In America, well throughout the world, Muslim women are being judged based on appearance every second of their lives. An issue yet to be discovered which impacts strongly towards many adolescence girls. Muslim girls and even women are criticized by family members and most importantly men if they do not wish to cover the beautifully work of art crafted from God, which we call hair. A women’s sexuality is not discovered just in the presence of hair, the hijab may be a symbolism for purity but that doesn’t make the rest of us devil worshiping beings. In other words, Hijab wearing women are not all angels just like, non-hijab wearing women are not all evil. If an adolescence girl has to think twice about her faith, and is called “loose” for choosing to flaunt her hair, maybe it’s you, who need the help of God. Everyone grows hair. Women just happen to look appealing with hair, so snotty men please don’t be fooled. Why make her feel less pure for wanting to feel a little breeze eh? Adolescence girls are being corrupted with this ideology of pure and not the real intentions behind it. Therefore, I will always choose to show my hair in a room full of hijab wearing women. Besides, haven’t you ever herd of the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover?’ To refer back to the article, “Wollstonecraft-A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” written by Vincent, states, “Women are not allowed to have sufficient strength of mind to acquire what really deserves the name of virtue. Yet it should seem, allowing them to have souls, that there is but one way appointed by providence to lead mankind to either virtue or happiness…Men, indeed, appear to me to act in a very unphilosophical manner when they try to secure the good conduct of women by attempting to keep them always in a state of childhood.” So with that being said, ladies the next time you decide to wear a hijab, ask yourself this question, who am I doing this for? Myself, or my society?

For a girl losing her virginity can be very scary. In the books The Bell Jar written by Sylvia Plath and Americanah written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie both the main characters, Esther and Ifemelu experience the loss of virginity. They were both scared because the loss of virginity had one main troubling factor and that was the thought of becoming pregnant. Esther and Ifemelu were both educated girls who had their whole life ahead of them. They were not thinking about having a family just yet, they were engaged on having a successful future. Not knowing how sexual intercourse actually feels, they assume it must be an exciting get away within the souls and decide to act upon it. However, at the end it was not what they had expected and the urge to have sex was no longer within them.

In the novel the bell jar, the main character Esther has sex for the first time. She decides to get a fitting in other words a form of birth control so the consequence of her action may no longer worry her. After she gets a fitting she decides it is now okay to have sex. However, she was not thinking about who to have sex with. Her main concern was that she wanted to be free and for once she wanted to do something that no one else could tell her otherwise. After she has sex with a guy she barley even loves, she completely shuts him down. This is her way of redeeming herself and being in control of her life. She states, “It occurred to me that the blood was my answer, I couldn’t possibly be a virgin any more. I smiled into the dark. I felt part of a great tradition.” (pdf. 120) Esther’s sexuality was considered as freedom, and although she does not chose to be with the guy anymore she realizes what she had done was worth doing and starting from this point on she is in control of her life. This is why the very first thing she did was send her partner the medical bill for her obsessive bleeding and erased him out his life. In conclusion Esther being protected from pregnancy gave her the rights to her own body/life.

In the book Americanah written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ifemelu has sex for the very first time, expect she has sex with her lover, Obinze. As stated, Ifemelu is also troubled from the fact that she may end up being pregnant. She is not protected from birth control and she did not use condoms. Later that week Ifemelu had started throwing up and this is when she started going crazy because she thought she was pregnant. As a reader you could tell Ifemelu was still very young because she was troubled about the fact she would have to tell Obinze’s mother she had sex with her son. The narrator states, “She had been tense through it all, unable to relax. She had imagined his mother watching them; the image had forced itself onto her mind..” (pdf. 72) This shows me that Ifemelu sexual experience was much different than Esthers because she couldn’t relax, she had the issue of being pregnant and also the issue of telling his mother. Ifemelu had felt tense even when she chose to have sex with the love of her life, unlike Esther who was much happier having sex with someone she did not know.

Overall, as you could see Ifemelu would have been happy if she had the power to get birth control, and the fact that she did not, her sex with the love of her life (Obinze) was not an act worth doing. And for Esther the act was worth doing only because she had protection (birth control) however she chose the wrong guy to do it with.

In the book Americanah by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie, the narrator introduces us to a young intelligent Nigerian Igbo women who travels to America so she can further in on her education. However, despite her success on writing blogs about race, she is unhappy and wants to move back to her motherland, Nigeria. Being that this book is written as a 3^rd person narration, readers are able to get a sense of the way each character in differentiates themselves and how their characteristics contributes to the outcome of Ifemelu’s life. So in other words, readers can sum up the story by using the narrators point of view, being that this is an omniscient work of writing. The narrator is able to give us an insight of the mindset of each character. For an example, the main character Ifemelu sends Obinze an e-mail (her childhood love) notifying him that she will soon be returning to Nigeria. Knowing that he is now a married man with children, she calls him “Ceiling”. Ceiling is a nickname she had called Obinze when they were young and in love. In the book it states, “She began to call what they did together ceiling, their warm entanglements on his bed when his mother was out, wearing only underwear, touching and kissing and sucking, hips moving in simulation. I’m longing for ceiling, she once wrote on the back of his geography notebook, and for a long time afterwards he could not look at that notebook without a gathering frisson, a sense of secret excitement.” (pdf 20) This evidences that Ifemelu is still in love with Obinze. Her calling him ceiling was an obvious flirtatious behavior. However, the narrator also lets the readers know that Obinze is not over her as well… In the book it states, “He wrote and rewrote the e-mail, not mentioning his wife or using the first person plural, trying for a balance between earnest and funny. He did not want to alienate her. He wanted to make sure she would reply this time. He clicked Send and then minutes later checked to see if she had replied.” (pdf. 30) Now why should a married man with kids want to keep in touch with his former lover? Is this the starting point of an affair? Will Obinze leave his wife for Ifemelu? As of now questions remain unanswered and soon Ifemelu will come to realization that Obinze still loves her, causing a great amount of distress. This conflict can ruin his social life, ruin his children’s life and also ruin the life of his wife. Most importantly, Ifemelu would be hated from her society when everyone finds out she was his mistress.

As readers we are well aware of the other characters as well. Like Ifemelu’s mother for an example, she’s very religious because she varies from church to church, and doesn’t give up and does crazy things like going bald so she can be welcomed. Another example is Ifemelu’s father, who very much loves his wife, and as readers we know that because he is now embarrassed that he should have just called his boss “mommy” to keep his job. He suffers from depression and doesn’t even talk anymore. Another example is Obinze’s wife, who greats Obinze’s peers with much respect, and goes to things like “how to keep your husband” church. This gives readers an insight that she very much loves him and does not want to lose him as a husband. And lastly, I could say Ifemelu’s aunt who was also a mistress. The narrator allows readers to know that Ifemelu’s aunt had shared similar experience and most likely Ifemelu will reach out to her with what she needs to do.

In the book “The Color Purple”, written by Alice Walker, she differentiates the characters, Celie and Sofia. Even though they are both Black women who are experiencing similar issues, the two characters holds an identity of their own. In the past Celie and Sofia have both experienced a tuff coming of age, due to their families. Unfortunately, their struggles/issues is never brought to a stop. Being the adults they are now today, Celie and Sofie continuously experience struggles living in their very own household. The two women are now married living along Albert’s property. Albert is Celie’s husband, and Albert’s son is the husband of Sofias. However, like most people would claim to say “father like son” Albert and Harpo (his son) both beat their wives. This is an issue of domestic violence. Readers are able to get a sense of the different characteristics the two characters present when dealing with domestic violence.

Celie who is much older than Sofia has suffered through many hardship experiences throughout her life, as stated above. Her mother died from illness, she is a victim of rape, her babies were taken from her, she lost the right to stay in school, and her step children treat her very poorly. In the book Celie is having a conversation with her younger sister Nettie, Nettie says, “You got to let them know who got the upper hand. They got it, I say. But she keep on, You got to fight. You got to fight. But I don’t know how to fight. All I know how to do is stay alive.” (Pdf. Pg. 19) Celie states she does not know how to fight and that the only thing she knows how to do is stay alive. This allows the readers to get a sense of her mindset and how she lets the pain and sorrow take over her whole life. She feels her battle with the children is not worth sacrificing her loneliness and continues to obey Albert’s children. Not only does Celie obeys Albert’s children she also lets him beat on her. In the book Celie recalls the reaction of Sofia when she notices that she is scared of Albert. It states “I think bout how every time I jump when Mr. _____ call me, she look surprise.” (Pdf. Pg. 29) This gives me an insight of how the two characters are different from one another. Another statement from the book that exemplifies Celies type of character is when she stated, “I like Sofia, but she don’t act like me at all. If she talking when Harpo and Mr. _____ come in the room, she keep right on. If they ast her where something at, she say she don’t know. Keep talking.” (Pdf. Pg. 29) This gives readers an understanding that if this was Celie who was talking when Harpo came in the room she would shut-up, and if someone was to ask her where something is she would’ve gotten up to find it. Celie has no voice and has never fought back, she allows people to walk all over her and boss her around. Even the people who surrounds her sympathy her, such as Nettie, her husband’s sisters, Sofie, and Shurag.

Now Sofia has also encountered through a ruff past herself, as stated. However, she is a strong women who fights back and doesn’t let the pain and sorrow take over her life. She has fallen in love with Harpo and he creates a little shack for her and the baby to live in, right on his father’s property. Harpo loves Sofia but when he takes advice from his father and Celie on how to keep her, the violence occurs. Celie advises Harpo to beat Sofia because she is jealous of her bravery towards others. In the book it states “Next time us see Harpo his face a mess of bruises. His lip cut. One of his eyes shut like a fist. He walk stiff and say his teef ache.” (Pdf. Pg. 29) This gives me an interpretation of what happened that night when Harpo tried to beat Sofia for the first time. She had fought back and beaten him up herself. Sofia states “All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my brothers. I had to fight my cousins and my uncles. A girl child ain’t safe in a family of men. But I never thought I’d have to fight in my own house. She let out her breath. I loves Harpo, she say. God knows I do. But I’ll kill him dead before I let him beat me. Now if you want a dead sonin-law you just keep on advising him like you doing. She put her hand on her hip.” (Pdf. Pg. 31) Sofia is furious and she lets Celie know that she will kill Harpo if she has to. The hand on her hip symbolizes the bad-ass woman she is. From this day forward Celie starts to respect Sofia, however, she does not have the courage to actually become her.

While reading the book “The Bell Jar” I was starting to grow a bit of love for Esther. She was an interesting character, someone whom I couldn’t quite figure out, she was very mysterious to me. I believe this is one of the main reasons why I was very interested in reading this book. However, in chapter fourteen my feelings toward her takes a turn as she calls a boy with color a “negro.” Now as we all now Esther is smart and she is also a writer, so for her to discriminate with such powerful language makes me rethink her whole personality/characteristic. I now believe she is very close minded and is afraid to have a mind of her own, in other words she likes to fit in and deep down her identity makes her uncomfortable and that is the reason why she is crazy and sits in the psychotic home today.

In this book their lye’s a HUGE issue of race that is not brought to the attention of readers, until the end. The issue is not discussed throughout the book and however the narrator dismisses it with a simple paragraph. Esther do exhibit awareness of her privileged racial status and decides to act upon it by being disrespectful. As intellectual thinkers we are able to know that if this black male is able to work in the hospital their were no longer division between the Whites and the Blacks. People of color was free of hostage. However, I can tell Esther felt somewhat sorry for the boy as she tried to make no eye contact while he stepped into the room because of his skin color, but then later when she realized he was just a “silly” worker and not someone she should feel pity for she kicks him on the calf of his leg and looks directly in his eye stating, “that’s what you get” (Pdf. Pg. 96) She kicks him because she felt he was “testing” her and I believe if this boy was a white boy she wouldn’t have done that and she would have just held her anger in by lying in bed all day. This right here is pure ignorance because as stated in the beginning of the book Esther is very smart and receives scholarships from schools that wish to have her in it. She is from the low class society which doesn’t even make her inferior so why is it that she condoned to this behavior? Because Esther is aware of her white privilege and wants readers to know.

In the article “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” Lorde states, “As members of such an economy, we have all been programmed to respond to the human differences between us with fear and loathing and to handle that difference in one of three ways: ignore it, and if that is not possible, copy it if we think it is dominant, or destroy it if we think it is subordinate…..As a result, those differences have been misnamed and misused in the service of separation and confusion” This basically gives me an understanding of why Esther reacted to the way she did. Her actions were indeed the way society has taught her to be. And the biggest issue that the human race face is that we choose to either ignore it or act upon it by manipulating instead of trying to reason with it or better understand. Her article has made a strong connection with the book “The Bell Jar.”

Laura Franks, a women whom stands differently. She is tired of trying to fit into what society has constructed out for her, and most importantly she is tired of hiding herself from the fear of humiliation.

She refuses to play “gender games,” which we all know is the fine standard division between men and women. She states, “now I know what it feels like to be laughed at. It is frustrating, but not frightening.” Meaning, she knows the amount of humiliation that will be brought out to her by the public and her peers if she chooses to go against her gender role but, at the end of the day it wont be something “frightening” in other words, terrifying, tragic, or a sight not worth seeing.

Laura is able to brake through and indifferent herself from the rest of society/public and her peers. She gives herself/readers comfort with the statement, “broken bones don’t hurt forever.” Therefore, she is strong to her beliefs and with a new revolutionary it is however natural to have a bit of fear. Laura enhances readers her changeling breakthrough as a women.

In the book the Bell Jar, written by Sylvia Path, the narrator Esther is also living in the fear of humiliation. She states “if I ever get to Chicago, I might change my name to Elly Higgginbottom for good. Than nobody would know I had thrown up a scholarship at a big eastern women’s college and mucked up a month in New York and refused a perfectly solid medical student for a husband who would one day be a member of the AMA and earn pots of money. In Chicago, people would take me for what I was.” (pg.136 pdf) Esther is going through depression and figures by running away to Chicago all her problems will be solved. She doesn’t have to worry about anyone’s opinion and most importantly she no longer has to hide her real identity. She doesn’t eat or sleep for many days. Her in law sends her of to Dr. Gordon who is a psychiatrist and he later sends her of the shock institution. At this point Esther’s mom is now effected, she gets emotional about her daughters rout. Esther doesn’t properly perform the gender role that is expected of her because, she states “and, one day I might just marry a virile, but tender, garage mechanic and have a big cowy family, like Dodo Conway. (pg. 136 pdf) Like most typical girls who would rather have a man with good income and good status Esther is the opposite. She also refuses to play “gender games” just like Laura however Esther isn’t able to breakthrough yet.

Jay Cee is the editor of “Ladies’ day Magazine,” she is also the boss of Esther. Jay Cee is a married women who wears suits, hats, and thick eyeglasses. She tries to make herself more appealing with feminine like pastel colors. Many people would say she is smart and excellent with her management skills, however, strict. In the book “The Bell Jar” Doreen, who is Esthers’ roommate, stated, “Jay Cee’s ugly as sin, I bet that old husband of hers turns out all the lights before he gets near her or he’d puke otherwise.” (Pdf. Pg. 5) However, Esther viewed her differently. In the book she replies back to Doreens’ thoughts by stating, “She wasn’t one of the fashion magazine gushers with fake eyelashes and giddy jewelry. Jay Cee had brains, so her plug-ugly looks didn’t seem to matter.”(Pdf. Pg. 5) In the book you can tell Jay Cee takes her job very seriously. When Esther was falling behind she brought her into her office and made sure to get her back on track. Jay Cee gives her some advice and suggest that Esther should study languages as a key to becoming successful in the business of editing magazines or any other work in publishing. This shows me that Jay Cee can also be somewhat caring and want what’s best for the girls; at one point in the story Esther even compares her to her very own mother. My view on Jay Cee is that she is a wonderful role model for females. Being that the story took place in the 1950’s I know how hard it must have been for women to actually succeed and step out the “housewife” zone.  I wouldn’t mind having someone like Jay Cee around who is a successful business/career women.

Hello my fellow classmates, I am at the age of 19 and I was born in the country of Bangladesh. I currently live in Harlem on west 125^th street. My preferred pronouns are to be called she/her. This is my third semester in NYC of Technology and I expect to be graduating by my fourth semester with an associate’s degree majoring in the Liberal Arts and Arts department. However, with a lot thought I finally was able to choose my designation and it is to become an early childhood educator. Therefore, I am choosing to further my education and start my bachelors’ degree in City College. Something interesting about myself is I’m not a quitter. No matter how hard things are, no matter the journey, I am willing to lose sleep forever if it’s meant for a successful future. Even though I don’t have any kids yet, my motive behind this are for them.