Images

"The Yellow Wall Paper"
The image I chose was, " Out of one window I can see the garden, those mysterious deep-shaded arbors, the riotous old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees. Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down from the house. I always fancy seeing people walking in these numerous paths and arbors, but John has cautioned me not to giver way to fancy in the least. "
To me, the two view out the window represent the two sides to how she is feeling. In the first view, words like "shaded", "riotous", "old-fashioned" and "gnarly" appear. These are all somewhat negative words that suggest that she might be upset or annoyed with how her husband is treating her. While the other view is much happier with words like "beautiful", and the description of people walking down the path. She also adds that John does not want her to enjoy this view as much. I believe that the second view represents the side of her that is independent (the description of the private wharf) and creative. The first view represents the side of her that is old-fashioned, or controled too heavily by her clueless husband.
It's sad that her husband can't see that in reality his wife is severly depressed, and the last thing she needs is to iscolated and locked in a room that she feels uncomfortable in in the first place. What this woman needs is time to do what she enjoys; to find herself and her own identity once again and not be indentified as only a wife and mother.
"Ain't I A Woman?"
I chose this quote: "That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nodbody helps me into carriages or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me!"
I chose this quote because it covers two big issues in one statement. It covers the unequal treatment of black women, and also the pampered, unnecessary treatment of all women in general. She is somewhat mocking the idea that women actually need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches and pampered all the time. She then goes on to explain that she is also a woman, but does not get this womanly treatment. It is clear to the audience that she does not necessarily need or want this type of treatment, but the fact that she does not get it as a woman is unfair beacuse it means that she is not considered a woman. She makes it clear that she is proud to be a woman; that she has worked hard and that is what a real woman is. It reminds me of all the women in history who have worked so hard, suffering both mentally and physically to prove that they are true women. It changes the idea of what a real woman is.

"Lady Lazarus"
The quote that struck me was the very last one. "Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air"
I chose this quote because it is incredibly simple wording, yet communicates a very powerful, conquering message. She seems to be proud of how strong she can be throughout the poem, no matter how many times man does her wrong, but the last quote seems to be her boldest statement. She is rising above, with her red hair (she is proud of herself, of her hair, she loves herself) and is eating men like air. To me, that means that she is not letting them get to her. She is being strong so that no matter how many times they try, she will always rise above and not let them win by changing her attitude about herself and trying to make her weak. It may be somewhat revengeful, representing herself rising after she has died and getting back at men for what they have done. This poem was very interesting because it was very sad, yet the speaker kept a coy, proud attitude throughout. It is about a very strong woman enuduring horrible hardships who is able to keep her head high throughout and survive.

"When I Was Growing Up"
The quote I chose from this is : "When I was growing up, my sisters with fair skin got praised for their beauty, and in the dark I fell further, crushed between high walls"
The biggest thing that popped out to me in this poem was her referring to white girls as her sisters. It is amazing because although she is clearly being treated inferior to them, she considers all races of girls and women sisters. It says a lot about female friendship and connection. It seems that no matter who we are, as women, we are on the same team and to me that is comforting. I'm astounded by the girl in the poem because she can be treated so differently from these other girls and yet still consider them her sisters. She doesn't really show any jealousy or anger towards these girls who are getting special treatment simply for the color of their skin. She goes on to say that in the dark she fell further, crushed between high walls. This represents the way she is treated for the color of her skin. She feels crushed between these walls because she cannot change herself. She is discriminated against for something she cannot control, and feels trapped.

"The Thirty-Eighth Year"
The quote I chose is: "I have taken the bones you hardened and built daughters and they blossom and promise fruit like Afrikan trees. I am a woman now. An ordinary woman."
I chose this quote because it seems to explain best what an "ordinary" woman is considered. It suggests that an ordinary woman has children, creates life. After explaining that she has raised daughters, she goes on to say that now she is a women, suggesting that only until she has created life is she truly a woman. She feels ordinary in the sense that she has performed her main and most valuable task as a woman, leaving her to feel ordinary. It means that she needs something more out of life, to feel like herself. This is the case with women in many cultures and socities where they are told that their main purpose is to give birth. This poem expresses the feelings these women have and their need to be individuals, to have something more to their lives that is their own, to make them feel human.