The Characters of Women: the Desire for Independence - Essay Example

? For many years, the society lived in a patriarchal perspective, wherein women are subordinate from men and they should submit to their husbands in marriage. As the society evolves because of the many changes in political and economical events, this perspective has slowly waned. Whereas before, wives stay at home and handle the internal family affairs such as running the household and taking care of the kids, now, wives have more freedom venturing to the outside world to pursue their own careers and to share the financial responsibilities of the husbands. This development came primarily from the perspective that women are also capable of handling the situations and the issues dealt by men. Women also have the desire for independence, freedom and domination much the same as men. This is clearly shown in the three characters that will be discussed further below. The most important factor in the changes that women undergo is their environment and the situation they are placed in. Their social environment makes them realize that they should change to survive. Ironically, it is the same environment that condemns the pursuance of their independence. Clear examples of the realization of women are Janie from Their Eyes are Watching God, Esperanza from The House on Mango Street and Lou Ann from The Bean Trees. At first the three women are described as weak and submissive. As a child, Janie thought of men as her way out of the difficult life that she has. This has been developed through the insistence of her Nanny that she needs to marry a certain kind of man to live a better life. Janie believed, then, that marriage will give her the independence and freedom that she wants against the tied down life that she has. She was a woman with belief in herself and her own views but has been made to believe that freedom can only be possible in marriage. Esperanza, on the other hand, dreamed of getting a better house outside of Mango Street. She has her own views as well, as characterized by her writing skills but she had the tendency to go along with her friends even if she was doubtful about it. Lou Ann, at the beginning of the story, was a meek and submissive wife. She believed in love and everlasting marriage, as shown by her devotion to her husband in the difficult times he had. She knew that she is uncomfortable with a lot of things but she remains passive as she didn’t like confrontations. As presented above, the social environment of the character plays a big part in their personal realization of their search for freedom and independence. Primarily, though, it is the same social environment that created the submissive persona they were at the beginning of their stories. With Janie, it is her Nanny’s life that showed her that life is cruel and ties her down because of discrimination and poverty. She has met the same discrimination with her neighborhood when she ran off with another man ending her first marriage. With her second husband, her social environment propelled by her husband declared that she is ‘just’ a woman and that her husband should be center of their lives. When her husband died and she began dating a much younger suitor, her social environment berated her because her actions were inappropriate as what was deemed by her previous husband. Janie’s dream to become free is muddled by the different inhibitions set by her social environment. With Esperanza, her social environment is the source of her knowledge of how poverty and sexual pervasiveness can limit women’s freedom to merely playing with men’s desires and attention. Lou Ann, on the other hand, was scared of the fact that the society might criticize her if she goes out of the box of being a traditional woman. Their social environment taught the three women that they are mere women, with no way to become independent and self-sufficient except for the help of men. This damaged their self-images in different ways. Janie submitted to her first and second husband by staying with them and following their commands and wishes as it was her place to do so. Esperanza felt that women, in general, are helpless beings because of their physical attributes. Lou Ann pretended to be okay when, in fact, she is not and is constantly fighting with herself because of the fear that people will criticize her because she feels wounded, doubtful or uncomfortable. The three women’s realizations came from their experiences, specifically from difficult situations they are placed into. Janie realized that happiness is freedom. Her realization came from her third marriage which allowed her to grow rather than inhibit her desire to become who she is and who she wants to be. At the beginning of the story she was alone, with no one to help her out and by the end of the story, she was still alone but with a newfound courage that she can help herself out. Esperanza realized that it is neither marriage nor a man that can whisk her away from Mango Street when she has been harassed by men. As much as she wanted to have her own house, symbolizing her desire for independence, she realized that there are other women in her neighborhood with a more tied down life than she has. She, then, began to feel responsible not only for pursuing her independence but also of the other women’s. Lou Ann’s realization came from her relationship with another single mother, allowing her to find strength and courage in herself and the community/family that she has developed with at the time that she was alone. She realized that it is not a man that she needs but a feeling of comfort and security. Before the three characters find in themselves that they are capable of becoming independent and free, they have been subjected to life’s most difficult situations. These situations made them realize that in the end, it is within themselves that can propel their aspirations. As their social environment berated and muddled their thoughts of independence, it is also their social environment that allowed them to realize where their freedom lies. Read More