British Literature, Norton Anthology and Women Issues - Essay Example

Women Issues The Norton Anthology presents various themes in literature. Among the themes found in the book include; Victorian imperialism, whether or not industrialization is progressing, and the women question. The paper explores the women question in great details and compares it to an author’s work. Background on womens issues Throughout history, people have formed groups to fight for liberation (Eugene, 2). The minority groups where women belong have formed lots many revolutions across the world so that they gain liberation. Stereotyping of women has contributed to their inability to compete on equal terms with men. Biased men continue to regard women to be second after them. The men assume most important roles, leaving inferior ones to women. Several literatures reveal that womens duties have been confined to household chores like child rearing at home (Custis, 34). They are supposed to teach children religion and moral values. Back in history in the 16th century, women have been forced to stay at home and wait for the husbands to provide basic needs for the family. The injustices currently faced by women stitch the past to the present state of events. The notion that women are inferior in the society has been evidenced in almost all regions of the world. It has been seen in the United States of America, Europe and the Middle East Nations just to mention a few (Custis, 76). To date, women face discrimination due to education, income, age, involvement in community activities and health matters (Eugene, 3). Other forms of violation include; gender violence, sex discrimination and trafficking. Immediately after the Second World War, standards were set to protect women from discrimination. They included the Human rights, international Bill and the United Nations charter. These were legislated to ensure that there were equal opportunities for women and men. The Charters also ensured that women discrimination based on sex was brought to an end. However, there are some issues pertaining to women that have not changed in the last 100 years. Men dominate most of the professional fields that are perceived to as esteemed. It means that men are earning more from their work compared to women. Additionally, women continue to balance their roles at home and in the work place. Comparing the proportion of men who balance the home duties with that in the workplace, women outweigh their men counterparts. Misrepresentation in the work place persists despite several campaigns being put in place to bring about gender equality. Displacement of women is common during humanitarian crisis. Usually aid is provided to the women so that they are relieved from suffering. Moreover, aid provision helps to defend women’s dignity and so help in defending their rights. There are several waves that have led to the recognition of women in the society. The first feminism waves led to women being granted voting opportunities. The second Feminism waves of the 1960s and 1970s accorded women more opportunities. Women were granted public jobs regardless of their races or origin and opportunities to own properties besides assumption of leadership roles (Doris, 6). Detailed analysis of the work In the book, Half the Church: Recapturing women’s Vision of God, the author suggests that women comprise more than half of the population (Custis, 45). Additionally, their representation in the church is also greater compared to men. Hence, men are less likely to gain Christian teachings compared to women. However, the teaching of Christianity in the church never get beyond the church premises. Consequently, women continue to assume weaker roles in the society. The women are not advanced opportunities in major sectors like economic development. Therefore, women and girls are denied opportunities to prosper as was destined by God. The author goes ahead to narrate that the plights of women need to be addressed using the principles of Christianity. Christianity principles and doctrines are directed to men who deny women their privileges. The book highlights that what women experienced in the 21st century is worse than what the teachings of Christianity. The author asserts that some nations have denied women basic rights. Among the righteous women who are deprived in Half the Church includes; voting opportunities, property ownership and employment opportunities. In the book Half the Church: Recapturing women’s Vision of God, women continue to work as slaves in the hands of the men who are supposed to provide protection to them. The author of the book presents an irony as men are tasked with the responsibility of protecting women. One of the questions the author poses is that what makes men to have a low opinion of their women? The theme of injustice is thus brought out of the audience in the book, Half the church. Injustice is felt regarding employment matters, health, education and property ownership. Carolyn Custis unpacks transformative thematic areas presented by the bible to help empower women (Custis, 199). These themes provide a basis for investment upon which the dignity of the girl child can be uplifted. The author of the book advocates for men on Earth to advance the gracious kingdom of God on earth. Through Carolyn Curtis, readers and all audiences are offered positive approaches to address the challenges, changes and opportunities women have in the globe. Another notable thing in Half the Church is the ability of the author to combine the passion of the women who suffer to biblical exegesis. The author accords men who mishandle women that they are ignorant and resist change. Mistreatment of the girl child is perceived to be olden by the author. Further, Caroline Custis describes persons who mistreat the female gender to be those shallow in their religious issues despite the high prevalence of religious teachings present in the 21st century. The title of the book and its subtitle reveal that about half of those mistreated in the world are the girl child. The vision of the book to the audience is to enable them to see a global vision destined for women and men by God. Half of non-church goers mostly men are put in a situation to reconsider the positions regarding women discrimination (Eugene, 2). Carolyn Custis blames half of the church for being responsible for the sufferings women face in the 21st century (Norton Company, 2). Carolyn blames traditional norms and cultures that are oppressive to women. The excellent book by Carolyn pin points the urgency to provide protection to women and girls from discrimination. Among the injustices that are condemned in the book include forced marriages, women trafficking, gang rapes, female genital mutilation and abduction. The author of the book demonstrates a clear vision of the Biblical call to initiate and mobilize justice against the oppressed. She argues that all persons represent God’s image. By virtue that both men and women are created using God’s own image, freedom should be restored to the women. Carolyn Curtis explains that people are aware of the suffering women undergo in the globe, but little has been done to salvage the situation. The author explains that brutal abuse occurs in the neighborhoods (Eugene, 4). The message in the book is that there is a need for people, the church and all organizations on land to come together so that all forms of discrimination is weeded out. Carolyn is also keen to point out that some people tend to oppose and frustrate efforts geared towards freedom of women. In so doing, Carolyn Custis advises all the stakeholders in the world to develop and instill in them a radical approach regarding womens issues. She provides options that can be explored by people besides using the church. Her advice is for men and women to sit together and respect each other. Although there are many debates that have been done to empower the female gender, more efforts need to be done (Dons, 11). There are many efforts and outcomes that have been realized before and after the colonial period. The pre-colonial period was full of hatred for women. Unlike today, incidences of more women facing injustices have greatly reduced. Before, women were not allowed to own property, but to assume the roles of child bearing. One of the reasons for the reduction in the number of women who are suffering is culture shift. Half the Church attributes Westernization and education provision to reduce women discrimination. In the ancient days, it is womens role to be servants to their fathers. Women became submissive and obeyed all the instructions given to them. But the presentations in Half the Church by Carolyn Custis present a different version regarding girls and women at large. Carolyn asserts that women are created in the image of God. It has helped heal the wounds created a century ago when men did not protect, but harmed the women. This change in focus is because men have become civilized. The civilization has enabled men to recognize the sins they committed before and seek repentance. Through the church, equality and fairness is being enhanced. Governments that do not condemn insurgencies against women need to be updated that the old fashioned practices should be left. Some governments are blamed to contribute to the vice. The most rampant region includes countries like Iran, Pakistan and some regions of Africa (Custis, 40). In Africa, countries like Swaziland are still rooted in the tradition. Tradition Swaziland does not offer women to choose their marriage partners. Further, more women work as slaves and are denied better employment opportunities. Assessment of the Carolyn contribution to Womens issues in Literature Half the Church by Carolyn Custis presents a platform on which she critiques women injustices. She gives an analysis of how women discrimination is overlooked. The Victorians demonstrated that until 1918, women did not receive an opportunity to vote in elections in England. Denial of voting opportunities existed despite petitions being introduced in 1840 in the parliament of England so that women are allowed to vote. In the book, Half the Church, by Carolyn, we observe her cautioning organizations and governments so that they provide an ideal environment for women empowerment. Carolyn challenges the society to see women on equal terms just like the men. Still in England, married women were not entitled to property ownership until a property act was enacted from 1870 to 1908. The property act provided reprieve for the women as they became capable of owning property. This way Carolyn makes a major contribution towards the liberation of women in Half the Church. Carolyn also makes an impact on the lives of women because of her work. She struggles to weed out the old norm that women should work as slaves. The womens issues in the Victorians present scenarios where women of lower classes being accorded informal jobs. Womens issues in the Victorians highlight the themes of slavery and inequality. Inequality comes is seen when women are denied education opportunities rendering them incapable of securing white collar jobs. The Victorians also present a better side of a woman who managed to be nurses. The woman nurse was called Florence Nightingale. The woman nurse presents a good advancement regarding the power of women. Carolyn in her book, Half the Church, gives us a detailed account of women should prosper in their duties. Carolyn asserts that women can occupy all professions like medical, engineering and teaching (Custis, 23). Another paradox in the Victorians that is in line with Carolyn’s mission in her book, Half the Church, is that of Queen Victoria of England. Carolyn criticizes states where women and children are killed mercilessly. She provides a forum where religious officers can act to prevent the suffering of the oppressed. Besides, she demonstrates how sufferings are connected to social problems in societies. Citing the Victorians, unemployment by women compared to the injustices in the Half the Church, by Carolyn Custis. Carolyn shifts focus to explain how laying less emphasis on religious matters can ditch a nation to injustices (Custis, 45). Carolyn gives an illustration of the problems experienced individually and in a group. She tells us that while men live comfortably, women suffer as a group. This is a good interplay of how a conservative culture leads to ill treatment of girls and women. Women problems are overlooked despite Jesus having died to redeem his people from sins. Though her contributions are long term, she explains that Christians need to have both faith and salvation, but not to rely solely on faith. Carolyn motivates all the audience that suffering is a prerequisite to redemption and women should not despair. In the Victorians, pictorial presentations are made, demonstrating how women are suffering. The process of suffering is could lead them to redemption. The work by Carolyn may be blamed for biasness. The work fails to point out some of the challenges men face in the community. The author does not point out some of the suffering men have witnessed because of women. However, the illustrations of the Victorians and Half the Church present a background that can be used to address a womans plight. They present complex situations women are faced with in the 21st century. In summary, we observe that Carolyn’s literature of half the Church provides a motivating base upon which sanity can be brought into the society in the 21st century. She presents all the problems women face and how they can be tackled. The main problems the author outlines include gender violence and female genital mutilation. These problems are in line with the womens issues presented in the Victorians. Carolyn urges half of the society to join the other in the fight to condemn these vices. Works Cited Custis, Carolyn. Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women, Zondervan publishers, 2011. Doris, Ruth. A double-edged sword: twenty-first century workplace trends and gender equality, Gender in Management: An International Journal, 2012, 27 (1):7 – 22. Eugene, Cho. The oldest injustices in women history is the way we treat them. Available at http://eugenecho.com/2008/11/29/the-oldest-injustice-in-human-history/ Norton Company. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Available at https://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/victorian/topic_2/welcome.htm Read More