towards the characterization of men in contrast with that of the women being presented in a course of social conditioning that has placed women in a chain-like control for many years.

Conclusion

In conclusion the battle of the sexes has raged on for centuries. It is as the authors assert has been violent. This power struggle is everywhere; it is in the media and written literature. It has reduced women to being nothing more than sexual objects.In relation to the narratives presented, it would seem that it would simply be the essential application of human nature that dictates this particular situation between men and women. However if a cognitive shift were to occur then things would probably change. As seen from the changes happening at present, women are becoming more powerful and are in full command of their lives. In a way, this fact imposes that if women get better education and better jobs as well as better incomes, these elements would hopefully eventually free them from gender-based oppressions they are received in the past and at some point are still receiving at present.

References

Atwood, Margaret. (1985). The Handmaid’s Tale. Canada: McClelland and Stewart. This book has raised several thoughts that made it a controversial piece in 1985. Representing the oppression of the society against women, it deals with the issues of gender in equality in a form of narrative stories.

Bloom, Harold, ed. The Handmaid’s Tale: Margaret Atwood. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publications, 2001. Bloom’s imperative designation of assertive descriptions on how Atwood defined womanhood based on the society she lived in when she was writing the Handmade Tale defines more than just the human culture itself. Bloom’s critique specifically ties up the presentation of Atwood with the history of human development and how human treatment was one of the highlights of the culture that humans embraced in the past, at present and perhaps even towards the future. This reading helps in redefining how literature tries to mirror reality with all the distinction of what could possibly happen in the future.

Bloom, Harold, ed. (1986). Ursula K. Le Guin (Modern Critical Views) (1st ed.). New York, NY: Chelsea House. This reading provides a clear indication on how Harold sees Ursula LeGuin’s definition of how Ursula Le Guin’s written work on the Word for World is Forest actually depicts the different points of feminist approach specifically directing how women are presented in the said narrative. Being a known critique of several feminist literature, Bloom’s intuitive consideration over the themes and the plots used by Le Guin creates a clear value upon the writing of the author being observed and the defining the impact that the said matter may have on how women are described in literature in many ways at present.

Le Guin, Ursula. (1976). The Word of the World is Forest. Putnam Publishing Group. This reading insists on the existence of gender bias that makes the world of women more of a chained indication of control by the men who are seemingly ruling the world then. While humans tend to live in a forest, the rulers [the hunters] remain in control even in the midst of a wide array of opportunities that the world itself offers to individuals who would want to grasp life’s rich possibilities.

Wheeler, Marjorie W. (1995). One Woman, One Vote: Rediscovering the Woman Suffrage Movement. Troutdale, OR: NewSage Press. This reading presents the situation of women around the world which gives a constructive proof regarding the presentation of both Leguin and Attwood in their written narratives. Relatively, this presentation hopes to assist in the process of establishing the strength of the readings that are tackled in this discussion.