Gendered language can be really interesting. The English word for Virtue comes from the Latin word Virtus. It literally means "the way of the man". Vir is the Latin word for man, and of course, its gender construct is masculine. However, virtus is constructed as a feminine noun.
Sapientia is the Latin word for wisdom, and it is also a feminine construct.
I do not know the Hebrew or Aramiac word for wisdom, but because my translation of the Bible pairs it with a feminine pronoun, the Hebrew/Aramiac word for wisdom must also be a feminine construct. Throughout the first several proverbs, wisdom is referenced as a powerful and almighty woman.
The concept of wisdom as a woman shows a more complex and nuanced view of gender relations in these old patriarchal societies.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Keep Writing
Again, it has been a while since I last posted. My Saturdays have been busy.
This next topic is about maintaining your writing. Once you have the inspiration for an idea, how do you keep writing the idea?
This is an interesting topic for me. My dad says that when he writes, the words are always flowing to him on the computer. I have had that happen to me at times as well. However, sometimes when I am feeling stuck, I need to print out what I have, take a pen, and write by hand on the paper. In past, the words felt at an impasse whenever I took out a piece of notebook paper, but recently, they have begun to flow to me on the pages. Once I could not write a history assignment on a computer document, but I could certainly type it up in an online format. And then, there was a curious week in which I needed to drink root beer and wear a certain hat in order to continue writing.
How do you maintain your writing?
This next topic is about maintaining your writing. Once you have the inspiration for an idea, how do you keep writing the idea?
This is an interesting topic for me. My dad says that when he writes, the words are always flowing to him on the computer. I have had that happen to me at times as well. However, sometimes when I am feeling stuck, I need to print out what I have, take a pen, and write by hand on the paper. In past, the words felt at an impasse whenever I took out a piece of notebook paper, but recently, they have begun to flow to me on the pages. Once I could not write a history assignment on a computer document, but I could certainly type it up in an online format. And then, there was a curious week in which I needed to drink root beer and wear a certain hat in order to continue writing.
How do you maintain your writing?
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Sara Douglass and Tad Williams
Almost a month has passed since I last posted here. Life has been busy! After making a big achievement in my life, I have spent the past week searching for a job. What I need is a good job to support me for two years before I go to grad school. I have also spent the a few days browsing through this website:
http://www.beyondacademe.com/
There will not be any author reviews this week, but as I considered it and looked at my books, I remembered something very strange I once read when I researched the suffrage movement. A man was saying, "I would like to support women's suffrage, but my wife won't let me." I forget where that source is or if I even have it printed. The point is that women can be misogynistic and that men can be feminist. Women can also be personally empowered while denying power to their gender; this has been the case throughout history where great female monarchs reigned over deep patriarchies. At one point in Europe, the most sexist nation was governed by a woman - Queen Isabella of Spain in 1492. But there has also been Eleanor of Aquitaine among others.
To make this a book-related post, I am reminded of my decision between two fantasy authors - Sara Douglass and Tad Williams. I wanted to read books by female authors because I thought a woman writer would automatically have strong female characters. The back of Sara Douglass's Starman has this description:
I am fine with women being a love interest. After all, Arwen was essentially there for Aragorn's romance, but Arwen was also a side (not main) character whose appearance helped make Aragorn a more 3-dimensional character. Also, Lord of the Rings had its Eowyn and its Galadriel. The problem comes when the love interest is a main character who does nothing except be a love interest or when women feature prominently in a love triangle.
So, I decided to read The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. Although no women were mentioned in the back summary, I knew Tad Williams could write female characters well. I had previously read War of the Flowers in which 30-year-old Theo Vilmos - an aimless man in a state of pepetual adolesence and immaturity - finds himself in the dangerous land of the Faerie. Theo meets Applecore, a fearless and no-nonsense woman whose quick wit saves him many times over. Applecore is one of the best female characters I have read, and she becomes the role model and inspiration for Theo to immature and improve himself into a better character.
Because I enjoyed War of the Flowers and because I knew Tad Williams can write female characters pretty well, I decided to read The Dragonbone Chair. I am not disappointed in his portrayal of female characters. The hero of the story is an orphaned scullion named Simon (Seoman), but his mistress Rachel is powerful and demanding. Also, there is the princess Miramiele who is assertive and clever. Miramiele once had gorgeous blonde hair until she shaved it and dyed her hair brown to disguise herself and to investigate the evil changes in the land. She turned her blonde hair into a wig for when she resumes her princess duties. She is not afraid to place herself in danger. When she thinks her uncle has refused to seek a province as an ally, Miramiele sets off on her own to obtain that province's support. And that is currently were I am reading.
http://www.beyondacademe.com/
There will not be any author reviews this week, but as I considered it and looked at my books, I remembered something very strange I once read when I researched the suffrage movement. A man was saying, "I would like to support women's suffrage, but my wife won't let me." I forget where that source is or if I even have it printed. The point is that women can be misogynistic and that men can be feminist. Women can also be personally empowered while denying power to their gender; this has been the case throughout history where great female monarchs reigned over deep patriarchies. At one point in Europe, the most sexist nation was governed by a woman - Queen Isabella of Spain in 1492. But there has also been Eleanor of Aquitaine among others.
To make this a book-related post, I am reminded of my decision between two fantasy authors - Sara Douglass and Tad Williams. I wanted to read books by female authors because I thought a woman writer would automatically have strong female characters. The back of Sara Douglass's Starman has this description:
Axis is the StarMan of prophecy and legend, destined to lead the three races of his world to unite as one people. The Prophecy foretold that Axis would defeat his half-brother, reclaim the land of Tencendor, and find a traitor in his camp.So far, so good. But then the summary reached a point where my opinion plummeted.
The Prophecy has also foretold of many a choice that Axis must make in order to fulfill his destiny... but neglected to mention that one of those choices would be to choose the love of either the beautiful and courageous Faraday or the feisty and hauntingly enchanting Azhure.That there screamed out a big NO! For one thing, it delves into the old stereotype of women as love interests when women should be more, much more than that. The struggle of choosing two women merely compounds the problem. Just about every fantasy involves a love interest, but it should never be central to the plot. Making it central to the plot further establishes the concept of women as love interest and nothing else.
To Faraday he had pledged his love and a place by his side as ruler of Tencendor; to Azhure he had given his children, his time, and his devotion.
I am fine with women being a love interest. After all, Arwen was essentially there for Aragorn's romance, but Arwen was also a side (not main) character whose appearance helped make Aragorn a more 3-dimensional character. Also, Lord of the Rings had its Eowyn and its Galadriel. The problem comes when the love interest is a main character who does nothing except be a love interest or when women feature prominently in a love triangle.
So, I decided to read The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. Although no women were mentioned in the back summary, I knew Tad Williams could write female characters well. I had previously read War of the Flowers in which 30-year-old Theo Vilmos - an aimless man in a state of pepetual adolesence and immaturity - finds himself in the dangerous land of the Faerie. Theo meets Applecore, a fearless and no-nonsense woman whose quick wit saves him many times over. Applecore is one of the best female characters I have read, and she becomes the role model and inspiration for Theo to immature and improve himself into a better character.
Because I enjoyed War of the Flowers and because I knew Tad Williams can write female characters pretty well, I decided to read The Dragonbone Chair. I am not disappointed in his portrayal of female characters. The hero of the story is an orphaned scullion named Simon (Seoman), but his mistress Rachel is powerful and demanding. Also, there is the princess Miramiele who is assertive and clever. Miramiele once had gorgeous blonde hair until she shaved it and dyed her hair brown to disguise herself and to investigate the evil changes in the land. She turned her blonde hair into a wig for when she resumes her princess duties. She is not afraid to place herself in danger. When she thinks her uncle has refused to seek a province as an ally, Miramiele sets off on her own to obtain that province's support. And that is currently were I am reading.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Elantris: How NOT to Write a Female Character
I was very disappointed in Elantris by Brandon Sanderson for many reasons, but I will focus upon the female protagonist Sarene.
Sarene is meant to be a strong and independent woman in a patriarchal society. However, there is not much depth or detail to the patriarchy, and quite a lot of the men tend to accept her without any serious difficulties. King Iadon seems to be the main exception. Iadon hates Sarene and considers her a nuisance. Sanderson tells the reader instead of showing the reader how intelligent Sarene is. Because he tells and does not show, the reader never witnesses her strength and independence.
Sanderson attempts to portray Sarene's intelligence by denigrating all the other women in the book and by writing the other women as mindless chatterboxes, which is a sexist stereotype. These few lines from page 23 are an example:
Later on, in another failed attempt to make Sarene seem somehow feminist, Sanderson wrote her as being inept at the expected feminine hobbies. Sarene is unable to sew or paint. So, she lacks any sort of artistic ability whatsoever. In the end, this flaw merely makes her all the more ineffectual. I will reach the end soon.
Sarene stumbles her way to usurping Iadon (pg 410) and accidentally discovers a scandal. How do the men including her father react? Instead of regarding her as a serious person, they coo over her. What a cute little woman she is!
And at the end, Sarene becomes a helpless damsel-in-distress who does not resist much. Her prince mirculously overcomes his dementia and rescues her from a religious zealot. At the end of the novel, Sarene is a useless and ineffectual character who does very little to advance the story on her own initiative.
Sarene is meant to be a strong and independent woman in a patriarchal society. However, there is not much depth or detail to the patriarchy, and quite a lot of the men tend to accept her without any serious difficulties. King Iadon seems to be the main exception. Iadon hates Sarene and considers her a nuisance. Sanderson tells the reader instead of showing the reader how intelligent Sarene is. Because he tells and does not show, the reader never witnesses her strength and independence.
Sanderson attempts to portray Sarene's intelligence by denigrating all the other women in the book and by writing the other women as mindless chatterboxes, which is a sexist stereotype. These few lines from page 23 are an example:
I have no doubt that most women in patriarchy spent a considerable amount of time in conversation with each other. Even though they might not be able to act, they can discuss serious events such as politics and cultural problems. Instead of being a mindless chatterbox, Eshen could have been a witty character who shared valuable information with Sarene. Sarene pretends to be silly and frivolous to deceive king Iadon. The patriarchy expects women to be silly and frivolous (pg 55), but in this book, women actually are that way with Sarene being the exception that proves the rule.
"Sarene nodded, fascinated - not by the conversation, but by the queen. Sarene had assumed her lecturers at her father's academy had been skilled at saying nothing with lots of words, but Eshen put them all to shame. The queen flitted from one topic to the next like a butterfly looking for a place to land, but never finding one suitable enough for an extended stay."
Later on, in another failed attempt to make Sarene seem somehow feminist, Sanderson wrote her as being inept at the expected feminine hobbies. Sarene is unable to sew or paint. So, she lacks any sort of artistic ability whatsoever. In the end, this flaw merely makes her all the more ineffectual. I will reach the end soon.
Sarene stumbles her way to usurping Iadon (pg 410) and accidentally discovers a scandal. How do the men including her father react? Instead of regarding her as a serious person, they coo over her. What a cute little woman she is!
"A month and a half and you've already dethroned the king."
...
Her father chuckled. "I should never have sent you over there. You were bad enough when we let you visit our enemies." (421)
And at the end, Sarene becomes a helpless damsel-in-distress who does not resist much. Her prince mirculously overcomes his dementia and rescues her from a religious zealot. At the end of the novel, Sarene is a useless and ineffectual character who does very little to advance the story on her own initiative.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Intro
I am an avid reader with a strong interest in books and storytelling. I will probably update on Saturdays, but today, I decided to go ahead and start the blog. I want to share my love of reading and writing with the internet community. More detailed comments will be up later!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)