Academic Analysis Essay

Name of the Institution:

Name of the Student:

Name of the Supervisor:

Subject Title:

Date:

Analysis Essay of The Laugh of Medusa by Hellen Cixous and Shopping as

Symbolic Interactions by Christine L. Williams

Critical theories help us to understand what different articles mean and critical thinking

becomes an essential tool in the context. This essay seeks to analyze two works on three themes.

The two analyzed works are ‘The Laugh of Medusa’ by Helen Cixous and ‘Shopping as

Symbolic Interactions’ on Race, Class, and Gender in the Toy Store by Christine L. Williams.

These two works have displayed commonality in addressing the three mentioned themes. Hellen

Cixious a French Philosopher and a feminism critique. In her article, she explains how men, have

regarded women as beings of lesser rank in the existing patriarchal system, denied women their

rights and that there is a need for women to engage in writing about self. She empowers other

women to get engaged in writing as she argues that this shift will bring about change. Christine

L. Williams who worked in two Toy Stores as an employee is now a sociology professor. In her

work, she explains her observations on gender, race, and class while she worked at two the Toy

Stores. The themes analyzed are the birth of new self or change, power and control, and gender

expectations. These, are in the two works expressed in different circumstances that bring out

clear scenarios and elaborations of how each was expressed.

Gender expectations

Sexism has caused variations in the way people of different sex are treated and handled

under different circumstances. As a result, there are different relations, which arise as a resultant

effect of sexism in the society’s social context, (Risman, Barbara J. 440). Christine L. Williams

explains gender expectations with feminism perspective. In her work, she shows how gender

variations have lived to exist between the workers of these two Toy Stores and their Customers.

There are special treatments for the male gender, which she observed as gender inequalities. In

her work, shopping activities were entitled to women. They were supposed to go and purchase

items from the shopping Toy Stores and not men. However, men were rarely involved and if they

did, they did it on weekends where their children escorted some. At the shopping Toy Stores, the

author explains on several occasions where women were misused on basis of gender. In some of

these occasions, some men came for shopping and threw their shopping lists to her at the counter

to shop for him or order for someone else to do it. Also, she tells of an African American

customer man who while in the Toy Warehouse threw a toy to her, hitting the telephone on the

counter to her neck until she fell down. In this context, women are despised, (Williams, Christine

L. 215).

In The Laugh of Medusa, Hellen Cixous explains how women are considered to have no

say in the society. They are lesser beings subjected to conventional man. Women are regarded as

‘dark’ in the context. (Cixous, Helene. 352). Metaphorically, the author uses Medusa to explain

the importance of woman and her beauty and intelligence. She says that women should not be

subjected to and abusive mistreatment on basis of gender such as rape and ill-treatment which

Medusa was exposed to. The author argues that due to women subjection to the conventional

man, the situation has led to women becoming enemies of each other. This doctrine is destructive

and drives towards feminism and the author is against it.

Power and Control

Karl Marx perspective of power argues that once at a time there is a limited power and is

held by one group of people. The level and ability to exert control over others are based on

capitalism and the ruling categories. Therefore, the amount of wealth is seemed to exert control

over the lesser classes, (Drucker, Peter Ferdinand, 26). The Laugh of Medusa expresses power

and control in a more relevant way. The ruling authority issues orders to men to go to the war.

Hans, the husband of Lene, is a soldier. He is ordered by the ruling authority to go to war leaving

her wife near to deliver and cannot deny. Women are put under the control of man. When the

doctor orders that Lene needs an operation, is uncertain if her husband will sign for it to be

carried out, (Cixous, Helene, 354). Again, the author argues that women are entitled to claiming

authority through their writing. Hellen Cixous says that women should write about themselves,

using body language, to reclaim it as it is their body. She argues that women should retrace their

body using a feminine writing style that shall enable them to claim authority that has been denied

to them by the conventional man. By this, women will regain their power and eliminate the

oppression they are exposed to by men. Again, the author presents men as the owner of the

authority and everything.

On the other hand, Christine L. Williams demonstrates power and control by using white

men entitlement she observed in these two Toy Stores. She argues that she did not have a lot of

problems in exercising control over white women as she could just stand at a strategic point and

observe them, (Williams, Christine L. 214). Upon seeing her, white women would check out and

return toys in the order they were. However, due to the entitlement of superiority attached to

white men, controlling them it was a problem to her. This proves that power is more elevated for

men. In the events when these men overreacted, police were called to help resolve the issue. In

one of the events, involving an African American, Jack threatened to call the police and as a

result, the customer left in fear. This shows that the police are entitled the ruling authority and

are accorded the necessary respect.

The birth of new self / Change

Lacan’s theory relies basis its arguments on the Image Stage. This theory reflects one’s

historical background and experiences. These experiences when viewed in perspective of

fictional direction, it drives towards the sense of wholeness as a child separates from her mother

and realizes the change has occurred. In this direction, the forces holding oneself are eliminated.

In these two works, the authors express a longing for self-wholeness, which is based on self-

realization. Women’s writing is entitled to bringing a change. This change will mark the end of

women oppression and restoration of women body ownership. The masculinity of common man

will be wiped off. This will bring an equality in the view of common man and woman. The laugh

of Medusa represents the existence of ‘ecriture feminine’, which a woman has a potential of

bringing it into existence through her feminine language of writing. Hellen Cixious initiates

feminine to bear a change. The language that the author recommends to be used in writing,

feminine language is a signifier of a revolution aimed at a certain change, end of women

oppression.

In Shopping as a Symbolic Interactions by Christine L. Williams, the author says that

these symbolic interactions are symbolically created, they can be altered to lessen the disparities

they impact on these Toy Stores, (Williams, Christine L. 216). She argues that neither the

management nor the workers of the Toy Stores have brought readily made meanings of race,

class, and gender. These meanings have resulted as a product of social interactions and the

interpretation responses during their actions in the shopping stores. Blumer, Herbert (106) says

that personal point of view is the one which leads people to attach meaning to things they are

involved in.

In conclusion, it is clear to state that these two works share a commonality on the themes

discussed in this essay. The two authors have drawn scenes that represent the real nature of the

current day-to-day activities in some of the societies. Their works can be appreciated well as they

put a concern on the issues that influence and exist in the real life. In order to achieve a world of

neutrality, where there is balance in treatment and interpretation of perspectives within the

society without disparities, there is a need for activists like these authors, to critique the evil and

stand for the right.

Cited Works

Blumer, Herbert. Symbolic interactionism: Perspective and method. Univ. of California Press,

1986.

Cixous, Helene. "The laugh of the Medusa." Feminisms: An anthology of literary theory and

criticism (1997): 347-362.

Drucker, Peter Ferdinand. Post-capitalist society. Routledge, 1994.

Risman, Barbara J. "Gender as a social structure: Theory wrestling with activism." Gender &

society 18.4 (2004): 429-450.

Williams, Christine L. "Shopping as symbolic interaction: Race, class, and gender in the toy

store." Symbolic Interaction28.4 (2005): 207-216.

Place new order. It's free, fast and safe

Paper type

Deadline

Page count

550 words

Total price: $ 15.00

Our customers say

Jeff Curtis

USA, Student

"I'm fully satisfied with the essay I've just received. When I read it, I felt like it was exactly what I wanted to say, but couldn’t find the necessary words. Thank you!"

Ian McGregor

UK, Student

"I don’t know what I would do without your assistance! With your help, I met my deadline just in time and the work was very professional. I will be back in several days with another assignment!"

Shannon Williams

Canada, Student

"It was the perfect experience! I enjoyed working with my writer, he delivered my work on time and followed all the guidelines about the referencing and contents."