The Idea Of Male Power Vs. Female Powerlessness In Essays

The Idea of Male Power vs. Female Powerlessness in "The Young Housewife" "The Young Housewife" is a poem by William Carlos Williams that deals with many issues. One of the main issues that this poem deals with is the conflict between male power and female powerlessness. Although at first glance the poem may not seem to be have this theme in it but Williams's work is filled with multi meanings. It all determines how one would interpret the poem, from the literal meanings to the underlying meanings and symbolism. In the first stanza Williams describes the woman as moving "...behind the wooden walls of her husband's house"(2-3). This can be taken in a couple of different ways. First of all you could look at it literally and picture the girl in the house moving about do various things. You could also look at it in the way that the woman is being controlled by her husband. Williams refers to her moving about behind her husband's walls. This signifies that the male is the person with all the power and money. He owns the house and the woman is being let to live in it. In the second stanza Williams says, "Then again she comes to the curb"(5). Hear again Williams is not really clear whether he wants this line to be taken for its literal meaning, which would mean that she woman is simply going to the curb, to get items that were dropped off. He could also be symbolizing to woman that stands on the curb, which is a prostitute. This meaning goes along with the theme of power control because prostitutes are under the control of the person that ?hires' them. It is degrading and gives the woman a bad reputation, and demoralizes them in a way. Going along with the idea of a more sexual theme Williams refers to the woman as "...a fallen leaf"(9). This can be taken as the woman looks dead, and has no direction in life anymore. The woman may depend upon her husband for things. Like a falling leaf, which when leaf falls from a tree it is essentially dead, and its life is over. In the final stanza Williams writes "The noiseless wheels of my car rush with a crackling sound over the dried leaves..."(10-12). I took this as meaning that he used the girl and didn't care what she felt and what happened to her. People drive over leaves all the time without thinking twice. It appears that the man in the story stopped to ?inquire' the woman, without really having any feelings towards her. After using the woman for a sexual purpose, the man in the story just drives away without feeling any guilt. All of these references make me feel that that the woman in the story was really powerless and had no control in her life. I felt that she was not only being controlled by her husband, but because she was made out to be a prostitute she was in the control of every man that she was with.

Imperialism Essays (1998 words) - Culture, Postmodern Theory

Imperialism VHistory 101B 10/25/00 Section 8 Western Imperialism We live in a world in which the consequences of nineteenth and twentieth century Western imperialism are still being felt. By the early nineteen hundreds Western civilization reached the high point of it's long standing global expansion. The expansion took many forms such as economic, political, and cultural imperialism. Europeans invested a lot of money abroad to build railroads, ports, mines, plantations as well as factories and public utilities. Trade began to grow between nations and the economy became more developed. Western civilizations became much more prosperous than the rest of the world due to the land usage and industrialization of Western colonization. The European economic invasion began as peaceful trade, but Westerners became quite willing to force isolated nations of Africa and Asia to open their doors for them. Aside from the economical influences on certain countries, another aspect of the Western expansion was that European states established huge political empire s in Africa and Asia. This event, categorized as the ?new imperialism?, occurred when European governments began searching for new territory. Small groups of Europeans began to rule millions of Africans and Asians. The causes of the new imperialism are still hotly debated, but competition for trade, superior military force, advanced technologies, and politics are among the most important. Western imperialism itself is also one of the greatest controversies of world history. Westerners justified their imperialistic reign by explaining their economic, political, and cultural motives for imperialism. Although imperialism seemed destructive to tribal societies, I feel that the justifications hold true and the impact of imperialism has strengthened society. One of the justifications that the Westerners gave for imperialism was that it was in the best interest for the world's economy. John Hobson describes the imperialists arguments as ?we must have markets for our growing manufacturers, we must have new outlets for the investment of our surplus capital and for the energies of adventurous surplus of our population: such expansion is a necessity of life to a nation with our great and growing powers of production? (Hobson, John. Imperialism. London: Allen and Unwin, 1948. p. 35). A point was made that overseas colonies could serve as sources of raw materials that were not available in Europe and were necessary in industrialization. Europeans explained that Africa and Asia were far behind in the main abilities of manufacture and trade, and imperialism would help them adapt to these new technologies. Westerners claimed that imperialism was important for political and military reasons to maintain strategic locations in other areas. Westerners explained that it would benefit Africa and Asia to conform to western politics in order to be in touch with the rest of the world as well as gaining protection from the greater powers. Another justification of imperialism that the Westerners gave was the cultural aspect. Advocates of imperialism sent missionaries to African and Asian lands to convert the people to Christianity. Europeans accounted that by bringing their traditions and Christianity to Africa and Asia it would help bring those people out of their savage state. The benefits that imperialism would bring to the economy, politics, and culture aroused much support in Europe, however the so-called ?savage people? did not return this support. In the book, Traditions and Encounters, it explains that ?the policies adopted by imperial powers and colonial officials forced peoples of different societies to deal with one another on a regular and systematic basis. Their interactions often led to violent conflicts between colonizers and subject peoples.? (Bentley, p. 869). Many of the effects of imperialism exploited the African and Asian people and culture. They were made to assimilate to European ways and were forced to forget their own culture. In the text, The Global Experience, a Micmac responds to a catholic missionary on the idea of conversion, ?I am greatly astonished that the French have so little cleverness, as they seem to exhibit the matter of which thou hast just told me on their behalf, in the effort, to persuade us to convert our poles, our barks, and our wigwams into those houses of stone and of wood which are tall and lofty.?(Schwartz. P.110). This passage portrays how most people under imperialistic rule felt ab out being forced into a