Let's keep today's guiding questions on Cold War womanhood in mind. Consider the life paths open to a young (white) woman in early-1950s America. What adult examples are available to Esther as she envisions (or is forced to envision) a future for herself? How do gendered expectations shape not just her personal plans but also her relationships with men (like Lenny, Buddy, her father, et al.)? Please post a question of your own to consider from tonight's reading.
Shout out to our resident expert on Soviet pseudo-cacti (Dennis Lui) for gently tugging my virtual sleeve to set up a posting spot for CWGH tonight. Rest assured, this means your papers are being carefully graded in a timely fashion in Internet-free undistractability.
While Esther staunchly refuses to marry, in her potential futures fig tree (all of which she claims to desire), "one fig was a husband and a happy home and children" (77). What might this apparent contradiction signify?
ReplyDeleteHow does Esther differentiate between intelligence and intuition? Does she view intuition in men and women differently?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the significance of purity for Esther considering how she reacted to the word, 'slut' on page 126?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the significance of Esther's tears during the picture taking session?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the importance of Esther's significant increase in her problems with sleeping? When are her sleep problems more pronounced?
ReplyDeleteHow is Buddy's presence affecting Esther's mentality? What is significant of Buddy's role in the novel?
ReplyDeleteWhat does Esther's list of her own shortcomings tell us about what American society expected of white women in the 1950s?
ReplyDeleteHow does Esther's passive acceptance of Marco's misogyny and struggle to escape him after he calls her a "slut" give us insight into her view of femininity?
ReplyDeleteHow do the women around Esther induce her to rebel against the society's repressive expectations?
ReplyDeleteHow does Esther's perception on the giving-birth scene tells us about her identity as a woman in the cold war period?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the significance of the pebble Esther mentions a couple times? Is it related to Constantin?
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ReplyDeleteWhat are parallels between Esther and Mrs Rosenberg?
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