In the movie Mona Lisa Smile, directed by Mike Newell in 2003, three eligible women have choices and what they chose grounds them to the roles they play in society and what inevitable leads them to feminism because of the choices they made.

Feminism began well before the 1960-70’s to which most people regard as its beginning. The first hint of feminism was in 1792, when Mary Wollstonecraft released her book Vindication of the Rights of Women; however, nothing ever came of her fight for feminism. In 1848, in Seneca Falls, New York two women Elizabeth Cady Stanton , Lucretia Coffin Mott, and others in the women's convention pushed for the addition of women's liberation in the Constitution (Olin, 1). Women issued a declaration of independence, demanding full legal impartiality, full educational and commercial opportunity, equal compensation, the right to collect wages, and the right to vote. The movement spread quickly and soon extended to Europe. With a lot of work and dedication women's demands for higher education, entry into various lines of work, married women's rights to property, and the right to vote were approved (Unkn

Disappointment did not get her down though because the student that was the most conventional ends up being essentially the most liberal…Betty. Betty Warren played by Kirsten Dunst is a rigid, stuffy, “bitch” as most of her friends called her throughout the movie. She is traditional… a virgin getting married to the man of her dreams. She expects everyone else to follow in her footsteps marriage is the most divine thing. She hates Katherine for her liberal life style and views.

The movie was all about choice. Women lived in a world of rules and regulations. Conforming to the ideal was expected being an individual was not. Going to a great college was good, but ultimately a woman’s role was in the house. She had no major decisions to make… she had no options. In Mona Lisa Smile, these women created choices and made them, which was forbidden for that time period.

Betty on the other hand has to become the feminist that is her true role. Her marriage seems to be going well but not everything that glitters is gold. Her husband is cheating on her. Her supportive mother tells her to “go home fix her face and wait…” She does for awhile turn her head the other way, but a woman can only do that for so long especially when the existence of a 1950’s women was to obey her husbands every beck and call. Betty does what no good wife should do…divorce. Betty decided to get an apartment with her overly sexual active friend Giselle and maybe get a job and go to law school. She made the ultimate choice to stand up for herself and excel in life despite the obstacles.

It is now the year 2004 and women have come a long way from Mary Wollstonecraft. In 1966, 28 professional women, including Betty Friedan, created the National Organization for Women (NOW) "to take action to bring American women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now." NOW and similar organizations helped make women increasingly aware of their limited opportunities and strengthened their resolve to increase them (Unknown 1).

own 1). After woman suffrage was won in 1920, women were divided on the question of equal standing with men.

Some topics in this essay:
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