National Adult Literacy Database

December 17, 2012

This week, the stories are written by students with the Halifax Community Learning Network. The story below was written by Madina, from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Madina works on her literacy skills with a tutor at the Halifax North Adult Learning Program.

Marriage & Freedom

by Madina

According to Kate Chopin’s short story, “Story of an Hour”, in the 19th century American women were not free in their marriage. As Kate Chopin told us, Louise was thinking how independent she would be after horrible news she received about the death of her husband. She was in the land of imagination.

“She was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window” Louise was thinking how she will be free even though her husband is dead. “Free body and soul free.” Also she thought that she will not marry in the future. “There would be no one to live with for those coming years.”

As I learned about marriage for 19th century from Kate Chopin, I think women are still not free in some parts of the world because of unequal rights for men and women, and social judgments. Also, culture rules and ignorance have big impact for marriages since then and now.

In developing countries, most men still believe that women can only do some jobs such as being mother, housekeeper and looking after their families. This unequal right for men and women was a key for some parents because they were sending only boys to school and kept girls at home. The idea was to put women down. In addition this idea came in religions books where they stated that women came from right side of men. Because of that men are allowed to divorce women, but women can’t divorce men. Also some said that men are allowed to marry two or more wives. I believe that if men can be able to think us as brothers and sisters, this unequal right between men and women will still not exist in these parts of the world.

In addition to unequal rights for men and women, social judgment is another reason for women not to feel free. Women do not attempt to seek divorce from their spouses because society will avoid them. This social judgment gives men authority to put women down and makes women think that if they divorce their husband their life will be short. However, women prefer to live with their spouses even though they do not like them.

As we can see in “Story of an Hour,” Louise did not love her husband and they were living together. “And yet she had loved him-sometimes.” “Often she had not.”  So, this social judgment made women slaves in their own homes and families. Because women have less anger, they are weak, kind and careful to their spouses.

In my country we say that women are heart of homes because we hide our husband’s mistakes and try to adopt their behavior to fit in. When a woman wants to divorce a husband society can come together and try to stop the woman from doing so. For example, they would tell her that “think about your husband, your kids” if you have them. Also they ignore woman’s points. They have an expression, they like to use when women try to speak up and give their spouses good ideas, they said that “Urugo rwa vuze umugore ruvuga umuhoro” which means, a home said a woman will say sickle.” This expression means that, if a woman shares ideas with her spouse then the home it will be destroyed. They say that, “that woman leads her husband; he do not has word in his home”. 

In my opinion, I think if women could ignore social judgment and just think about and look their life without being pushed by society who would put their life in difficulties, then they could be independent. However, I hope government should do something that could free women in developing countries.

In summary, I think that developing countries should try to decrease unequal rights for men and women, social judgment and culture rules and ignorance us developed countries have decreased these impact. Perhaps women will be free. As I learned in the story of “Story of an Hour” in 19th century, American women were not free as they are now. I also encourage youth to commit to marriage when they are read to deal with it.  I think men and women should get married if they like each other not get married because of materials. Then they will be able to build strong marriage, happy society and feel free.