On being Introvert

When I was younger I really thought nobody liked me,
little did I know it was only my personality.
All the teachers, elders, pastors nobody wanted to give me
 one on one attention which I craved. They never knew.
What I really wanted was love and acceptance from my peers.


In early school, I never had much 'friends', I mean
to say, I never walked with a crowd of 'cool kids'- no.
I stayed to myself mostly. And dont ask me why, I dont know,
thats just the way I was.I was different! I wasnt a mean kid or a bully,
you can say I was overly sensitive. Never took the teasing part well
now its humorous to me. My oversensitivity made me so well behaved
and quiet, I reverenced everyone.


The unfortunate thing is- at the time,
I never knew that about myself so I was embarrassed of my self
I thought less of myself because deep inside I compared myself to
other children without knowing it- I just wanted to 'fit in'.
The truth is, it was hard for me to be social at times, why?
At times School, in my opinion, can do more damage than good.
To be totally honest- I hated school! I hated church alot more!
But I was quiet.

As I grew older I saw things a bit differently, I started to look
into it, and I made a discovery which nobody told me: I was an Introvert!
The sooner I realized this and accepted it- the sooner socializing became easier.
I then realized it came with a few benefits like I was able to concentrate internally
and pull my thoughts and ideas together very quickly and express them readily on paper
with imagination and creativity. But I need a lot of practice. This knowledge of myself liberated me immensely.

I became free as a bird. Im not lying- I switched my major to English ASAP. And began a new experience altogether. It made me care less about what the world thinks because now im caring for myself!
I let certain feelings go. Daily I learned to accept myself, to control my emotional sensitivity by directing
it into profitable persuits like poetry.I accepted myself and how God made me, and so I grew. Now the rest is history.


Mythical_Poet
draft1

Proverbs of Life 2

Life is too deep for anyone to understand, who can search it out?
No matter how much you think you know, there is much more to learn- to figure out.
The comforts of home will make you safe, but if you never leave you cant appreciate what you've left behind.
God can make your $10 thousand go a far way, more than a rich man who has $10 million;he can satisfy you with a meager plate of food, more than a buffet at a rich mans table- he can.

Remember it is good to save, even though money comes and goes, dont be afraid to spend it.



Photographs of Heaven and Hell and Church.
A righteous man has nothing to fear of hell.
The wicked man does not fear hell either- He only realizes when its too late.
Heaven is not a competition, a prize to earn by good works, its not a trophy, a grammy
 it is an unknown gift of the future-it is a hope. Then again, Heaven or hell, who knows where they will go?
Tell you a secret, shh nobody knows. They dont. Just like how you cant predict the future. You cant predict the destiny of any man. Look at Paul!
There is a difference between a good and rotten apple,
nobody wants to eat the rotten one!
Be on the safe side and dont boast.

If anyone should fear hell- rich people. Not those rich by hard work or inheritance, but those rich by trickery and scam. Add to the list, leaders like pastors, teachers, governors, ministers, lawyers and those who practice law. The farmer escapes because of his hard work.
Poor and oppressed people know what hell is like already-they feel the heat.
I look at it like this- I didnt ask to be born, but now that im here
I might as well make the most of this ride. Life is a gift and life dont
sentence nobody to hell, the problem is when  some men try impersonate life
 Now we got a problem.


Cont'd
Dont bring a child into the world without making provisions- thats not fair!
If you fear what the Pastor is preaching maybe you need to look into yourself
and ask why.

Questions if sincere are never wrong. Only insincere responses.Question everything.
Here's the problem with church- the same thing is repeated over and over
but still the crowds dont learn- what about time out! Where is the change?
Personally I have no problem with people- only when they violate my space. Im sensitive.

Most Churches today is nothing but entertainment-  the best quality is the world.

The best way to be safe in this world is to stand alone. If you stand with a crowd, changes are
you will go down with the crowd.Help your brother, but dont carry his debt

Few people have more money than they know what to do with,
the rest want more money than they can imagine.
Somee have it made, the rest are trying to make it



Some people are so poor, they depend on the rain to take a bath
other people dont mind filling the tub


On Health and Security
If people would listen to Gods counsels, would never have to go see a doctor.
The only health insurance some people have is the hope that they wont get sick.
Those whom God protects he wraps in a cloak of invisibility, but dont boast- you are saved by grace- literally.
Everthing that God does will make you wonder, there is no word to describe Gods protection except- peace of mind
If you take the life God prescribes- you will enjoy health. His medication is sleep, good food, water, exercise, sunlight, daily check-up (not on face-book) a, cant remember the rest.
With little or no side effects.

God does not need a bank to take care of you. Be content with little you have
and watch how it multiplies. Happiness is not in the movies and fashions and money and cars, all these are good but real happiness is in wisdom- Gods.

If you've made it to adulthood consider yourself blessed. You climbed that ladder one step at a time.
Each day you live is reason to be happy. And if all you ever had was a cold, boy somebody's hand is on you! You have a friend in high places. Remember,



It all begins in the mind. Health, sickness, stress, emotions. Be your own watchman and take it easy, no rush.
Bless

Mythical_Poet-dft1
March 29, 2012

Very Scary

The world is a very scary place
a very scary place is the world,a place
where each person plays a role
in this great controversy that unfolds.

Who can know the mysteries of the world
who can understand the subliminal  and
arrest the criminals masqueraded as heroes
destroying our peoples reducing us to zero? Who?

Its very scary. Wake up! You watch it on
the TV like a movie. CNN and BBC, HBO and MSNBC all international
authorities reaching global minorities in far away
villages telling of damages and calamities- thats all they show.

Its very scary. Think about people unable to feed
their families, own a home, with so much land-space.
Think about unfortunate souls trapped in false religions without economic provisions
making bad decisions of desperation strapped with bombs ready for extermination.

Think! Its like a freak show lord knows, as the world watches the drama untold
a survival game, who will survive? A horror movie that doesn't end
more expensive than your light bill month end, a duppy show. Its very scary.
In this concert everybody sings along to the song of paranoia,
like the dark this is the light-Disturbia.

If you dont believe me, take a good look around, its not a conspiracy theory
Im not gonna spell it out. You have two eyes and two ears- use.
It will leave you wondering, what the hell is going on? Or subtly, slowly, silently,
finally shhhh you go back to sleep in the bed of ignorace blissfully.


Mythical_Poet

No Teacher like Experience

verse 1
Theres no teacher like experience,
experience is the key to unlocking doors
of wisdom and insight.
When you experience you live and learn things that
you would not learn from hearing things that are learned.
There are two types of experiences: bad and good.
You can drive them in any direction you desire as one situation is never final result.
As long as you live you should be experiencing new things thats the essence of life- experience.

verse 2
Some people dont experience anything good because they close themselves off
due to fear. You cant be afraid of fear. Fear means, false evidence that
appears real- its a lie! They fear because of the bad experiences of the past
that make them anxious of new ones.Importantly experience is not a teacher that works in
the classroom. He is not a teacher that gives you A,B or C or the dreaded D. No. With experience
you can learn at your own pace and decide the grade you get. You can change the
grade anytime you want by improving. Experience does not condemn, it warns, encourages and inspires.
So ask yourself these questions, What fear is holding me back? Am I willing to learn from now on? Be open.

Mythical_Poet

Proverbs of Life

Excess is always good to carry if you have the briefcase of God, the love of things is not a evil,
if you know how to control the thing called love. The road of understanding leads to the school
of wisdom, the school of wisdom is located in the mind of God. What good is going to school, if you
wont be gainfully employed at the end. Education without employment is no better than a healthy man starving when there's food.
You cant keep a good man down, there is no evidence to accuse him.

Being rich means nothing, you fool yourself by thinking less of the poor man.
Being wise means everything, it means you're never left without riches.
The concept of Heaven and hell is irrelevant to the child being born, its more ridiculous to those not born as yet.
Some People believe heaven is up and hell is down. In that case we are in the balance of the scale.
You cannot attain Gods wisdom by yourself-its a gift he chooses to give those humble and pure in heart.


Dont be too good or too bad in life, people never appreciate what you do anyway, why kill yourself.
A man who avoids trouble by keeping a low profile is wise, the less people see and hear of you the better.
Death may come at any-time, but really,who dwells about that! As far as the living, if you're healthy- you live forever.
Remember that people can be evil as fast as they can be good.And if you cant see the evil in your human nature, how will you see (be tolerant of other people mistake)
the error of others.

Mythical_Poet

About Me pt1

Martin Mutabazi Semugeshi was born in Pune, Ruby Hall India, in the province of Maharashtra on August 24, 1987 to African parents Jonas and Rachel Semugeshi. His father moved to India from Africa as a working-student  to pursue a (MBA) Masters in Business Administration from Spicer College where he stayed for ten years. The couple were said to have honeymooned in Europe and India, where his father resided while making frequent travels as a Canvasser to Europe selling books to support the family with his first new born and education. After two years of life his sister Monika Uwamwiza was also born in India at which time the family decided to move to Jamaica, Caribbean, in late 1989 where they resided in the parish of Manchester, Mandeville.

Martin’s parents travelled to Jamaica for the purpose of studying at the tertiary level. Not long afterwards his brother David Muhire was added to the family of four. His father who was already a master’s degree holder at the time was successfully able to gain employment at West Indies College teaching lower level business administration courses. It was through this channel that he was able to support his wife to pursue a BSc in Nursing at the same college.

As time progressed Martin was enrolled in the West Indies College Preparatory school, a Seventh - day Adventist Institution, at the tender age of four yrs, in which he recalls, for the most part, in his own words, was a bitter okay experience for him.  At first he remembers that he was constantly bullied by other kids because of his ethnic background and peculiar nature at which time he did not yet understand. On another occasion, while in Kindergarten, he was almost forced to change his writing hand from left to right. Being a 'lefty' was considered abnormal and strange as very few children practiced with the left hand.

 In addition he says it was his ‘funny name’ that amused most of the kids in the school. Teachers would complain that Martin was a very strange, odd and quiet child except when it came to food. Among other things he recalls that he was grossly chubby, in which he was teased and name-called more than once by his peers. Although quiet and reserved, he was a well behaved child who never got into much trouble, except while playing rough with other few friends. Nevertheless he seems to recall the first poem he ever wrote in fourth –grade during English class and his teachers applaud at a job well done and, he adds, his remarkable spelling and note taking ability which all came naturally to him for some strange reason. Still he remembers a very caring girl  that captivated his attention in the fourth grade; he took this innocent crush very seriously to heart when things fell apart.

Ethnic background

Around 1994 a tragic event happened that would change his life and the life of the family forever.Rwanda, the home of his parents, became the focus of international reports as the world witnessed one of the bloodiest black on black crimes in human history. It was genocide on a massive scale toward the eastern part of Africa that saw most of his distant relatives like cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents slaughtered mercilessly by fellow citizens. Even at the age of seven, he recalls the instant the news broke as, “a family gathering for weeping”. Hence growing up without much connectivity with his distant family he was devided between two worlds, namely that of his parents' and that of the culture surrounding the island.

It was because of those unforeseeable circumstances at that moment that Martins life was forever changed. And while at a week of prayer service in his primary school, he was deeply touched and decided to be baptized at the age of nine into the Seventh-Day Adventist christian Church. Despite the tragic occurrence life went on, he then graduated from Preparatory school in 1999 at the age of eleven where he moved on to secondary education. He attended the Manchester high, a secular school, from 1999-2001 where he described his experience as a 'temptation' and confusion of identity. In his own words it was an environment where he was not getting good grades, was not focused, but as he says- it was one pressure after another. Not knowing himself at the time, his parents, seeing the moral deterioration of the child decided to transfer him to Victor Dixon High, a christian school, where he improved miraculously in performance and sociability. He pursued the arts as an alternative to sciences where he was managing fairly well.

He stayed at Victor Dixon from 2001- 2004 where he sat the CXC examination and qualified for University with seven passes. Young as he was, it was the years that followed that would be his redemption as he through a set of experiences was able to unlock himself to a history and identity that belonged uniquely to him. And while he did not fully know at the time the real cause of the ‘confusion’ he was experiencing around the environment he was living in, through a set of circumstances he calls‘divinely arranged’ he finally was enabled to open himself up to be taught about his true identity. And this made all the difference in the years to come as he was slowly able to retouch the ugly blemishes of the unfinished painting of his early past, rejecting the lies and accepting the reality of his worth being reborn into a new understanding of himself and the world around him.

(Stay tuned for part 2)

Draft 1

A shallow autobiography of

Martin Mutabazi Semugeshi

About Me (Facebook version)

Am Left handed and very peculiar. I have VERY strong roots with Rwandan and Ethiopian people mostly in physical features and genetic makeup. I am also connected to  Somalia and Sudanese people. I was born in India, no lie. I live in Jamaica. Ive been to other places like North America, few states. I have two passports but use only one. I use my Jamaican passport and not my Ugandan passport. Oh, I dont have an INDIAN passport but im thinking of getting one- aaa you never know! I love Jamaica. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO AFRICA! I DON'T SPEAK ANY AFRICAN LANGUAGE. AND YES I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT ONE DAY. If you come to my house I'll tell you why!Still you cant say im not an AFRICAN (a pig in a cow pen is still a pig) I speak English fluently and some Spanish. I might speak Jamaican Patois better than you! Im everything, im all cultures. I try not to Judge. Chances are you've already judged me. Few people try to understand me.I have no idea how I've stayed in Jamaica so long but I believe everything happens for a reason.I used to do Nursing- God told me to RUN(long story short). I switched to a BA in English (fits me). I am an INTROVERT (the sooner I accepted, the sooner I became social). I dont affiliate with any church but am Seventh-Day by custom. Im unpredictable like weather. Besides my Mother, father, brother and sister- I pretty much have no other blood  relatives in Jamaica. But im not alone. Im blessed and cursed at the same time.If your confused thats okay- WELCOME TO MY LIFE- I LOVE IT!! I hope people read this so they can stop thinking Im from Mars. Besides the name Im not that different from you.

About Me pt2

Please believe me; traveling can change your entire life! If you have never travelled beyond your home area you must start thinking seriously how you are going to, because there is a whole world out there that does not necessarily share your belief system. Since my first travels to the United States of America some years ago my life has not been the same (at least my perception of it).

I returned to Jamaica with mixed emotions like I was depressed with joy, a calm subtle pain in my heart lingered that I could not understand yet. It was like a slap on my emotions, a deep cry for help with no voice, because for the first time I was slowly beginning to see the reality of things, the insignificance of my life, my worldview, and I was only 16 years old- still a child.

But it took some years after before I was able to connect the dots of my life to see a bigger picture. What I knew I could not explain, I could not explain what I knew, but it was always there like a thorn in my flesh that would not leave me alone. Therefore I kept it to myself, I endured the pain and played the fool in denial. Come to think of it, it was always there, for as long as I could remember it was always there.

Do you have understanding?

Though I did not realize at the time, it was precisely at that moment that I began a deep conscious internal investigation into the life I was living and the meaning behind all the things that I’ve ever done. I began asking questions, many! It is like I was sleeping but slowly waking up, half- conscious, before lapsing back into a dream. It is like I was drowning in an ocean desperately crying for help and nobody could hear me! I realized slowly that I was going nowhere fast. The joke was over. At that point in time I never felt so alone, so trapped and so afraid.

Nobody knew this was happening to me because it was not an external struggle, it was internal. While the world was happy I was sad. While everything was bliss I was in misery. Some people deal with their problems internally through reflection- I do. No doubt I thought that maybe the problem was me and my mind was playing some silly tricks. The reality of the situation would come and go, however I preferred to forget the ordeal.  And though I tried to convince myself that everything was normal on the surface, I couldn’t help but see that things were not. From time to time, deep within myself I knew there was impending danger everywhere. I felt it everywhere I went. Something was wrong!

 But who could I tell? The world was in trouble and so was I. Staring at the world all I saw was the uselessness of everything and the dead nature of the living. And secretly in a solitary place to me, late one afternoon, my eyes were opened freely as I was able to see everything clearly. At last I could not resist anymore- I let it all out with passion. My face became like a stream flowing downhill, like an arrow to the heart, it was like the end of the world to me. Little did I know it was only the beginning of a new experience, a new joy. I was being reborn. I was freed. I was being strengthened to stand amidst the chaos and confusion of the world. Everything would be alright.

Martin Semugeshi, M

Draft 1

How I majored in English

Graduating high-school and entering college I was faced with the dilemma of choosing a major. The reality of my calamity is I had a fair idea of what I wanted to pursue but not in totality. At the time, majoring in English was the furthest thing from my mind, boring! Ironically in high-school I excelled in language so naturally. Even though never loved to read much was excellent at spelling and grammar, so why major in English? I entered college with intention of studying Computer Science or Dietetics. I became infatuated with computer technology early and passed high in Food and nutrition that’s why. This plan failed. After the first semester, programming frustrated me immensely. I changed major. I thought if I can’t be a computer programmer, I might be a doctor! I settled for less and tried nursing instead. I loved it at first, honestly speaking, but the hospital environment began to weigh down on me heavily. Have you ever come to tears for no reason at all? This plan failed, long story short

Being on the verge of throwing in the towel, I decided to go down swinging. I took a good look at my college Bulletin and pondered where I went wrong; no major seemed to fit my personality appropriately- I liked a bit of everything. I thought to myself, "could I do general studies"; I may have no other option. I felt like I majored the entire University Bulletin front to back though I only changed program like twice, because I did courses in nearly every department. No joke. I did a little science, little computer, little business, little theology, little history, what’s next? The final option was English, what’s so special about it. I gave it a good deep sincere look and something hit me for the first time- could this be it? I did some research, looking back at report cards, questioned past teachers what they thought about my performance in high-school. I even went to the primary school I attended to look for my report card. They couldn’t find it! Oh well still a voice was telling me to go for it. This was my last attempt at college. Would you believe I even did a carrier test, this time I took it more seriously.

I was desperate on my last straw. Either I give college one last attempt or I call it quits. I did the first course Introduction to literature, immediately I knew- I found it, this is it. My writing talents were dormant for years. Majoring in English, I wrote poems, essays, short stories, critiques, features, technical letters and other formative writing. I also read plenty applying knowledge from previous majors with my wealth of experience. I felt at home- this was me. However I had alot of work which I did not consider as work. I can honestly say it was fun. I’ve never gotten so many A’s since primary school- this was my last strike and I gave it everything I had I wasn’t playing around, never knew my own strength.  Before I knew it, was graduation time. Looking back, I laugh at the whole experience- its ironic and very comedic.This was probably the best decision I’ve ever made besides giving my life to Jesus at the age of nine. So if you are in the same boat of difficulty and can Identify with my story just know that you are not alone- there is something for you. Believe me God is interested in what you're studying.  PRAY with faith and dont be surprised when he responds! The race is not for the swift...

Mythical_Poet-2012

Draft 1

Saved by Grace.

SAVED BY GRACE

When you stop at a pedestrian crossing you see a red light. When the light is green, you proceed with the traffic. When the light is amber you slow down. Every driver on the road must obey the road code and there are penalties for not driving in accordance. In-fact, obeying the road code can actually save your life and others. Furthermore, if you obey the road code, you respect your fellow drivers and road users like motor cyclists, pedestrians and law operators and it means you reverence the law givers. However, at times you find that you will break the road commandments because of inconvenience. And even though you are tied to the road code and traffic signals by law, you are not saved by them. 

They are formalities. They let you know what is right and wrong and they point out when you have made a mistake but it doesn’t mean that if the traffic lights are broken on red, you will stay parked until its fixed. It doesn't mean that if nobody is around or even at the pedestrian crossing you must assume the position always. No.  There is something called driving grace and you should not abuse it- I made that up. By instinct every good responsible driver knows, whether or not road codes are present, that you must look out for pedestrians, animals, cyclists and other drivers.  The traffic signals act as a reminder- thats all! Road codes were made for law breakers like how the law was instituted for sinners. But like the ten commandments there is no difference between the righteous and the unrighteous road users- all are bound by it.

 Indeed, following the road code is like obeying the Ten Commandments in many ways. You have to obey them because they put society in order. If you disobey them, you will more likely injure yourself and others causing your own death and imprisonment with a hefty fine. It’s like what Paul said, whoever ‘tries’ to obey the law will not prosper but yet everyone is bound to the law. What is the mystery of this: how can you be expected to obey and not obey a law at the same time? The word is grace.  All road users are saved by grace and if you are a driver you must exercise discretion. If you know the value of the road code in your heart- you wont offend. But it dont mean you are a perfect driver all the time- you are not programmed like a robot. The traffic lights are.

 So to be on the safer side, never boast about what a good driver you are, it will work in your favor- trust me. Because just as easy as you can offend, there are some road users who will offend you. When the police stop you make sure its for license and registration-lol. If anyone don’t want that responsibility-stay away from the road please.  Live in the mountains. But once you sign up to be a driver and the benefits that come with it- you must obey the law. What doesn’t concern you leave it alone. Think about it.

Mythical_Poet
draft 1

Writing tip: Be Patient and focus.

Whenever you begin to write anything dont ever worry about editing. If ideas are swimming in your mind it needs to be on paper, rescue them before they drown. Dont worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar or structure, just vomit your thoughts on paper, I guarantee you' ll feel better. Once you have exhausted your pool, be patient and focus. Organize and format those scribbled and jotted ideas craftfully for others to follow. This is actually the fun part but will take some skill patience and knowledge! Focus. Remember, even though you want to express what you envision you cant detail everything you think, (be poetic) the draft is never perfect so work on it okay. Words are like pictures some are clean others are poorly taken--Photoshop. Even a Pastor knows when to end a sermon-get it, jump to the point and never underestimate the readers intelligence.

Good luck, hope it helps- dont write on a hungry belly, lol
Mythical_Poet

How to summarize and extract- very easy!

Summary writing demonstrates that you understand a text and can produce a concise (short and straightforward) representation of the message. It involves critical thinking and note taking before you can produce a final draft. Furthermore you must write it in your own words. Therefore before you begin you must consider the following seven steps.

1.      Read the extract to be summarized. Reading the text is important because you want to be sure that you understand the writer and his style. Also, you will get insight about the content. Read several times if possible!

2.      Identify how many paragraphs are to be summarized. Identifying paragraphs is important because you must divide the work specifically paying attention to one paragraph at a time. Also you will be able to add appropriate transitions for each.

3.      Identify the thesis- Identifying the thesis is important because you need to understand the direction of the text. Usually found in the first paragraph, it outlines the central issues or points to be discussed.

4.      Identify the main point in each paragraph. Identifying the main point is important because this is the sentence the reader/writer acknowledges. The main point would be the central idea or the topic sentence to be summarized

5.      Avoid details and facts that expand on the topic sentence. Do not give examples unless told to do so.

6.      Write a rough draft of the summary.  After you have done steps 1-3 focus on the first paragraph and identify the main point.  Write it down somewhere. Do not pay attention to details and examples. Do the same for the other paragraphs and then

7.      Rewrite a final draft (in your own words).

Once you are finished you can correct for spelling, punctuation and grammar. And finally, try to make sure that the writers ideas (not the words) are summarized and not your own opinion. Meaning, even though it is in your own words you are not to suggest, give opinion that cannot be proven or formulate anything the writer did not say. Good luck!

Written and edited by Martin Semugeshi Mutabazi
2011 August

Feminism (sample)

          

      How  women writers portray the treatment of women in West Indian and American works of the 19^th and 2oth century with specific reference to feminism?

 Introduction:

  Feminism’s goal involves a change of degradation concerning the view of women, as it suggests, women are equally valuable as men; therefore a premise of feminism relies on the idea that all women should be the beneficiaries of equal rights pertaining all areas of life; and essentially it focuses on the rule of society and culture by men (Bressler, Literary Criticism 167). With cultural practices and variations and societies growing tolerance concerning women today, there is the tendency to forget the conditions of women in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Early nineteenth century American literatures debated over women’s ‘sphere’.  “That the present position of women in society is the result of physical force, is obvious enough” (The Heath Anthology, 1802).  “There is no measuring the mischief done by the prevailing tendency to teach women to be virtuous as a duty to man rather than to God” (The Heath Anthology, 1804). The welcoming of female writers presently is much a result of how women were treated and their advocacy and portrayal by women writers, majority of who were feminists. Steven Lyn says “feminism critics believe interpretation is influenced by status of gender, class and race” (Lynn, Text and Context 2007). The woman’s world view is of particular interest. Regarding gender issues there exists as noticeable trend in themes, issues and concerns of West Indian writers compared to American writers of the same time frame. However, even with loud cries and protests rejecting their status of inferiority, not until the 1900s did some change occur; and women were, after a long hard struggle, able to vote and echo their voices in issues of critical concern like health care, education, politics and literature. Like any part of the world, West Indian and American writers share common concerns about women issues. A portrayal of women treatment, an exploration of their world can be examined by analyzing the works of women writers in the West Indian and American Diaspora; writers like Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea , Kate Chopin’s, The Story of An Hour  and Charlotte Gilman Perkins, On Advertising for Marriage and Nelly Blys’ Trying to be a Servant .Analyzing a text from this perspective of feminism will help understand more the woman’s concept of the self, worldview, women’s consciousness to abuse and rights.

Mythical_Poet

2010- ENGL448:Seminar in Advanced English Studies

Reaction to Why Women do not reform their Dress

 

This is interesting psychology into women behaviour.This is a beautifully written peace, Perkins is an excellent writer! I marvelled at her eloquent use of words. She tells the reasons why women do not reform their dress and stress that societal and cultural influences and pressures has led to women’s demoralized concept of good, healthful dressing. According to Perkins, women would rather choose physical pain over mental convictions in order to keep in style. I disagree. Not all women choose pain as a resort to satisfy the demands of dress. But, respecting the opinion of Perkins, I’m sure she did her research. As a feminist she makes her point that “ridicule, opposition, an uneasy sense of isolation and disagreeable noticeability, loss of social position, constant mortification and shame” are all good reasons for women to not reform their dress to comfort their body. It is true that women love to be told that they look fine and maybe it is that need of acceptance that is causing them to behave so strangely.

            Furthermore, an analysis of the era is useful. The era is the late nineteenth century and great events regarding women rights and treatment are all accounted for. Perhaps the reason for Perkins’ topic was the demand for women to act their part in society and the expectations of men. Perhaps beauty had a standard and culture was a seatbelt that gripped the women in a tight hold. I personally believe if a woman is truly beautiful she should let her character speak silently and not with outward adorning. However, the pleasures of body and mind are not to be concluded as separate because one affects the other. A real woman won’t sacrifice principles of health and decency because of show and natural inclinations. I agree that the true and reasonable dress means health and beauty of body with freedom of motion and increased power and skill.

            Why women do not reform their dress sounds like comments made by Ellen White in Messages to Young people or Counsels on Health. Particularly because the time frame is nearly the same there may be such similar viewpoints. Some would call it worldly flirtation and infatuation, an indulgence in secular culture and a slap to religious claims of simplicity, modesty and decency. On the other hand it may be finer cultural exquisites and tastes

It is definitely a cultural and societal topic. It exists even today. No woman wants to be told they don’t look amazing

Mythical_Poet

2010

Reaction to Harriet Martineau - Woman

Women have had to endure shame and ridicule to become recognized in society. Martineaus’ essay Woman shares similar idea with her previous work Household education. That women were not allowed to exercise their mental abilities would prove a hindrance to their success.

 What she calls “the degradation of the sex” proves to what extent the woman has been down beaten by society. Men, even men have come to write of this shame- it is terrible! Marriage was to be everything for the woman, security, financial freedom and happiness- instead because of intellectual disadvantages it was opposite.

The writers eloquently claim that that nothing is left for women but marriage. Making a comparison with today’s society, we see that there is nothing farther from the truth. Women of today’s world are seemingly taking over from men in all occupations of life. The important thing is to analyze the context and events around the timeframe of the writer.

Basically, the text is merely a repetition of what other previous writers of the same time frame are saying. How women have been treated is not good. I believe men and women are equal and they have equal rights in society. I am all for human rights primarily.

                                                            

It points back to the marriage, that women were trained to consider marriage as the only option they have only limited their potential as women and degraded their capacity to think for themselves under imposed wills.

The writer claims that the morals of women are crushed and how fearful they are.

Masculine and feminine employments are particularly distinct.

Particularly enjoyed the last paragraphs, the woman’s position in society today are still a reflection of what it was over 100 years ago. The writer says, “Persecution for opinion, punishment for all manifestation of intellectual and moral strength are still as common”.

Let us treat our women with respect and love and give them the freedoms bestowed by their creator. They are, according to genesis, a social partner, created for man, not to be a slave of man but his help mate- his equal. The war between man and woman in society has its roots in this cause.

Mythical_Poet

2010