Independent Women

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Rachel Christudhas

Honors English 11-21

November 7, 2002

Final Draft

Independent Women

“The suburban housewife—she was the dream image of the young American women and the envy, it was said, of women all over the world….She was healthy, beautiful, educated, concerned only about her husband, her children, her home.  She had found true feminine fulfillment” (Friedan 13).  Did women really have their true fulfillment?  Was their purpose in life completed after accepting they were housewives?  According to A Doll’s House and The Feminine Mystique, society gives women expectations to follow.  These expectations do not help women fulfill their true aspirations.  Since women live their lives under society’s expectations, the lack of fulfillment they feel is satisfied when they define their individuality.

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In order for women to define their individuality, they have to know their role in life.  Many women try to find out their role by trying different activities women should do.

“I’ve tried everything women are supposed to do—hobbies, gardening, pickling, canning, being very social with my neighbors, joining committees, running PTA teas.  I can do it all, and I like it, but it doesn’t leave you anything to think about—any feeling of who you are”. (16)

Women try to do different things society tells them to do, to find out who they are, but it does ...

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