Ok – that was a bad choice of words. My school is not breeding feminists – that would be wrong and decidedly gross. My school is more… training feminists to be released into the water supply in a final bid to take over the world!!
Mwahahahahahaaa!
Let me give you an example:
The majority of the feminising happens during my English-Lit class (although I’m sure, as others will testify, that it is also present to an extent in the English/Snr English classes). Firstly, let us get into the English-Lit frame of mind:
-Ahem- sexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexexsexsex…
Is your mind in the gutter yet? Good.
Now that you are in the correct frame of mind, let us continue on to the aspects which make up the ‘feminist-in-training’ class.
Firstly, questions.
When in an English-Lit class you will invariably be asked to comment on the ‘symbolism’ inherent in a section of the text.
For example:
“What does corn symbolise in THE GOOD CORN?”
There are two correct answers to this.
1. Sex – it is a phallic symbol or
2. It represents the repression of women at the hands of a strongly patriarchal society.
Both are considered correct, but the second uses a greater amount of “key words” and so will get more kudos.
If I can give you one piece of advise that will get you through a Lit lesson it would be to have on you, at all times, a tape recorder with your voice saying ‘sex’ and ‘the repression of women’ at random intervals. This will work to fend of any questions you may be asked…
“What is ravine symbolic of?”
“sex”
“What caused Medea to murder Kreon?”
“the repression of women”
“What were the main factors that brought about the creation of Gilead?”
“sex…the repression of women”
“excellent work!”
Nextly (is that even a word!?), are the influences behind each of our chosen texts this year.
Text 1: Medea – a strong woman is repressed by her husband and the patriarchal society of Ancient Greece – we admire the woman who has to make great sacrifices (ie. Kill her children) and condemn the men-folk who invariably cause these dilemmas.
Text 2: A Handmaid’s Tale – This book embodies the Lit syllabus. If you haven’t read the book I can’t really describe it to you (nor do I want to delve back into this little gem) but believe you me its chock-a-block full of sex, the repression/oppression of women, slavery and the occasional “all men are bastards” spiel.
Text 3: The collected works of TS Eliot – “But what about TS Eliot?” I hear you cry, “He was just a poet!” Well that’s exactly what I thought until Lit showed me differently. Eliot was, in fact, a “woman-disliker” – thus filling the repression of women catergory quite nicely. Oh, and he also wrote about prostitutes… a bit.
Text 4: Ibsen’s Ghosts – Ok, this is getting repetitive. I’m just going to copy/paste/edit here.
A strong woman is repressed by her husband and the patriarchal society of 19th Century Norway – we admire the woman who has to make great sacrifices (ie. Play drinking games with her debaucherous husband) and condemn the men-folk who invariably cause these dilemmas.
Text 5: The Lost Honour of KAtharina Blum – who caused Katharina to lose her honour? Men! Who are represented as louts, schemers and stalkers? Men! Who are being repressed? Women!
Text 6: The Metaphysical Poets – okay, truth be told, we haven’t started the Metaphysicals yet, but I’m sure it will be full of repression. And sex.
Lit also teaches us a lot about stereotypes. "Stereotypes are bad. They catergorise people and do not allow for individualism". Stereotypes of men and women are especially loathsome, as they confine us to our roles in society – women as moody and motherly, men as devoid of emotion and butch. Or so I’m told.
Now,
there wouldn’t usually be a problem with the whole feminist thing in school – its quite fun to rile people up about the treatment of women in society and how stereotypes are basically everywhere, but I do have a problem with the way it sort of spills over into my everyday life.
For example – I will be watching Tv and suddenly notice that that women sitting over there is a stereotype! She is being subservient to men, the way is is dressed is stereotypical she is wearing (gasp) makeup! – and out comes the ‘lit monster’ – she is being repressed by men!! And that’s the end of my enjoying that particular show – damn analytical talents.
I’m even up for the emancipation of men!
A few weeks ago I was watching Big Brother (shut up!) and one of them suggested that he didn’t have a real, ‘emotional’ relationship with his friends. Upon interviewing one of the friends and him being asked the question – do you think this will actually happen? What followed was a lot of embarrassed noise making with a final verdict that, no, he didn’t want any sort of emotional relationship, heaven forbid with his friend!
Men!
Oh gawd – am turning into a feminist!!
Do you see what school is doing to this generation?! Our generation is going to become one where men don’t feel and all women think that we’re being repressed!
Who will be laughing then? Hmmm?
Only the hyenas, my friend, only the hyenas.
Ok. That last bit was a little melodramatic…
