Feminist+Criticism-Per+6

= **__FEMINIST THEORY__ ** =

http://www.redletterpress.org/feminism101.html
=What is Feminism? =

__ Feminism is “the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men” (Dictionary.com). __

=__ The History of Feminism: __ =

__ The overall feminist movement began in France and the Netherlands, during the 19th century to fight for the women’s right to vote. The idea of Feminism gained supporters and strength to move forward after World War II. __

=**Feminist Quotes:** = __ “These women are not women on the fringes of philosophy, but philosophers on the fringes of history.”- Mary Ellen Waithe __

__ “Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail no one will say, ‘She doesn’t have what it takes.’ They will say ‘Women don’t have what it takes.’”- Clare Boothe Luce __

__ “Women have been taught, that for us, the earth is flat, and that if we venture out, we will fall off the edge.”- Andrea Dworkin __

__ “You don’t have to be anti-man to be pro-woman.”- Jane Galvin Lewis __

= Famous Feminists: =

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__ Feminists that stood out in history included Abigail Adams, who expressed her ideas through letters she sent to her husband against issues such as slavery. This took place before the abolitionist movement started. __ ======

Susan B. Anthony was one of the leaders in introducing women’s voting rights into the United States. She was cofounder of the Women’s Temperance Movement, as well as the women’s rights journal The Revolution. She was a very public figure, who gave about 100 speeches each year in both the United States and Europe. Unfortunately, she passed away 14 years before the 19th Amendment was passed, which gave women the right to vote. She was later honored as being the first real American woman on US coins.

How can this theory be used in examining literature?
__ Reading through a feminist lens, it becomes more apparent of the separation of roles in literature. The year a work was written can also play a major role in using the feminist theory. A very well known example of gender roles in literature is in //Of Mice and Men// by John Steinbeck. Curly treats his wife as though she is a piece of property rather than a human being. In addition, Curly's wife does not have a name in the book, and a feminist would believe it was due to her gender. __

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff00df; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Critique of the Theory
<span style="color: #070307; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">We believe that feminism is a movement to emphasize equality in society. The idea of feminism is well thought out, but the way it is executed in society is poor. Some women take it to the extreme. For example, they think men create a negative effect on women's rights. "You don't have to be anti-man to be pro-women" (Jane Galvin Lewis). Women who take feminism to the highest extent hate men, but there is no need to if we all have equal rights.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**__Works Cited__** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">http://www.quotegarden.com/feminism.html <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">-All quotes were found on this website.