How Christianity Contributes to Patriarchy-Research Paper Essay

How Christianity Contributes to Patriarchy-Research Paper - Essay Example Once they’ve entered into that ‘happily ever after’ world following the wedding at the end of the story, the patriarchal concept of women has them managing the household, caring for the children and entirely confined within the boundaries of the husband’s property. While the fairy tale suggests this life will be full of fancy dresses, grand parties, leisure and pleasure in domestic felicity within the grand castle of the prince – the songbird in the golden cage – the reality is all too often a life dominated by the dragon. When the story takes this turn, women find themselves as the beaten-down house slave forced to bend all of her effort to someone else’s thoughtless whims and desires regardless of the harm this might bring upon herself. It is only with the assistance of other women that they are finally able to break the vision of the fairy tale to understand their realities and find a new means of approaching life. An understanding o f how this patriarchy has affected the female psyche, whether it is the actual fairy tale presented or merely stories couched on a similar theme, provides a great deal of insight into the feminist issues illuminated through Sandra Cisneros’ stories â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek† and â€Å"One Holy Night.† In â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek,† Sandra Cisneros’ main character, Cleofilas, grows up watching telenovelas on TV, which are like soap operas, in which the classic Cinderella themes are played out over and over, reinforcing Cleofilas’ fantasies regarding what her future life will be and the patriarchal vision of women’s approved roles in society. In the telenovelas, life was seen to be full of â€Å"all kinds of hardship of the heart, separation and betrayal† (220), but a loving woman, always patient and always kind, could expect happiness in the end. â€Å"Cleofilas

Hinduism paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hinduism paper - Essay Example (Brodd, 2003) Interestingly, Hinduism differs from the other dominating religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc due to a number of factors. Firstly, unlike abovementioned religions, Hinduism does not offer a uniting belief system, which has often been criticized by scholars of comparative religious studies. However, despite of such lacking, this religion has been able to unite its followers socially, as well as, culturally. (Michaels, 2004) In other words, Hinduism can be deemed as a cultural and regional platform for moral development, rather than a religious notion. One of the most significant factors that unite members of Hindu religion is its region. Unlike other religions where a religious scholar can bring a non-religious person into his religion, only individuals that born in the sub-continent are allowed to be a part of Hinduism, which is one of the most significant factors of uniting members of the Hindu community. Generally, it is a misconception that Hinduism is a polytheistic religion; however, Vedas are the most recognized sacred scriptures of Hinduism that pronounces monotheistic concept of God. In practice, Hindus worship different deities and idols, which are considered as attributes to one God, Brahma, and idolatry is an important practice of Hinduism that has kept its followers united in a cultural manner. (Brodd, 2003) Thirdly, social structure described in sacred scriptures of Hinduism has played a vital and crucial role in maintaining balance in the Hindu society. Although social classes of such system, such as Brahmin, Kshat riya, Vaishya, and Shudra have been used politically as well; however, it has organized the society in an effective manner. Cultural aspect of Hinduism has played a significant role in influencing the social and cultural practices of people living in the sub-continent. Devotional literature and traditions have provided an aesthetic touch to