A Glass Menagerie
I was having trouble getting into ‘A Glass Menagerie’ and ‘A Doll’s House’ before we went over them in class today. It’s not that they lack enough action, but I guess after reading Othello first they can’t compare to that kind of drama. That being said, out of the two we went over in class today, I liked ‘A Glass Menagerie’ the best. I think a lot of us can relate to the feeling of wanting to escape at one point or another. Not just from roles imposed on us by society, but also from what is expected from us within our own families. I think even though Tom (the son) escaped from the role he played in his family, he probably assumed another role elsewhere, meaning he would still have certain thing expected of him.
It makes me think of a couple questions:
Do we do things (such as go to college, go to church, etc.) because we truly want to do them or because society tells us we should do them?
No matter where we go or who we interact with, will we always have to assume a role where certain things are expected of us? Will gender always play a part in those roles?
I’d like to know what you guys think.
October 16, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Great questions, Brandon!
October 16, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Hmm… yours was a post that got my immediate attention because your questions are mind racking Brandon. These questions: (Do we do things because we truly want to do them or because society tells us we should do them; will we always have to assume a role where certain things are expected of us; and, will gender always play a part in those roles?) do not have a clear cut or right and wrong answers. However I think that the answers are in the question. Yes we do thing we truly want to do as long as they are acceptable socially; yes too, we will always have to assume a role all through our lifetime and at each timeline certain things will always be expected of us and, lastly, yes, gender will always play a part in those roles we assume. I guess I sound confusing but I will try to explain as best as I can what I am talking about. I am 41years old and when I look back, I see that at every point in my life I was in a role. From the time I can remember, I did things because it was the “thing” to do at that point in my life. Looking back, that was what it looked like, but now, I see it was a subtle direction by society backed by my inner intuition (subconscious). Let me break it down. I went to school when I was supposed to (role) got my degree (expected) which enabled me to get a fantastic job that I worked at for over 12years before coming down to the United States due to relocation as a result of marriage (gender), because been a woman, it is seen as easier to quit my job than a man (breadwinner) quitting his job. I am back in school again now for the third time because I need another degree to work in a field I have just recently discovered that I have a passion for. However, those who don’t follow the subtle directions of society are the ones we call “Displaced persons” or “Rascals”, not in so many words or obviously, but when we meet such persons, society tends to silently call them that. These are the people who end up later on in their lives in a position/situation way below what should have been if only they had done what was “gender appropriate”, and “expected” of them. Besides, remember you and I make up “society”. So it’s a question of doing what we truly want to do BUT socially acceptable. In other words, if what we truly want to do goes against social norms, then it is categorized as unacceptable and society comes down hard on such a person.
My counter questions to you then are: what will you do maybe ten years down the line when you have to take care of your own self or maybe a family if today, you do not acquire the skills that you will need then? And secondly, is it really society telling us what to do or is it a case of the “inbuilt truth” in everyone of us which overtime (centuries) have been tested, followed by the majority of mankind and found to be the way to go for growth, success, and prosperity?
October 30, 2009 at 11:35 pm
You guys , Brandon and Ruth, truely have put something on my mind. I did not do well with the drama we covered in class, but I swear you guys have me wanting to go back and re-read “The Glass Menagerie.
Answering Brandon’s question (Do we do things because we truely want to do them or because society tells us we should do them?) Speaking for myself, I do things like go to church because I believe and trust in God. I do things like go to school because I know the outcome, higher paying wages. I do things like “walk with my head held high” beacuse I am proud of who I am. I do things like treating others with respect because I want to be treated the same. And the list goes on and on.
All that to say, NO, I DO NOT DO THINGS BECAUSE IT IS WHAT I THINK IS EXPECTED OF ME, I DO THINGS BECAUE IT IS SIMPLY WHO I AM AND WHO I WANT TO BECOME, PERIOD. I DO NOT BASE MY DECISIONS ON WHAT SOCIETY WILL THINK , BUT RATHER WHAT I BELIEVE AND WHAT IS IN MY HEART.
However, at one point in my life I did allow society to govern my life a little. I became older I worried less about society’ s thoughts and more about my own.