Prompt 2

Lexi Graves

Wilhelmus

Ap Lang.

Battle of the Sexes

The way that men look at women, is mostly just unfair and unflattering. So many men see women as an object, a sex appeal, simply a being created for their own personal use. Women are treated unfairly more times than not. Even in today's world, where women are said to be “equal,” they still aren't treated like it. It almost seems like no matter how hard we work and how much we fight for our rights, women will never actually be considered equal.

I find Aristotle's view on women very offensive. He considers us as “unfinished men.” To me, thats a completely and totally unacceptable statement. If we were meant to be men, God would have made us men. Instead, God took part of man, to create a woman to be company for the man. Not to be a slave, and not as an incomplete being. Without woman, there would be no man. Women make men. You need women, in order for men to keep existing. I do not think that Aristotle's views are very rational and they are quite unappealing. It's upsetting that his views were so well known and widely spread. He contributed greatly to the way women are still treated today as unequal.

It's interesting that Aristotle thought like so many other men did an still do. But his mentor, Plato, thought highly of women. Plato believed that if women were given the same opportunities and education as men, they would be just as capable and as likely to succeed. Its comforting to know that in the midst of all the sexist men, especially at his point in time, he was still able to see the positive in women. He recognized women as equal, when no one else did. He also gave hope for the female future. I find that very admirable.

I'm not quite as offended by the fact that most of the authorities in the novel are men. The fact that there are women pulled into it, was simply a pleasant surprise. In the times that most of this takes place, men always had the authority, that's just the way it was. I'm proud that women are acknowledged to an extent for their hard work and their part in society. I only hope that someday, women will be treated equally and with respect, rather than looked at like a slave or a piece of meat. We are all still human. And men couldn't live without us, so I think they should start acting like it.