One historical fiction novel, ‘Catherine Called Birdy’ by Karen Cushman, explores a knight’s daughter who battled through gender equality, powerlessness, ambitions and family restrictions, problems that is set in Medieval Times. Catherine or also called Little Bird, endured problems like gender equality that is mostly one of the main struggles in medieval time. “Instead I thought to make a list of all the things girls are not allowed to do: Go on crusades, be horse trainers, be monks, laugh very loud, wear breeches, drink in ale houses, cut their hair, piss in the fire to make it hiss, wear nothing, be alone..” -pg 66, this quote shows that Catherine wrote about having no justice and equality as a girl. This was written in many parts of the book, to emphasize the lack of gender equality during medieval times. “I have noticed lately how many male saints were bishops, popes, missionaries, great scholars and teachers while female saints get to be saints mostly by being someone’s mother...” –pg 144, This quote reveals the fact that even in religion there was a lack of gender equality. Catherine must also abide the fact that since there’s gender equality, then there must be the powerlessness for just being a woman. In medieval times there was also a caste system, which is a system of where people belong in different levels in society and where Catherine’s family is at the middle of the caste. One main problems of being a woman, in the middle caste system, is that the father arranges who the woman should marry with. “I must make a plan for I will not, of course, wed the pig…”-98, this quote shows that Catherine would always avoid being paired up with no choices or so. “I am left with a beastly father, a life of chores, no hope, no friends; no escape…is there justice in the world.” -pg 22, this quote explains how Catherine is complaining about the lack of freedom and power to do what she wants. Ambitions and Family Restrictions were also a problem that was faced by Catherine during medieval times. “Why must I learnt to walk with a lady’s…” and “…travel with them and have and experience. Mayhap…never return to old spinning and sewing manor.” These quotes represent Catherine’s family restrictions that she has to spin and sew and be a proper lady. “How I would rather go crusading like Uncle George or live with...” -pg 13 and “My mother gave me a gentle but stern lecture about behaving like a lady.”-pg 54, these quotes explains of Catherine’s ambition to go crusading rather than having to sew and spin, the second quote explains of how she always have to be taught how to be a well-mannered lady. Long ago, life in medieval time was extremely frustrating especially for a knight’s daughter that battled these challenges like gender equality, powerlessness, ambitions and family restrictions. The facts that Catherine is human and since humans grow and learn from their past mistakes, made her open her eyes and accepts her environment.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
'Catherine Called Birdy' by Karen Cushman.
One historical fiction novel, ‘Catherine Called Birdy’ by Karen Cushman, explores a knight’s daughter who battled through gender equality, powerlessness, ambitions and family restrictions, problems that is set in Medieval Times. Catherine or also called Little Bird, endured problems like gender equality that is mostly one of the main struggles in medieval time. “Instead I thought to make a list of all the things girls are not allowed to do: Go on crusades, be horse trainers, be monks, laugh very loud, wear breeches, drink in ale houses, cut their hair, piss in the fire to make it hiss, wear nothing, be alone..” -pg 66, this quote shows that Catherine wrote about having no justice and equality as a girl. This was written in many parts of the book, to emphasize the lack of gender equality during medieval times. “I have noticed lately how many male saints were bishops, popes, missionaries, great scholars and teachers while female saints get to be saints mostly by being someone’s mother...” –pg 144, This quote reveals the fact that even in religion there was a lack of gender equality. Catherine must also abide the fact that since there’s gender equality, then there must be the powerlessness for just being a woman. In medieval times there was also a caste system, which is a system of where people belong in different levels in society and where Catherine’s family is at the middle of the caste. One main problems of being a woman, in the middle caste system, is that the father arranges who the woman should marry with. “I must make a plan for I will not, of course, wed the pig…”-98, this quote shows that Catherine would always avoid being paired up with no choices or so. “I am left with a beastly father, a life of chores, no hope, no friends; no escape…is there justice in the world.” -pg 22, this quote explains how Catherine is complaining about the lack of freedom and power to do what she wants. Ambitions and Family Restrictions were also a problem that was faced by Catherine during medieval times. “Why must I learnt to walk with a lady’s…” and “…travel with them and have and experience. Mayhap…never return to old spinning and sewing manor.” These quotes represent Catherine’s family restrictions that she has to spin and sew and be a proper lady. “How I would rather go crusading like Uncle George or live with...” -pg 13 and “My mother gave me a gentle but stern lecture about behaving like a lady.”-pg 54, these quotes explains of Catherine’s ambition to go crusading rather than having to sew and spin, the second quote explains of how she always have to be taught how to be a well-mannered lady. Long ago, life in medieval time was extremely frustrating especially for a knight’s daughter that battled these challenges like gender equality, powerlessness, ambitions and family restrictions. The facts that Catherine is human and since humans grow and learn from their past mistakes, made her open her eyes and accepts her environment.
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