... and female writers "is an act of survival (p.167)." It is vital to the self-knowledge required to form an accurate and lasting sense of identity, which is itself crucial to the creation of new ideologies. This is an excellent point. In her essay "When We Dead Awaken," Rich refers ... from within one's self, but from within the compulsory borders of a patriarchal society. The female writer cannot form an independent identity while conforming to an imposed one, and without a separate identity there can be no equality. In "Vesuvius At Home," another of Rich's essays, these borders are even...

• Word Count: 1359
• Approx Pages: 5

... and women (in terms of social characteristics) are the product of social and cultural factors. Gender roles are attitudes and activities that a society links to each biological sex. Basically, gender identity is about role-playing. Aspects of the male roles reflects the kind of assumptions we make about how men should behave and the characteristics they should have such as leadership ... due to his shyness. "Lorenzo stayed indoors with his widowed mother, studying, reading books...he contributed nothing to his family's impoverished larder...Lorenzo made no visible efforts to enter the m...

• Word Count: 1674
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School