Another blog Entry
This one is focusing on the first question:
How are women depicted in contemporary fiction and media? During your reading of the novel, comment on the ways in which women are being portrayed. Consider relationships, experiences, situations, etc.
I feel that women are portrayed in a different manner than we have become accustomed to in today’s society. I feel that society still places traditional roles on women. Even though our society claims equal rights to women and men, women are judged in a harsher fashion then men are. I’m sure we all know the derogatory terms for women, and most of them are related to using sexuality for personal gain. Also women are depicted as being romance obsessed. There are plenty of movies out there, for example, that portray women to be guy obsessed ditzes. I know this isn’t all movies but I’m sure all of us could come up with a few of them. Now, this isn’t to say that some women aren’t romantic, but this single minded romance isn’t realistic.
Now, with that said, I think that this book portrays women as being who they want to be. The life of a Chilean woman in the upper class did not fit Eliza’s personality. Because of this, Eliza had no problem with taking her life into her own hands and changing her own fate. Yes, she does run off after her ‘love’ in a romantic way, but she eventually gives up on her love. She ends up a free woman.
Eliza frees herself from her social ties and moral obligations by traveling to a lawless land. In this land she claims the same rights and respect as a man would. She does pose as a man for much of the book, yet this freedom that she has as a woman is an incredible experience for her. She is able to take care of herself without any male intervention. She befriends Tao Chi’en, however their relationship, on whatever level it is, but that relationship isn’t necessary for her survival.
Overall the women are portrayed as strong and intelligent people. It could be easily argued that Allende portrays women as the better of the two sexes in this book. Allende’s representation of women makes them feel equal or superior to the males in the novel; also, these women are much more independent and strong willed than the woman portrayed in today’s media.
