Rousseaus Thoughts on Women and Education

Jean-Jacques Rousseau is considered one of the key Enlightenment philosophers, and his writings reveal that he was concerned with â€Å"equality among men,† but he certainly did not make womens equality his focus. Having lived from 1712 to 1778, Rousseau was a major influence on the intellectual thinking of the 18th century. He inspired the political activism that led to the French Revolution and influenced Kant’s view of ethics, rooting them in human nature. His 1762 treatise Emile, or on Education and his book The Social Contract influenced philosophies about education and politics, respectively. Rousseaus main argument has been summarized as â€Å"man is good but has been corrupted by social institutions.† He also wrote that â€Å"nature has created man happy and good, but society depraves him and makes him miserable. The experiences of women, however, did not inspire this degree of contemplation from Rousseau, who essentially deemed them the weaker sex, content to be dependent upon men. Rousseaus Contradictory Views on Women While Rousseau is often praised for his views on human equality, the reality is that he did not believe women deserved equality. According to Rousseau, women needed to rely on men for their wellbeing because they were less rational than men. He argued that men might have desired women but did not need them to survive, while women both desired men and needed them. In Emile, he writes about the difference between what he believes women and men need in education. Since the main purpose in life, to Rousseau, is for a woman to be a wife and mother, she doesnt need to be educated to the extent that men traditionally have. He argues: â€Å"Once it is demonstrated that man and woman are not, and should not be constituted the same, either in character or in temperament, it follows that they should not have the same education. In following the directions of nature they must act together but they should not do the same things; their duties have a common end, but the duties themselves are different and consequently also the tastes that direct them. After having tried to form the natural man, let us also see, in order not to leave our work incomplete, how the woman is to be formed who suits this man.† Some critics view Emile as evidence that Rousseau thought woman should be subservient to man, while others contended that he was writing ironically. Some have also pointed out the fundamental contradiction in Emile about women and education. In this work, Rousseau suggests that women are responsible for educating the young while arguing that they are incapable of reason. â€Å"The whole education of women ought to be relative to men. To please them, to be useful to them, to make themselves loved and honored by them, to educate them when young... How can women educate anyone, even young children, if they themselves lack reasoning skills? Rousseaus views about women arguably grew more complex with age. In Confessions, which he wrote later in life, he credits several women with helping him gain entrance into the intellectual circles of society. Clearly, smart women had played a role in his own development as a scholar. Mary Wollstonecrafts Case Against Rousseau Mary Wollstonecraft addresses some of the points Rousseau made about women in Vindication of the Rights of Woman and other writings in which she asserts that women are logical and can benefit from education. She questions whether a woman’s purpose is only the pleasure of men. She also directly addresses Rousseau when she writes with great irony of his affection for an uneducated and ignorant servant girl. â€Å"Who ever drew a more exalted female character than Rousseau? Though in the lump he constantly endeavoured to degrade the sex. And why was he thus anxious? Truly to justify to himself the affection which weakness and virtue had made him cherish for that fool Theresa. He could not raise her to the common level of her sex; and therefore he labored to bring woman down to hers. He found her a convenient humble companion, and pride made him determine to find some superiour virtues in the being whom he chose to live with; but did not her conduct during his life, and after his death, clearly show how grossly he was mistaken who called her a celestial innocent.† The Difference Between Men and Women Rousseaus views on women invited criticism, but the scholar himself acknowledged that he had no solid foundation for his arguments about the differences between the sexes. He wasnt sure what biological differences made women and men distinct, calling them one of degree. But these differences, he believed, were enough to suggest that men should be strong and active, and women should be weak and passive. He wrote: If woman is made to please and to be subjugated to man, she ought to make herself pleasing to him rather than to provoke him; her particular strength lies in her charms; by their means she should compel him to discover his own strength and put it to use. The surest art of arousing this strength is to render it necessary by resistance. Thus pride reinforces desire and each triumphs in the others victory. From this originates attack and defense, the boldness of one sex and the timidity of the other and finally the modesty and shame with which nature has armed the weak for the conquest of the strong. The Link Between Opportunity and Female Heroism Before Emile, Rousseau listed the numerous woman heroes whod impacted society. He discusses Zenobia, Dido, Lucretia, Joan of Arc, Cornelia, Arria, Artemisia, Fulvia, Elisabeth, and the Countess of Thà ¶kà ¶ly. The contributions of heroines should not be overlooked. If women had had as great a share as we do in the handling of business, and in the governments of Empires, perhaps they would have pushed Heroism and greatness of courage farther and would have distinguished themselves in greater number. Few of those who have had the good fortune to rule states and command armies have remained in mediocrity; they have almost all distinguished themselves by some brilliant point by which they have deserved our admiration for them†¦. I repeat it, all proportions maintained, women would have been able to give greater examples of greatness of soul and love of virtue and in greater number than men have ever done if our injustice had not despoiled, along with their freedom, all the occasions manifest them to the eyes of the world. Here, Rousseau makes it plain that if given the opportunity to shape society as men had, women could very well change the world. Whatever biological differences between men and women existed, the so-called weaker sex had shown repeatedly that they were capable of greatness.

Human Rights And Domestic Abuse Essay - 992 Words

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These domestic abuse ads are thought-provoking and raise awareness of the problem in numerous homes worldwide. The art and photographer directors used three Argentinean boys in their ad campaign. The art director, Diogo Montecarlo, prepared the boys for their pictures with an abundance of makeup. After Diogo finished putting on the makeup, the boys truly looked like they were physically abused by another person. The photographer, Lucas Rozada, took individual shots of the boys. Each picture emphasizes an area of the face that isShow MoreRelatedHuman Rights And Domestic Abuse Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesHuman rights are rights owned by each and every single person. In others, each person is entitled to their own rights. Many actions in this world can violate each person’s human rights, such as domestic abuse. Some people tend to ignore abuse issues between others, but many try to put an end to all abuse. 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American Beauty (1643 words) Essay Example For Students

American Beauty (1643 words) Essay American BeautyThe Color RedThe beauty that addresses itself to the eyes is only the spell of the moment; the eye of the body is not always that of the soul. George Sand hit the nail right on the head when he said this in 1872. Appearance versus reality has been a central theme in many American creative works including the film American Beauty. American Beauty is a film that delves into your typical, middle-class suburban American home and slowly uncovers all of the abnormalities that lie within. The family is portrayed as normal but as the films tag line suggests look closer then it is possible to fully understand the implications that takes place in this seemingly happy home. The film is masterfully directed by the famous theater director Sam Mendes and encompasses a great number of cinematic techniques that appear fresh and exciting. Critics have mentioned many of these techniques. However, they failed to notice the clever use of color used throughout the filmespecially the color red. Sam Mendes effectively uses the color red; as a central motif to accentuate mood and theme, to contrast families, and to reveal characters personalities and feelings. In American culture red is a color of various meanings and images. The color red is the essence of life; it is the color of blood. It can insinuate energy, vitality, passion, anger, power, excitement, and sacrifice. It is a grounding color. Red can stand for warmth, danger, love, sex, death, rage, lust, and beauty. Red is the color used for the womens clothing, the cars, the doors and also it is the color of Lesters blood splattered Gavrelis 2across the white table at the end of the movie. Red is the central motif of the film. Sam Mendes incorporated many of these meaning of red within the film American Beauty, Not only did Sam Mendes implant a motif of red, he also incorporated a motif of the red rose. Roses in American culture are the ultimate symbol of love, life and death. Flowers are a large part of the Ameri can culture. They have come to symbolize compassion, caring and love. The beauty of roses are superceded with danger, for they have thorns that can prick. Roses epitomize beauty; perhaps that is why they chose the title American Beauty. The title American Beauty is a hodgepodge of symbolism; it encompasses a variety of meanings. For the viewer it can stand for the American beauty rose a rare and antique climbing rose much like the roses in the Burnham garden. It can also represent the American ideal of a woman such as Angela, the ideal American beauty with her long flowing blonde hair, her porcelain complexion and her ruby red lips and bright blue eyes. Another adaptation of the title is the beauty of a perfect American home much like the Burnhams home appears to be. But all have flaws, the rose has thorns to prick, Angela has her fear of being ordinary and the Burnhams home, well it too is cursed with the reality that they are a dysfunctional family. Red roses become not only a motif in the film; they come to represent symbols. They are prevalent in almost every scene. They are in the garden; almost every room in the house has a bouquet of brightly colored roses in a vase. They are the centerpieces to the dining room table. This table becomes a motif in the film as well, the family has its nightly dinner ritual and over the course of the movie we see a delineation of the family at this table. Rose petals are the symbol of sex as well, they are seen surrounding Angela Gavrelis 3for Lester, they burst out of her blouse, they pop out of his mouth after he fantasizes of kissing her and they fall from the ceiling onto his face when he pictures her above his bed. The front door to the house becomes a motif as well, with constant references from neighbors about the house with the red door. As if the door is a gateway to the oddities lurking inside the house. Within the house Mendes restricted the colors to a monochromatic blue-gray sche me to emphasize the isolation between the Burnhams. Lester escapes from this cold and lonely house by creating a domain for himself, it is framed in golden browns, and this separates him even further from the blue-gray existence he had been living. To carry further the theme that the Burnhams happy home is just a front for what lies deep inside. Sam Mendes juxtaposes the Burnhams house with the neighbors homes. The bright, almost artificial colors of Burnhams house are quite a contrast against the Fitts which is very bland and regimented; inside it is almost Amish looking. It is completely void of plant life and aethstetics typically associated with homes. They have limited furniture and d?cor, and the furniture that is present is plain, straight lined dark and wooden. The lighting is dim and the prevalent color throughout the home is white or cream. The Fritts family is one of distances. Mendes makes a point by surrounding them in bland, melancholy colors and spacing them at length from one another. The family is clad in black and white throughout most of the film to externalize the loneliness and isolation between themselves and society. The other neighbors present appear at first to be the most abnormal of the bunch. They are Jim and Jim, two very successful men living together as partners. They are always bright and cheery dressed Gavrelis 4in primary colors and portrayed as happy and full of life. The irony is that they are most normal characters in the entire film. Color is used not only to show juxtapositions in neighborhoods, but to bring out the characters as well. .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa , .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .postImageUrl , .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa , .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa:hover , .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa:visited , .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa:active { border:0!important; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa:active , .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u78f87c0d2d1dfb4367bbaee5ffc646fa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Nutrition vs. sport performance EssaySam Mendes captures the essence of each character with color. At first we see Lester in cool desaturated colors to suggest a lack of energy and a drained life. As the film continues and Lester goes through a rebirth we see him develop a brighter outlook on life and the color of his garments go through a rebirth as well, at first he turns to yellow, then green and eventually he adopts red. He wears a red tank top, acquires a red car and pursues a job wearing a red and white uniform. Mendes uses this color transformation to show that Lester has remembered the things he wanted. He suddenly realizes what is lacking in his life and red cloth ing gives him a sense of power and control over his life. What started this change was when he first saw Angela. She represents the ultimate sign of American beauty; she is adorned with red throughout the movie. She emanates sex and passion. Throughout the film she wears fire engine red lipstick, she wears brightly colored clothing and she is seen to Lester as surrounded by red rose petals, he has visions of her soaking in a bath tub of rose petals. Red is the dominant color of nail polish and lipstick for all the central females in the film including Caroline. Caroline Burnham goes through a transformation as well she outwardly appears isolated and controlling but underneath she yearns for passion and power. Mendes ingeniously shows this in the beginning of the film when Caroline undresses to clean a house and underneath her drab yellow suit is a crimson red camisole. While she cleans the dark and shadowy house she is backlit with brightly colored walls. She has a Gavrelis 5private breakdown and covers her sobbing face with those powerful, sexy red nails to mask her uncharacteristic behavior. Carolyn attempts to fill her loneliness up with having the right things. The right car, the right house and even the right garden, but she doesnt see the big picture. She does transform, much like Lester into a more secure and grounded person. This is most apparent in the last sequence of the film when she is wearing a very sexy red velvet dress. She has become assertive and is ready to finally connect with Lester, even though she is too late. Early on it becomes obvious that she is obsessed with her image of success, and this is why she envies Buddy Kane so fervently. Buddy Kane the king of real estate is her competitor and the ideal figure of success, he has a bright red sign mounted in the yards of his homes to advertise himself. The sign represents his power and hints at his sexual appeal to Caroline. Jane and Ricky are important too, they are the more grounded of th e characters, they are both presented in neutral colors throughout most of the film. They represent balance and neutrality in the movie. Rickys parents are not so neutral; they are dressed in pale, washed out colors to show their lack of vitality. Especially Mrs. Fritts, she plays a minor role in the movie and that is precisely the point Sam Mendes makes. She is seen as a minor role in the family. She is usually wearing a long white nightgown and appears almost as a ghost in the picture, t her family, she barely exists. American Beauty is a fantastic film that encourages viewers to look closer. Sam Mendes directed a film about American Beauty and foolish things that Americans do to keep up with appearances. He is urging us to find beauty in our lives, and to forget about having the perfect garden and home. He effectively uses the color red; as a central Gavrelis 6motif to accentuate mood and theme, to contrast families, and to reveal characters personalities and feelings. Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.Oscar WildeFilm and Cinema