Giovanny Sanchez May 5, 2012 Ms. Collins Barbie’s World In everyone’s childhood there is always that one special non-living figure in their personal lives, a figure we admired, something we looked up to be, like an idol. In “You Can Never Have Too Many,” Jane Smiley thanks Barbie for the effect she had on her daughter’s lives as they were growing up to be young adults; by teaching them the feminine side of woman at an early stage, which ultimately allowed their minds to have a lot more options when it really came down to figuring out who they wanted to be at an adult stage. Smiley however, does not effectively support this argument because she gives a lot of credit to Barbie for the way her daughters turn out to be but she’s forgetting
Even though we have become more independent, she still does her best to be the best mom she can be. She has always tried to find a balance between working and being a wife and mother, but found that she has always put that first in her life before a career. She is now still working to help put me and my sister through college and will still work to pay for our weddings. Then she will work for her grandchildren. I guess you can say her role in life is to be happy, live comfortably financially and do everything she can to make her family comfortable and happy.
As the mother of two daughters I always want for my daughters what I feel was lacking in my life. It makes sense to me that Nanny’s idea of success and freedom is being wealthy and idle. That was what was literally beaten into Nanny. I think in real life, as with Nanny, mothers can get so blinded by their own agenda and their attempt to fulfill their own dreams through their daughter that they don’t stop to ask what their child wants. While I understand that this may not be the ideal way to handle a situation, I believe that Nanny did the best she could considering her experiences.
Counter for the Case Against Chores Abstract Jane Smiley attempts to give parents advice about household chores in her essay The Case Against Chores, which was featured in an issue of Harper’s magazine in 1995. I think that Jane had a somewhat privileged childhood; if it weren’t for finding the way to hard work through working with horses, she would most likely not have a clue of how to operate in the adult world. I grew up in a house with a chore list, and it helped me on my path to be a functioning adult and mother. Agreed that most children would celebrate Jane Smiley’s case against chores, but is it any good? In her essay, The Case against Chores, Jane Smiley shows her contempt for chores by giving some opinions that I simply do not agree with.
Alice's parents tell her who she is permitted to see. They also instruct her how to dress, and of course how not to. It is through experiences such as Alice's younger sister falling off the bed, under her watch, that Alice's parents have a crucial influence on her self-discovery. Specifically, Alice's relatives influence her self-discovery journey by not being supportive. As Alice had to grow up basically looking after her self and her younger siblings she learned that even if you do not have support you still need to follow your dreams and live you life.
Then there is Dee, the older sister, which is out spoken and thinks she is the best looking girl in the world. As for Maggie, she is ok with the way they live, however Dee does not understand why they still live the way they do. The older sister thinks she can take and do as she wishes, as Maggie lets everything go without a fight. If they could just get along, they could change a whole lot in each other’s lives and be allot more understanding of each other. If every person in this world would stop judging, and start listening to each other, there may not be as many wars and deaths.
Alvarez essay explains how her parents and media taught Alvarez self-worth. Alvarez’s explains how she grew up and learned to love herself. “As a young teenager in our new country, my sisters and I searched for clues on how to look as if we belonged here (Alvarez 92). Young girl sometimes find themselves trying to be like people they see on T.V. so that they can fit into the world.
It was her mistake, so she is going to take on her responsibility, and be a great parent for her unborn child. She said, “If it was my choice i would have got pregnant after college” (Duval). Luckily, her boyfriend, her family and friends were unexpectedly supportive of this major change in Harley’s life. Everyone preached to Harley about how tough it would be with having a baby, she didn’t think anything of it. The only worry in their minds was Harley and her junior year of high school; hoping and expecting she would finish
In addition to creating a new female aesthetic and a place for women in the arts, her children were highly involved with the creative process which occurred. I believe this was a project between a mother and her children, and due to the process being placed into the limelight with its success, received raised eyebrows because of the confident nature of the project. I have looked at Mann’s photographs and I see them as a family album; yes the images are extreme, but they still hold a sense of tenderness. I believe the images are maternal, but the argument will never be concluded as with new people comes new
To a child that age, they see their mom as their caregiver. They could even think that is their mom’s job – being next to them and caring for them and loving them. To hear, “I have to find something interesting,” from their mom, I think it is almost impossible for a child not to misunderstand that and blame their mom’s leaving them on