Feminist Bildungsroman

The article I read, “Romola: A Bildungsroman for Feminists” takes the definition of bildungsroman and sort of redefines it in the work of George Eliot. Mary Gosselink De Jong, the author of the article, defines bildungsroman as this time of growth and fulfillment of characters. The characters in Eliot’s works usually “loose their illusions, discover who they are, and try to find a place in society,” but they are female characters so they wouldn’t necessarily fall under the definition of bildungsroman. But Gosselink De Jong begins arguing that there is a female, or as she calls it, a feminist bildungsroman. It entails women coming to terms with the world at large and being able to define a place for herself in relation to the world.

Gosselink De Jong uses George Eliot’s work Romola to define the feminist bildungsroman. The majority of the article is her giving a summary of the work and how one could view Romola as an example of the feminist bildungsroman. Gosselink De Jong actually argues that she is an example of the feminist bildungsroman, but there are others that could possibly disagree with her. She definitely makes the argument, but she leaves it open for interpretation. Why she argues Romola is an example of the female bildungsroman is because Romola is this educated woman that is breaking free from traditional gender roles. But Gosselink De Jong’s argument goes a little further than that. Romola may be against the hegemonic ideas surrounding marriage and womanhood, but in her rebellion she is reaching out to society at large. Basically Romola can become a better part of the human community when she is not bound by her marriage.

The feminist bildungsroman is basically about letting women define for themselves their own relationship to the world/society/culture etc. for themselves.

I see this related to House on Mango Street in a few ways. I see Esperanza in much of the same way that Gosselink De Jong sees Romola. Esperanza is breaking free from traditional gender roles and trying to give definition to her being without the help from others around her, or at least she is letting them influence her, but she is making her own decisions. Esperanza could also be considered this feminist bildungsroman character because her place in the novel is directly in opposition to the rest of the female characters in story. She is different from the rest of the girls around her and that might be an intimidating position to be in, but I think that Esperanza is more willing to embrace that different position.

Gosselink De Jong, Mary. “‘Romola: A Bildungsroman’ for Feminists” South Atlantic Review, Vol. 49, No. 4 (1984): 75-90. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3199590

My women’s Bildungsroman

The article I read involves women struggling to be self-sufficient, independent, professional, educated and self-reliant.  The women challenge the ideology of domesticity by the dominant culture; challenge the traditional role of women in the household.  Like I said, they yearned for independence, but also for equality. They wanted the ability to financially support themselves and not to rely on men for self-definition.  The goal was to achieve financial and emotional independence.  Many of these women did not marry until later in their careers, once they felt their partners looked at them as equals.

The women in the article became successful writers. Throughout their education, they did not accept the support of a man to care for their expenses.  Many left their homes and supported themselves. They challenged the “new mass market of fiction” that shaped itself through the attitudes and desires of its audience.  Scholars who analyzed the literature labeled it “domestic or sentimental fiction.” The women demonstrated that, as a woman, you can have a domestic life, but also have a successful career.

There was an immense desire to challenge the role of women and to demonstrate that women could be successful and independent.  As I mentioned earlier, these women married later in their career when they could say they “self-made” themselves.  Once they return to the haven of the house, they endorse the values of domesticity. One women said her fiancé converted to a Christian minister for her love. Once he become devoted, responsible and chastened that is when she allowed him a husband position. “Once the hero gives in to the heroine, the heroine in turn can submit to his rule.”

Without knowing it myself, my feelings are very similar to the women in my article.  Being a Mexican, my role was to eventually marry and have children.  My role was to tend to my husband and the children and depend upon my male provider.  I have never wanted to be that and I continue to feel the same way today.  I have come very far in my educational and professional life that I will not leave it for anything in the world.  I am self-reliant, self-sufficient and independent. I understand that it is not all bad to be a traditional woman, but my personality will not allow me to.  Once I achieve my goals, I will devote myself to a relationship and to a family. I will have an equality with my other.  That person will know that I can do with or without them.

Voloshin, Beverly R. The limits of domesticity: the female Bildungsroman in America, 1820-1870. Women’s Studies. University of Rochester. 1984. Print.

This is me, Andy Zavala.

Hola!!!!! My name is Andy Guadalupe Zavala, and I like to introduce myself to my fellow classmates and professor. I am the youngest of six siblings, I grew up in the ghetto when my family first moved to the United states, because this was the only area where my parents could buy a house. We were the only Mexican family in a five block radius. The only people I had to count on for support or guidance was my family. I remember having to see my older brother fight off black teenage boys, just because the color of our skin was different.  We lived in this area for about five years, until our parents could see the house in order to buy a house in Lennox, California. Currently I live in Lennox, a community that is 95% Hispanic and the average yearly income is under 28,000 per year. Growing up in these two different communities helped me find a identity that helped me stand up for myself and work hard for what I strive to achieve. I have served five years in the United States Navy when I was younger, so I have traveled all of Asia and the Middle East.

I love sports and family, they kinda go hand and hand in my family. We are all sports fans!! I have a very close family , and I feel that this is one of the main reasons why I am persuing a degree from Loyola Marymount University. I like going to the beach and riding my bike. I love movies, horror movies are the best, but I tend to lean toward the classic when I speak of horror movies. I love going to concerts and tattoo festivals as well. currently I have seven tattoos but I’m working on getting my right arm sleeved up. I want it to be a celebration of thing I have learned to love and cherish. So I will have a Virgin de Guadalupe, Dia de los Muertos, Virgin de Carmen, and other traditional and non-traditional forms of Mexican art, and heritage on my body.

As you can see of the image I up load that I am a fan of the Dia de los Muertos art. That image is something that encompasses the next phase of my bildungsroman, because it’s the step in the process of me coming of age. The image holds a few important meanings behind them, first it my wedding invitation. Second the image to me show the process of life by, getting married once and dying beside the person you grew up together. Last the image on the forehead shows the values that my family passed down to me.

I have taken one Chicana/o studies class, and I fell in love with this subject. I just felt a pride in what I was learning and want to further my education in the Chicana/o subjects. As I stated earlier that I come from Lennox, CA. A community that year earnings are well below the countries average, and where educations seems to come second just behind providing for you family. So when I get my degree in Chicana/o studies I plan to go back to my community and try to inspire the community and the youth into achieve things they never saw or felt the could accomplish. This is a little about me and what I like to do with a degree in Chicana/o studies.

Favorite Ale’s [Long] Introduction

¡Hola! Mi nombre es Alejandra Alarcón, and I’m a third-year Spanish and Chicana/o Studies double major at Loyola Marymount University. I do an awful lot around campus, and I’m going to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about it.

First, an introduction to one of my main characters: Shawn Rios is my best friend, and like every best friend he is usually running around with me as I try to conquer this campus. It’s great, really, because he stops me from losing my sanity. He’s a great dancer, and I absolutely love hearing him play the piano. He’s really witty, and he has one of the best laughs I have ever heard. Disneyland? We practically live there – oh, and I’ll never miss an opportunity to people-watch with him either. The best thing about Shawn is that he’s always there – to drive me home from school when I’m too tired, to be the first to say “Don’t do that, you’re going to regret it…” (and to be the first to say “I told you so!” too), etc. What more could you possibly want or need from a best friend?

…but Shawn doesn’t need another spotlight. Here’s to ME!

  • I’m an active member of RESILIENCE, a coalition of undocumented students and allies within the university community that form a camaraderie of people connected by shared experiences, struggles, and successes. We encourage people from all backgrounds to support the advancement of immigrant communities and immigrant students such as equal access to education for all
  • I am the current Chair of Development for El Espejo. El Espejo is a mentoring program that serves the students of Lennox Middle School. I drive down to Lennox Middle School every Wednesday and work with my two mentees, Jasmine and Astrid – they’re awesome! I’ve been working with them for over a year now, and there’s definitely a strong bond between us. As Chair of Development, I coordinate efforts to further foster our relationship with Lennox Middle School and the surrounding communities.
  • I am a Student Intern in the Office of Undergraduate Admission. I work under the Latino Student Recruitment division, and I’m the lead student coordinator for the Latino Scholars Day and Latino Overnight programs. I’ve been working here since Day 1 of college.
  • I was recently appointed Chicana/o Studies Liaison for MEChA de LMU. This requires me to sit in on the Chicana/o Studies faculty meetings which is pretty cool because it gives me the opportunity to see our professor in a different light. I’m responsible for maintaining the bridge between MEChA de LMU and the Chicana/o Studies Department, and I’m still trying to figure out what exactly that entails…
  • I am the current Chair of the Undergraduate Caucus for MALCS. Jessica Baden and I got the opportunity to attend the MALCS Summer Institute at UC Santa Barbara this past July. I presented a paper entitled “Virgen de Guadalupe: Empowerment and Liberation for Chicanas and Latinas” (first time I conducted original research; making sense out of it and then presenting it was such a nerve-wrecking experience). A special thanks to the Chicana/o Studies department for making this experience possible.
  • I will be leading Alternative Break: Ecuador this upcoming March. I’m currently working with the other Alternative Break leaders in fostering a program that moves away from mere voluntourism and strives for true social justice. I am a strong believer in that knowledge acquired through experience is the best kind, and I’m hoping to lead a trip that is life-changing for myself and my participants alike.
  • I am a member of the First to Go program. First to Go is a source of academic support for all students who identify as “first-generation”. First to Go currently fosters several programs such as Staff/Faculty Mentorship, F2G English 110, LIBA 170 & 171, F2G Learning Community (for first-year students), and F2G Writing Community – I took part of the Writing Community; I wrote an extended narrative of my life and presented it at Library Pub Night last semester – pretty cool, right? I’m currently working with Danelle Dyckhoff and Shawn Rios to develop a new branch of First to Go: Commuter Exchange. The program aims to provide support for commuter students so that they may feel comfortable within the larger university community – we haven’t quite figured everything out, but it’s going to be awesome. A big THANK YOU to Dr. La’Tonya Rease Miles for all the hard work she puts in all she does.

I know that seems like a lot, but would you believe that it isn’t everything I do? Taking classes in Spanish & Chicana/o Studies is challenging, but I consider class to be the easier aspect of my college experience. I know it may seem a little rash but I am a firm believer in that the most important kind of learning is done outside the classroom, and taking on additional roles that extend beyond student are necessary for a fully enriching college experience. I am passionate about everything I do, and I know that means that I am passionate about a lot of things but that’s okay – simplemente es mi forma de ser (:

Image

Introduction/Hello

This is basically me in a nutshell.

Hi, I am Jessica. I’m a senior History and Chicana/o Studies double major. I took my first Chicana/o Studies class during my freshmen year, but I officially declared the major during my Junior year, so I have taken a handful of courses in Chicana/o Studies. Some of the parts that I have been the most interested in are cultural productions and Chicana feminism. So this class is definitely one that I am looking forward to taking.

But for a little bit more about me: I’ve been at LMU all four years and I’ve had an interesting experience. I’m from San Bernardino, CA which is about an hour or so away from LMU. Like Cherríe Moraga, I like to consider myself a half-breed. I think having multiple ethnic backgrounds has been the one that has really shaped me as an individual. And as you can tell from my picture, I like sleeping. I never miss out on an opportunity for a good nap.

Reading Questions: House on Mango Street

Reading assignment for Monday, September 10. Your reply (under Comments) is due before class. You do not need to answer these specific questions, but response should demonstrate you’ve done and thought about the readings.

Be sure to check and make sure your response posts.

Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street

Maria Karafilis, ”Crossing the Borders of Genre: Revisions of the Bildungsroman in Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street and Jamaica Kincaid’s Annie John.” The Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association. 31: 2. Winter: 1998 (63-78).

Through the course of the story, how old do you think Esperanza is and how much time passes?  What makes you think that?

How and to what degree do you see her coming of age?  Do you agree with the notion that the novel is a bildungsroman?

What is the role of violence in the novel?  Is it connected to a loss of innocence?

 

 

Qué onda?

Hello! My name is Astrid Arellano and I’m a senior sociology major at LMU. I’m from what my friends and I like to call the real orange county: Santa Ana. I have lived there for most of my life and love it. For those of you who may not know, Santa Ana is a pretty large city in northern orange county comprised mostly of latinos. Going to a private catholic high school located smack dab in the middle of Santa Ana I would often hear my Caucasian friends talk about how afraid they were to go outside school grounds. “I don’t wanna get shot today” was a common concern amongst these foreigners to the city.
I never saw Santa Ana as a threat, but rather as an honor. Though still from time to time I grapple with my who I am, more Mexican or more American, I always look back to my roots for answers. Santa Ana being so full of culture and tradition is still after aIl a city in California. It is like me, a beautiful combination of two wonderful cultures.

I am very excited to learn more about fellow chicanas and Latinas in this class so that I can come to better understand my identity.

See you guys in class!

Chicana Studies- Yadira’s post for all

Dear Professor & Classmates,

I am Yadira Ojeda.  I work full time and attend LMU as a full-time student.  I leave work early every Monday to attend this course.  I take the 405 south to school at 4, so there will by a few days in which I might be late.  I wish not to interupt the class sessions, however I try to arrive asap.  I like working out at the gym to improve my  health .  Losing fat off my body is a bonus. I like to relax at the beach and play in the ocean water with my 6 year old son.

Yes, I experience role strain on a daily basis.  I bet doctors will soon come up with a name for the strain and stress I undergo on a daily basis- rolestrainositolitis. LOL! I understand this part of my life regardless of the struggles.  As a first generation to an immigrant parent, the road is not easy, it has not been and I do not expect it to be.  I can bet you one thing, the life of my son will not be as difficult as mine. I am paving the way and learning throughout the process as a parent should.

The only experience I have with Chicana history is my own and that of the Mexican woman around me. For women’s studies, well that has also been minimal in my studies. I hope to enjoy this course and gain insight of new things.

 

First Day of Class

Welcome to Chicana/o Studies 302.  This blog is the basis for the site we’re going to build as part of our study of Chicana / Latina coming of age narratives.

Admin things to do before our next class meeting:

  • If you don’t have one yet, set up your Twitter account. 
  • Fill out the course questionnaire by Wednesday, August 29.
  • Set up your CHST302 WordPress account – check your lion.lmu email for instructions.
  • Tweet using the #CHST302 hashtag and use it to check and see what others in the class have written.
  • Follow me (@anneperez) and each other.
  • By next Monday (September 3), write a blog post introducing yourself and telling us about your interest in, and any experience with, Chicana/o and / or women’s studies.

Assignment for Monday, September 10:

  • Read: The House on Mango Street
  • Read: “Crossing the Borders of Genre: Revisions of the Bildungsroman in Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street and Jamaica Kincaid’s Annie John”  (is on Readings page)
  • Annotate your reading by tweeting
  • UInder comments, post your discussion of these readings
  • Research: An article on Bildungsroman.
  • Write a blog post summerizing the article you find. (this is due to be posted Sunday, September 9 at 12pm)
  • Read and comment on each others’ blog posts.

 

Posting a Blog Post

Some of you seem confused about how to post to the blog so here’s a step by step guide on how to post using WordPress:

  • Log in to your WordPress account (what they call your Dashboard) using the link  https://citedatthecrossroads.net/chst302/wp-login.php. Enter your WordPress user ID and password.  If you don’t have a user ID and password, email me.  (Note: once you’ve logged in for the first time, you should change your password to something easier to remember by clicking on the Profile link on the left side of your screen.)
  • On the left hand side menu click on Posts, then Add New Post. Give your post a Title — try for something unique, descriptive and that will make people want to read it.
  • Write your post.  You can choose to use either the Virtual and HTML settings. The Virtual setting is WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) — just use it like a word processor. If you know HTML, you can choose use it and have more control over how your final post looks.  Make sure you give it a good title which will distinguish it from other blog posts.
  • Proofread, check your post over for grammar and spelling. When you’re happy with what you’ve written, click the Publish button on the right side of the window. Now go to the site and make sure it looks the way you want it to. You can edit any post by logging in and looking for it under Posts.

Those are the basics. We’ll learn how to add images / media as we go forward, though if you know or can guess how, you’re welcome to go ahead.  I’ve got plenty of space on my server for anything you might want to put up. You’re not going to break anything so feel free to poke around and see what you can do.  Be sure to ask questions about anything that’s giving you difficulty. You’re welcome to come see me during my office hours and get help individually if you don’t want to ask during class.

Your first blog post with your self introduction needs to be posted by Monday, September 3. If you need help, email me. Don’t wait until the last minute — remember I go to bed early.