Example research essay topic: Investigating The Roots Of Womens Violence - 1,657 words

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Investigating the Roots of Womens Violence? Fairy Tales we all grew up listening to them. Children of many generations and cultures all over the world are still growing up dealing with different variations of the same fairy tales and similar stories... Scholars debate the reasons for such striking similarities between stories in such a variety of cultures and try to ascertain the possible meanings behind these seemingly simple children's tales. Using "Cinderella" as an example, this chapter explores variations of a tale and the diverse ways of examining them. The place of action, time and appearance of the characters may change and variegate considerably; the plot in itself remains almost untouched.

the First, in "Universality of the Folktale, " Stith Thompson raises the broad questions and the underlying assumptions that govern the folklorist's study of tales. He claims that folktales should be objects of study as well as entertainment. Although there are many variations of the "Cinderella" theme, there are many common bonds that tie the variants together. Every other author who tried himself in this fairy tale was gaining his own purpose focusing his attention to some separate sides and concentrating on concrete details he was interested himself. Cinderella is one of the most popular motifs in folktales from all over the world. As well there many variations of the theme and with regard to mentioned above there many common bonds that tie the variants together.

There exist at least nine variants of this tale motif. Cinderella by Charles Perrault (1697) is one of the best known, perhaps as a result of having been screened by the Disney. The Grimm Brothers' version "Ashputtle, " (1812), Tanith Lee's "When the Clock Strikes, " combines the "Cinderella", chronologically after there comes "A Chinese 'Cinderella, '" by Tuan Ch " Eng-Shih. "The Maiden, the Frog, and the Chief's Son (An African 'Cinderella') " is an African version of the tale of 1965. The Native American version of "Cinderella, "OochigeaskwThe Rough-Faced Girl", "Walt Disney's 'Cinderella, '" adapted by Campbell Grant, is the Little Golden Book adaptation of the Disney film. " After the variants, in "'Cinderella': A Story of Sibling Rivalry and Oedipal Conflicts, " Freudian psychologist Bruno Bettelheim analyzes "Cinderella's" hidden meanings and asserts that the tale appeals to children because it focuses on the sibling rivalry many children feel at a young age. A Jungian analyst, Jacqueline Schectman, examines the tale to find a sympathetic Stepmother in "'Cinderella' and the Loss of Father-Love. " The chapter concludes with "Cinderella's Stepsisters" by Toni Morrison, which focuses on the evil women inflict on each other and appeals to women not to treat each other with enmity but to nurture each other the problem aroused in most of contemporary variants of Cinderella stand for the attempt to find the ways the fairy tales, heard while young, can have a lasting influence on attitude later in life. Time passing but the leitmotif of poor girl-victim is still played up but the values of the world society have changed to a certain degree, social roles of a woman have also been revaluate.

And they lived happily ever after! This is the classic ending to the majority of fairy tales that we used to hear being children. Although much of the influence we get from fairy tales is quite innocent, there are some stereotypes invisibly embroidered in to the plot of fairy tales. The most striking thing is there has been a tradition of portraying women in a negative fashion. The Grimm Brothers' version of Cinderella exemplifies some of these portrayals including the stereotypical role of the evil stepmother, the role of the wicked witch and the role of passive female heroines. Rare amongst fairy tales also demonstrates the active role of female heroines, but only under restricted conditions.

These stereotypes are seen throughout the story created by Toni Morrison must admit the whole theme was reappraised by the author and availed of her days reality. She focuses her attention not on the traditionally tales fake heroes those of stepmother and her influence on her generic children, she applies for so called consequences - next generation and portrays in such a way the heritage of social processes in women relationships. I want not to ask: you but to tell you not to participate in the oppression of your sisters. Mothers who abuse their children are women, and another woman, not an agency, has to be willing to stay their hands.

Mothers who set fire to school buses are women, and another woman, not an agency, has to tell them to stay their hands. Women who stop the promotion of other women in careers are women, and another woman must come to the victim's aid. Social and welfare workers who humiliate their clients may be women, and other women colleagues have to deflect their anger... (1) Her statements rings more like indignation concerning the womens reevaluation of her status in society. She also arose a question of racial prejudice and oppression. With the weight of racial pressures in the 20 th century, the strained relationships among Black women emerged as well. Addressing these concerns, Africana Womanism became an antidote to the strain currently confronting both Black women as sisters, as well as Black male / female relationships.

Nobel Prize-winning author, Tony Morrison, captures the strain of female relationships in particular in her commencement address, Cinderella Stepsisters. As you entertain Morrison's insights, just for the moment, I would like for you to substitute any particular group for women/ mothers / sisters here, such as Blacks, Native Americans, Asians, Latinas, Jews, differently abled, men, etc. who, in much the same way as the women or the "stepsister" here could be discriminated against simply because of their differences. I am alarmed by the violence that women do to each other: professional violence, competitive violence, emotional violence. I am alarmed by the willingness of women to enslave other women. I am alarmed by a growing absence of decency on the killing floor of professional women's worlds... (1) Herewith I see not a particular problem of parents-children relations Morrison has explore the aged-story into what the modern world have come to.

Problems has overcome the family relations theme margins, it has began reflecting globalization of the nowadays world. Traditional Cinderella turned us her unknown face through Morrisons prism of view. I am suggesting that we pay as much attention to our nurturing sensibilities as to our ambition. We are moving in the direction of freedom and the function of freedom is to free somebody else. You are moving toward self-fulfillment, and the consequences of that fulfillment should be to discover that there is something just as important as you are and that just-as-important thing may be Cinderella -- or your stepsister... (1) In your rainbow journey toward the realization of personal goals, don't make choices based only on your security and your safety. Nothing is safe...

But in pursuing your highest ambitions, don't let your personal safety diminish the safety of your stepsister. In wielding the power that is deservedly yours, don't permit it to enslave your stepsisters. Let your might and your power emanate from that place in you that is nurturing and caring. (1) Here Morrison comments on her amazement at the cruel manner in which women treat each other every day, particularly in the workplace. Her statement offers profound insights into the nature and source of the absence of sisterhood on the part of many women toward each other, an unfortunate phenomenon which violates the very foundation of female relationships. Genuine Sisterhood is one of the key components for human survival, for the security and harmony of women undergird the strength and structure of society and all its participants. Talking much about women violence portrayed in all-times Cinderella the question emerges by itself: all Cinderella authors concentrated on women faulty nature, even if the run of the original tale was reorganized.

Is that so that the "violence" women do to one another is different in degree or kind than the violence they do to men-or that men do to men? Cant agree and answer definitely. One of the stereotypes perpetuated by Cinderella is that of a controlling, selfish, jealous and "evil stepmother. " The given example of the tale cant unambiguously support such a conclusion. The folk roots of the tale genre used to impose the female sex roles of witches, inhumane stepmothers and etc. Everyone is aware that there are differences between men and women ways to socialize, but almost impossible to say anything universally valid about those differences. A man being more straightforward yields to a woman ulterior motive state of mind.

Thus the old adage that a womans strength is her weakness can be transformed into a source of power, it could be also a mask, under which lurks a will to power equal to any mans. And it may equally leave imprints on relations between a man and a woman, between women. There is just one snag: two women possessing such a quality are under disadvantage to deal with a possible conflict without complications To cap it all said above the fairy tale produced by Morrison is not a myth, its a reflection of modern society. I agree completely with the authors discovery that the career minded feminist women are inclined to use other women as stepping stones to further their own career. Bibliography: 1. Morrison, Tony.

Cinderellas Stepsisters. 2. Bettelheim, Bruno. "Fairy Tales as Ways of Knowing. " Fairy Tales as Ways of Knowing: Essays on March in Psychology, Society, and Literature. Eds. Michael Metzger and Katharina Mommsen.

Los Vegas: Peter Lang, 1981. 4. Henke, Jill Bernie, Diane Zimmerman Unable, and Nancy J. Smith. "Construction of the Female self: Feminist Readings of the Disney Heroine" Women's Studies in Communication 19 (1996): 229 - 250. 5. Stone, Kay. "And She Lived Happily Ever After. " Women and Language 19 (1996): 14 - 15...

Research essay sample on Investigating The Roots Of Womens Violence