Ibsen Wants to Show That Gender Roles Are Quite Unfair and Can Lead to Unhappiness Henrik Ibsen in “The Dollhouse,”shows the inequality of gender roles in the 19th century This inequality led women to make sacrifices. Women are different now from what they were then. Parental Obligations were fixed during the Victorian Age for both men and women in their gender roles. In “The Dollhouse,” Torvald makes a black and white decision not realizing that he and Nora have a more complex situation of difficulty. Ibsen wants to show that gender roles are quite unfair and can lead to unhappiness. Nora in her role as wife to Torvald and mother to three children had to sacrifice many freedoms. She sacrificed as a mother to stay at home and help raise her children. In addition, she danced around like a doll for Torvald to entertain and please him. To maintain her expected role Nora did just what Torvald had asked. This seemed to be to her the only life she knew because she grew up being a doll to her father and was arranged to be a doll for her husband just the same. Eventually, this fixed role as a woman led Nora to unhappiness. Nora eventually asks Torvald to sacrifice his honor for her and when he wouldn’t do it she brings out a realistic point that “thousands of women have.” (quote) Then she brings up a question of why Torvald can’t do so. Nora had enough of sacrificing and decide d that she needed to start a life where she could learn about the world on her own and not be spoon-fed everything. So she decides to leave and says, “For that a most wonderful miracle of all would have to happen. We’d both change so much that – Oh, Torvald, I’ve stopped believing in miracles. That our life together would be a true marriage. Goodbye.” Nora from that moment on decides she is done sacrificing herself to what was considered her most sacred duty, packs her suitcase and then leaves. Torvald as husband plays the role of the controlling “father” never really having to sacrifice anything. He looks at Nora as if she is crazy when she decides to leave. He even actually commands her to stay there with him but Nora doesn’t listen. Nora’s parental obligations come into consideration when Nora decides to leave. That’s when Torvald says, “But to desert your home, your husband, and your children! And aren’t you concerned about what people will say?” (Act III. Last Scene. 15-16, 950) This quote truly shows that Torvald was a strong believer in his morals and the way of the Victiorian Age. He believed that the Queen was right in setting her example and the duties of women should be remembered first and foremost. That’s just about when Torvald says, “This is outrageous! You’re just going to walk away from your most sacred duties?” (Act III. Last Scene. 19-20. 950) Of course Nora replies defensively explaining, “I have other duties just as sacred.” (Act III. Last Scene. 26.950) This truly shows that there was a lack of maturity to work through this difficulty from both spouses. Kristine is a third wonderful character in the story and drama of “The Dollhouse.” In contrast, Kristine looked to sacrifice. She also had sacrificed much in order to provide and take care of her family. She actually had to give up a wonderful relationship with Krogstad to marry a man with money to help provide for her family. She eventually went back to Krogstad after her husband dies and decides she wants to be a sacrificial mother again. Unlike Nora, Kristine had a big heart yet and wanted to help Krogstad and his family that his wife left behind. Krogstad accuses Kristine of being selfish and says, “ What was there to understand, except what the whole world could see—a heartless woman drops a man when a better catch comes along?” (Act III. Scene. 3-4. 936) Then a quote from Krogstad says “That may be so but you had no right to case me aside for anyone else’s sake.” Kristine replies and says, “I don’t know if I did or not. Many times I’ve asked myself if I had the right.” (Act III. Scene. 21-23. 936) Eventually Kristine apologizes for the past and sacrifices again because it’s the only things she’s known. Kristine then says, “Well, I’m like a shipwrecked woman clinging to a piece of wreckage, with no one to mourn for and no one to care for.”(Act III. Scene. 41-42. 936) That’s when she asks Krogstad to be a wife and a mother again. This clearly shows that Kristine had strong morals and felt attached to the ordinary way of things then unlike Nora. The introduction of a “Doll’s House” on enotes.com says that Ibsen’s play came out with a new genre of modern drama. Ibsen showed the gender inequality very modernly with a drama set out with a new venture of realism. This venture of realism depicted the fact that women had to sacrifice several times as their role as a wife and mother. “ Indeed, Torvald addresses her as he might a child.” (Enotes.com) In order to make a marriage work there has to be enough maturity from both spouses. We see a fine example set by Kristine when she goes back to Krogstad so that she felt value in herself to sacrifice and work for someone again. Naturally, you also have to work through situations of difficulty. There was a lack of sympathy from Torvald and he was too one-sighted for Nora. Nora was immature in her decision-making and made a bad choice by not consulting Torvald before borrowing money. Torvald reminded her all too much of her father. Although Torvald was a very smart lawyer and had very good ethics there was some immaturity when he sought that anybody who made a mistake was unfit and had to take the punishment awaiting them. He lacked a sense of human understanding that things weren’t always perfect even though he was a perfectionist. Af first, Nora started out responsibly when she borrowed money when they went to Italy to cure Torvald. Things went tragically wrong though when the mishap happened and Krogstad was going to be fired and decided to blackmail the Helmer family. Nora was the type of wife who couldn’t hardly bear the sight of disappointing Torvald for years. She also showed small signs of immaturity which foreshadowed that there was a time she was going to be eventually unhappy just being treated like Torvald’s little squirrel. Although, her personality was young she showed signs of immaturity just as Torvald did in his black-and-white analysis of decision making. Works Cited Ibsen, Henrik. “The Doll House.” X.J. Kennedy, Dana Gioia. Backpack Literature. New York: Pearson, 2010. 891-953. Enotes.com. Enotes.com. 2010. 4 October 2010 http://www.enotes.com/doll-house.

A Great Snowy Night of Fun, Games & Riot

 Composition I 14 Sept. 09 A Great Snowy Night of Fun, Games & Riot I remember making short term plans in the car with Gabby and laughing that I must get home as soon as I could. I was shortly dropped off at my car after some errands and my mother calling asking if I was going to help since “this was my idea.” I drove home and cleaned as much as I could laughing hysterically hoping to get stuff done before my guy friends drove from Jefferson City. Before long, they had already made it to junction AJ and was calling on our phone asking directions. Next thing I knew, they were all here and I was fixing food as fast as I could. I swiftly threw together food as much as I could. A few mozzarella sticks, some left over salad, with peas and tapioca pudding. For example, the mozzarella sticks were just overly done with cheese oozing out of them, slightly turning salad which I picked at and smooth vanilla pudding that burned at the bottom because it cooked too long. The mozzarella sticks were hot and tasted good to each of my friends. The Rich and Charlie’s salad was slightly wilted with its addition of vinaigrette. The tapioca pudding burned with slow silky vanilla warmth tasting perfect to the touch. The evening was a perfect evening. For example, we played “spoons” at the kitchen table. We grabbed at each others hands, arms or practically slung ourselves across the table just in pursuit of grabbing a spoon. The moon hung over our heads. Afterwards we sled down the road on our sleds in the slick ice that hardened. For instance, Callie and I would get on a sled Gerlemann 2 and slide. Billy would get on a sled and try to go down with us too. Emily, Sarah, Melissa, Kyle and Kimmy all waited. As we went down, Callie hurt her but when she fell off into the ditch. We had loads of fun for being kids. We knew we weren’t too old to be grown up and too young to not have the responsibility of a job. Kyle said something to Billy to make him mad and Billy picked Kyle up and back slammed him into the snow. I never did understand fully what happened. Later we decided we were going to have a riot. We got into Kyle’s truck and listened to Nickelback. For instance, we listened to “Far Away.” We laughed and all listened and sung along yelling and screaming out the windows when we went past our neighbors house. We swerved and slid here and there. Kyle’s parents didn’t know we were all in his truck. We drove to the top of the hill and then drove back all the way down fish-tailing every so often. Then, it came close to when Billy and were supposed to leave. It was 1:00am in the morning and my Dad was in bed. My Mom was still up yet with us. Billy decided to stay that long and drive all the way home. Kyle didn’t have far to go and all the girls spent the night with us over the night. We stayed up all night for some of us. We had to take two vehicles just to get all the girls to the Kingdom Hall that we had at our house. This is where our excitement began. Finally, Billy decided he had to go home and we literally had to push him out most of the way. First, he had gotten stuck in the snow in our driveway. Then he made it up our biggest hill and called us up because he became stuck at the neighbor’s house. The neighbors even helped us push him the second time. The third time he became stuck at the top of the hill and he wanted to say his good byes so Callie and I drove him back up to the top. I’ll never forget that we got him Gerlemann 3 back up to the top and he had me step outside of the vehicle and he asked for a kiss. I remember telling him that I would give him a kiss one day. Then I gave him a big hug and had Callie step out of the car and give him a big hug. Billy is just like a teddy bear full of love. Eventually, we got a later call that he made it home the early morning. We all, each of us had our fun.

Subterranean Homesick Alien-Radiohead

 English Comp. I 26 October 2009 Subterranean Homesick Alien-Radiohead Radiohead’s take on “Subterranean Homesick Alien” in the album Ok Computer is serene and calm. Listening to their album and this song particularly with the tone of voice makes me sleepy, dreamy and full of thoughts. Many different things come to mind when I think of this prose piece. In fact, many things come to mind when thinking of other songs by Radiohead such as Karma police and others. The song sounds untroubled yet stressed when it mentions that the small town is uptight. The people are uptight. He is uptight as well in the end. Out of thought it makes me wonder if the complacency of thoughts coincides with his surroundings in the end. The song somewhat drifts on the verge of being out of touch with reality and includes things like aliens to make it more imaginative. For example, the lead singer in this poetic lyric piece is full of dreamy thoughts and observes his surrounding and then eventually becomes his surroundings as he drifts into the same “uptight” spaces as they do. He brings out how he would want to get on an “Aliens beautiful ship, have them show him the world as he’d love to see it, and tell all his friends though they’d never believe it.” He brings out how his friends would consider him to have “lost it completely” and that he could use the excuse to, “show them the stars the same and the meaning of life,” the same way the aliens had shown him in his dream. Even though his friends might shut him away he mentions how he would be all right. Then he drifts back into his real surrounding in the end and says I’ll be Uptight..I’ll be Uptight.” Showing the flashback and flash-forward in his dreams; he dazes from a daydream back into reality. [OK Computer, Audio CD (July 1, 1997) Capitol (Radiohead)]

Propaganda and the Bandwagon Approach

 Comp. I 12 October 2009 Propaganda and Bandwagon Approach Sell in New Geico Commercial In this bowling commercial they try to make bowling look easy. The new Geico commercial uses propaganda to state its idea through the accuracy of a caveman to make a strike bowling and sells using the bandwagon approach. Propaganda is a systematic effort to influence people’s opinions and win them over. The bandwagon approach signifies in this commercial to the audience that they are not cool unless they bowl with Geico car insurance. As the pin sweeper comes down it says, “Geico-Even a caveman can do it.” The new commercial gets a lot of confused and stunned publicity of viewers who are surprised at the ridiculous perspective. Both men, women, and families are targeted for this commercial. Men are the main audience at the very beginning since it is all males. They set the example of ridiculous air for the rest of the viewers to observe. The female role figure is left out although it still applies to them because they are also users of car insurance. It applies to children because they are likely passengers as well. Yet, it is pinpointed at the beginning towards men because all the cavemen bowling are males. The men are an image of what caveman days would be like without cars and insurance. The group of buddies together creates the bandwagon approach as they slap high fives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_eBmaPmGOo) The whole prop with the “Caveman can do it,” actually leaves out the ideal “perfect image” basis which ‘Killing Us Softly’ is based upon. It leaves an interesting turn of events and emphasizes that in contrast the ideal image is someone living in Caveman days who is simple-minded and who could also carry out getting Geico insurance. In contrast, there are two other competing car insurances. Safe Auto and Progressive car insurance are competing. All of which are alike but different. Safe Auto promotes helpful males. Using Justin Case’s name the commercial goes to represent a “Just in case” incident that could happen to anyone. In contrast, Progressive uses a bouncy image of a cheery, helpful woman who is jumping practically because she can help the consumer choose his own rate. In comparison, Geico makes those who don’t jump on the bandwagon look ridiculous with their out-there batting routine on car insurance. Although Geico’s commercial is made to stand out the way it is advertised so is Progressive and Safe Auto. They are all similar because they are selling insurance and use propaganda The approach with men is stereotypical for Geico. Differences are that the men are seen as hairy funky cavemen. The men are stereotyped to be each having that distinct caveman look. Out of date but present. Women’s differences are somewhat left out of the picture but influenced by the scene of the guys with their buddies. Differences are that women are seen as not important or relevant to the commercial and seen likewise close to the same debut. Although, women are predicted in other commercials as important, this one is left spacey and different towards the woman’s role in life. It is not stereotypical of the way women should be such as in “Killing Us Softly.” For example, in contrast the woman in the “Progressive Insurance” commercial is delightful and ecstatic. She is excited along with the consumer because they both save money using “Progressive Insurance.” Although she is skinny, she’s not advertised like a sex object unlike many commercials including models. Whereas, in previous Geico commercials with the Caveman at first, the women were Cavewomen too, taking us back in ages to a simplistic sense. Disappointedly, the women are mysteriously left out of this commercial though. Similarities include that both men and women are enticed to go with Geico car insurance. Both men and women are influenced to use Geico like the cavemen do. Also, Geico in similarity with the other two insurances also sell insurance in a unique manner. Safe Auto targets the wide group of the male and female audience. The women are portrayed as not cool unless they go with Progressive car insurance. Although women are not seen in the Geico commercial they are still targeted with the wide range of families who watch the commercial. Each insurance and audience plays a role in making a difference in each of the three commercials compared. It’s great that so much time and effort is put into creating these but the initial thought about ‘Killing Us Softly’ is exactly what the title says. Commercials can be deceptive, deceiving and above all explicitly contented when the need for it is not there. Many ads use sex to sell. Pleasure is used likewise to sell that much more. In the end the bandwagon approach with a mix of propaganda is what most of these commercials used.

"Every Country Girl's Summer Night's Dream"

 Comp I-Final Draft 6 September 2009 Every Country Girls’ Summer Night’s Dream I recall starry sky nights and a shining moon appearing like a full block of cheese. I remember having Kayla and Emily over. We ran around like monkeys in the countryside on our farm full of thousands of living, hiding creatures. Indentations waved in and out as I looked into the binoculars. Staying up until 1:00 in the morning, the man on the moon appeared. Stars sparkled in and out beside the expansion of black holes that sucked in all they could. The Milky Way galaxy shined bright as ever. The man on the moon eventually waned into a disappearing phantom as the time passed. Instantly our favorite place at the time was our old country farm that felt like it was in the middle of the wilderness full of echoes of the vivacity of wildlife. First, we had a barbecue outside. The early evening had the annoying accent of mosquito bites and controversial conversation. We had potato salad and ribs with sweet, mouth-watering barbecue sauce. The potato salad was full of miracle whip, pickles, eggs and burned with warmth as our mouth salivated. We learned quickly that the wait was worth the taste of our finally cooked food. Especially, most of all, it was our favorite place to be. It was in the country on the farm. Second, we sat around the bonfire in the pitch dark night. We talked and laughed most of all at each others jokes. We sat relating for oodles of time. We roasted marshmallows and hot dogs. The marshmallows burned and caught fire melting to make s’mores with Hershey’s chocolate in the midst of a frog-croaking, cricket singing night. Also, we roasted hot dogs. The hot dogs simmered and cooked with burn spots on them as the bonfire crackled and popped. We had a midnight snack. We were in a quiet forest lit by only the fading moon, stars and a big bonfire full of popping cedar wood. The fire constantly burned the warmth back into our bones. Then, we got into the truck during the night. In the midst of wide open spaces, we were in the country. Also we were listening to Country music. Taylor Swift started singing on the radio. The song about her “black dress” and Tim McGraw and her dancing on a starry night came on. The truck rumbled and squeaked as we approached the mud. We spun through throwing mud up into the air. Kayla, Emily and I yelled throughout the woods and out the window as our truck started getting stuck. Our destination was to the gate by our pond that croaked with frogs next to the spacious field that opened from a cozy corner. We were scared that coyotes or other wild animals might attack us. For instance, we grabbed the flashlight and dared each other to run to the deer stand. With open skies, we screamed loud as we could, climbing up the ladder. I remember how brilliantly lit it was in the middle of the field and how full of eerie sounds it quivered from hidden animals and creatures. We howled out the window and used a flashlight to look throughout the field. We were in awe at how beautiful the night was. We tried the deer, turkey and coyote calls, howled some more and talked. It was a nice time to have people over. It wasn’t long and we rushed back to the truck and yelled as we almost became stuck again. We started back up the hill passing croaking frogs again, hearing the muffler of the truck rattling. The diesel truck boosted up the hill. We tried turning and easily got stuck in the sour smell of cow manure and the sweet smell of hay in the muddy clay of clammed earth that caused the truck to move sideways again. By the end of the night our hearts were open from exploration in fascination of the country farm. We had glittering eyes, sparkling because of all of the excitement. Our evening came to a wonderful close. We broke away having wonderful dreams. We broke off from each other soon to go to bed full of wondering dreams. The starry skies and the rolling clouds and moon came to a close. No thunder or lightning dared to part the peaceful summer evening that soon reached a dreamy bedtime. Each went to their own home to go to sleep.

Buddy Bash

 [Rough] Professor Schroeder 17 February 09 Valentine’s Buddy Bash Before my guy friend was married I enjoyed chaperoning him on all the dates with my girlfriends and spending time with all of them. My two senoritas were like my best friends then. For instance, one of them, Sahara, dated Johanas for a while. I remember later, they broke up and we all cried tears as they had no choice but to move. We were all really sad. We used to go to Johanas house all the time and watch movies like Hitch or talk about Napolean Dynamite and sort of laugh at how funny he acted. In addition, we were all in the pals or dating phase then. Johanas would come out of his room after having a shower and spend time with Sahara later on. We’d sometimes eat chili and our parents would talk. We loved visiting one another. We would constantly shush one another and especially our mother’s for fun. Always having fun spending time with them, I noticed that Johanas always had this incredibly sarcastic attitude and fun background that when I thought about it made me laugh. I swore that he was so funny you just couldn’t help learning from him. As my Mom asked about a scar on his neck we’d always giggle as he’d fake getting embarrassed when his Mom told stories. After his Mom mentioned the scar on his neck we asked what happened and laughed when he said Thomas shot me there with a bow and arrow. I remember him looking for a second girlfriend later and me running and laughing, saying, “Don’t look at me!” As I thought about it I became really excited for another quest and decided he had to date one of my other friends. I eventually introduced Johannas to Cassiandra and they grew to like each other a lot. I’d spend the night at Cassiandra’s house and we’d later talk about how Cassiandra and Johanas had gotten into trouble. We’d laugh talking during a sleepover about how her and Johanas joked about the chicken strips at Burger King. Apparently then, the Burger King commercial made the strips look sexy and somewhat linked them to that appeal. I remember how cute it was watching them interact. We used to hop into Johanas truck and go to Wal-Mart and buy succers and got to his house again or eat. Eventually, Johanas Mom and Dad moved and he decided to stay here. We’d also drive around in his car and have fun. I was the back seat chaperone who told him how to drive for fun and laughed at them when they reminded me of the couple on spy kids who rode hand in hand. I thought it was really funny when John acted like he was antagonizing cop cars when he would spin around in circles in front of them with us in the car for fun. We eventually found the station later on and I was laughing because we got stopped and got into trouble and asked for our driver’s licenses. Cassiandra and I complained at John and John laughed. There was a time when I decided I was going to become John’s Mother when she left and I’d help him out in relationships and stuff and it was really just a fun little game we’d play where I would involve myself until he got adjusted to everything in our area. He’s spend the night at Cassiandra’s house many nights and we’d come over and play a game or watch movies over there. Cassiandra told me that the guys were going to play guitar for them later and I’d laugh as she’d hold the phone to my ear and I’d hear Thomas, Ken and Johanas mimicking to Johnny Cash in the background. “Yay!” I was so excited from every moment after when I heard they were actually getting married. To this day I will always look to her as a sister and him a brother!

"My Favorite Oceanic Memory"

Professor Schroeder 15 March 09 My Favorite Oceanic Memory My first impression when we appeared at the ocean-side in Florida was one of extreme awe at the explicit beauty. For instance, I recall a static storm that rolled in right as we got there. There were extravagant bolts of lightning that shot down from the sky that split with creative power. The rolling clouds transformed thunder and caused its attraction of waves to turn and roll about. I felt empowered by just standing there and quickly experiencing the presence of a newly formed storm that seemed to wash the ocean-side beach for us before we had hardly even been there. First, we had cautiously observed and decided to go back to our hotel room to move in our suitcases and wait for the storm to subside while taking our naps. Then, the storm went on for about 30 minutes to an hour. Next, the storm had finally subsided and sunshine had succeeded. Last, we took back off towards the beach observing the newly washed sidewalks, hotels and palm trees. Our excitement grew the closer we came to finding back the beach. We finally re-arrived at the coast and grabbed our towels and video camera as we observed the still slightly strong waves. First, we grabbed anything we needed taking pictures with the camera as soon as possible. The wind blew in our faces slightly as we could feel the sand beneath our toes. The waves made that soothing, rolling noise that people love to listen to before they go to sleep. Then, we took off towards the waves ready to try swimming as soon as we had the chance. I recall trying to run in and being swept back and forth. The waves capsized over our heads and drowned us with water every so often. We could taste the salt water every time we dived under and decided it wasn’t so fun to have the saline taste up our nose after a while. It felt like the bottom of the ocean kept moving and that we were being drug back and forth. Next, Dad and I had to try swimming and was almost swept away a couple of times. I personally thought the occurrence was so neat that I wish at some point I would have disappeared forever lost within the waves just then. Last, we sauntered, played and ran back and forth or made sand forms over our legs and tried to bury each other throughout the day. I remember the setting being so relaxing. The sun was shining high overhead about mid-afternoon and the warmth just seemed to energize you with excitement. There were slight cirrus clouds and the beach was full of people who eventually looked like dots as the distance grew. A bright colored beach ball rolled out to ocean that people lost as we all frantically chased seeing if we could catch it for fun. The sand had plenty of footprints or volleyball nets for players on the beach who tanned as they played a few good games. We kept constant with exploring and activity and eventually grew to a fulfilled finishing day. I remember how pretty the palm trees were and not exactly wanting to leave. Once I had gotten there, I wanted to stay there and practically live on the oceanside for the rest of my life. Sadly we kept trying to waddle in sandals and master the art of rinsing the sand off of our toes and walking back to the car without getting sandier. One day if I go back, I hope they just leave me there.