As a sophomore in college, I have finally started to get in to my major courses. Of course I still have to take classes like sociology and psychology; nevertheless, I am now where I truly want to be, completely surrounded by literature. Currently, I am taking three literature courses; each has its own varying, objectives. There is one class in particular that has left a great impression upon me, special topics of American novels.
The class is an elective exclusively for English majors and I was truly ecstatic to hear that, due to the lack of English students on my campus. So, to find a class such as this one that was both small and female-centric, I just knew it was too good to be true. Not to be sexist in anyway, but sometimes it is nice to divulge in intellectual conversation with other women.
At the time, my Spidey senses had not alerted me to the situation that I had found myself in. It would not occur to me until much later, two novels later, that I was a part of a movement that had been going on for ages, the battle of the sexes. Unknowingly I was being placed smack dab in the middle of a feminist group, whose leader was so up in age that she was stuck in her ideals. I have no qualms against feminists, I just never found myself to be as up in arms as some women about gender.
It would seem that after every story, which so happened to have been written by and about women, the class would hold discussions on the injustices of the “status quo” of women in society. At first, I did not truly know how to feel. It just felt like a lot of females heckling over the same issues that never seemed to change. My way of thinking was altered; however, the more we began to relate the text to more intimate situations. The longer I stayed in the class, the more I began to weigh in on discussions.
A topic that got to many of us was the purpose and worth of a female in society. After debating for twenty minutes, I found that not many of my classmates could see themselves playing only the role of homemaker. The fantasy and magic of Disney and it’s many fairytales had worn off. Those little girls who had once wanted to be princesses and live happily ever after were now figuring out that life was not truly like that.
Once upon a time, it was so easy to get caught up in the whimsical idea of happily ever after’s; however, the reality of the situation is that women are not like the characters we see on the big screen. A prince will not be riding on his white horse to take us off for a bright, sunny future. We have to be our own saviors.
The social evolution of womankind is evident. We are no longer stay at home moms and caregivers, but innovators, CEOs, and engineers. There is no longer a “status quo” to abide by. Women are now the masters of their own fate. Although we still have some obstacles to face, we are making more progress than we have in the past. The future is ours for the taking, we just have to be willing to grab it.
