Louis Mallard leads a happy life with little troubles; but because of the expectations of a woman during the late nineteenth century, she is confined to a model life. ... One of the many themes in this story is not accepting life as it comes but directing it in a desired path. ... Even in the case of a tragedy, they feel she is unable to handle the news and "great care [is] taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death- (Chopin 147). ... This story has many themes. ... In today's society, women have made great strides to equality. ...

• Word Count: 824
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Nora, as a woman, also has many expectations she must try to live up to. ... Yet even though the weakest characteristics were attributed to women, great responsibility was put on them as regarding the raising of their children. ... Though he won't answer the questions in any of his plays, he does not hesitate to present the same problem and theme again in a different form. ... the expectations of society to try to be true to themselves (Meyer 1567). He often presented this theme by switching around the roles so as to differ from the established expectations and roles of men and women....

• Word Count: 1947
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

Nevertheless, the careful reader notices a curious trend in many of Shakespeare's plays: many of Shakespeare's female characters exercise a rather great deal of delicate forms of power and influence, and often do so in unusual and even subversive ways that challenge traditional gender roles. ... First, Hermia contested traditional gender expectations and made the decision to be responsible for her own destiny; in doing so, she was rewarded for her courage. Second, women will not always be able to sort out their own problems; at times, forces beyond their own power-indeed, beyond huma...

• Word Count: 2208
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate

The reader notes that a major theme of the three works is the long-term effect of outside pressure on the subjects from birth. ... Though she attempts to defy these expectations by cutting off her "great big nose" and "fat legs," in her death, the woman is displayed in her casket with cosmetics painted on and a beautiful turned-up putty nose. ... The recurring theme in Maxine Hong Kingston's short story was that of gender inequality and its acceptance in Chinese culture. ... They went to great pains making themselves look perfect, hoping to attract a male. ...

• Word Count: 979
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The book, which was written as both a novel and a statement, has themes such as the strength of the mind during hard times and powerful female roles. ... Its no wonder that Cather describes the scenery so extensively, with quotes such as "The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up." ... Then there is Antonia, growing up away from all these social expectations, away from the cities and stuffy aristocrats. ...

• Word Count: 821
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Take this scenario and throw in an argument over beer tasting great or being less filling and you have the latest Miller Lite commercial. ... Sexually influenced materials have normally been created for and by men and have a particularly overwhelming masculine theme, (Harris 91, 214). ... The male dominant, female submissive role is a common theme throughout nearly every advertisement researched. ... The unobtainable expectations set by the male advertisers are killing more women every year than the AIDS epidemic (Wolf 88). ...

• Word Count: 1525
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Gender roles are a theme which is explored in a number of ways in Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre." ... Jane's search for independence from the men in her life is a continuing theme in the novel. ... Indeed, Bertens describes how "thinking in terms of gender stereotypes" has brought about men with female - and therefore "weak" - attributes, "whom everybody automatically assumed to be 'masculine', to positions of great power"[4]. ... Mrs Fairfax's actual position shows that she is far from it – "this affable and kind little wid...

• Word Count: 1797
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Mallard feel free, free from oppression, and free from the burden of society's expectations. ... The Storm, another great story written by Kate Chopin expresses yet again the theme of a male dominated society. ...

• Word Count: 1053
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Stereotypes and gender roles had a strong hold on society in the late 1800's, and because many women silently desired independence above all else, their wish for equality was a common theme in literature of that era. ... The fact that Louisa willingly released the hand Joe Dagget, who was undeniably husband material and considered a "catch" for any single woman, reinforces the point that she was rebelling against the norms and expectations of society. ... "(661) What is interesting is that Freeman describes death as something great which happened to Louisa. She is advocating for wome...

• Word Count: 2223
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Aphra Behn is a complicated figure within English theatrical history. As the first woman in England to classify herself as a professional writer and playwright, she wrote to support herself and to prove a point during a time when women were deemed subordinate to men. She was a commoner among royals...

• Word Count: 2238
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate