Choose two of the woman authors from this semester. Your choices are: Phillis Wheatley, Anne Bradstreet, Emily Dickinson, Sarah Orne Jewett, and Kate Chopin. In two ACES responses, use examples for the stories we read this semester to explain how each of the authors presents us a picture of what life was like for women during the time in which they lived
ACES Response 1: Phillis Wheatley and Anne Bradstreet both present us a picture of what life was like for women during the time in which they lived. In Phillis Wheatley's poem "On Being Brought from Africa to America," she reflects on the experience of being taken from her homeland and forced into slavery. This poem paints a vivid picture of the struggles and hardships that women faced during this time. Similarly, Anne Bradstreet's poem "The Prologue" speaks to the challenges of being a woman in a patriarchal society. She speaks of the expectations placed on women to be subservient and to accept their place in society. Both of these works provide insight into the lives of women during this time period.
ACES Response 2: Emily Dickinson and Sarah Orne Jewett both present us a picture of what life was like for women during the time in which they lived. In Emily Dickinson's poem "I'm Nobody! Who are you?", she speaks to the idea of being an outsider and the struggles of being a woman in a male-dominated society. This poem speaks to the idea of being silenced and not being able to express one's true self. Similarly, Sarah Orne Jewett's short story "A White Heron" speaks to the idea of a young woman's journey to find her own identity and to break away from the expectations of society. Both of these works provide insight into the lives of women during this time period.