Changing+roles+of+women

Changing roles of women

__After viewing "Mona Lisa smile", what can you conclude about the role of women in early societies?

Record your answer in the following format - remember not to delete the response before you, simply record your answer underneath the person in front of you.

Ms Walker__ - the dvd portrayed that women were not expected to receive an education or have a career. Their purpose was to get married and look after the domestic duties and her husband and to support any children.

__Jemma Young__ - The dvd gave an insight to women and how they were portrayed in early societies. Women were expected to marry young and move into a home with their husbands. They were not expected to recevie an education or have a career. Their duty was to raise a family, stay and look after them and and fufill domestice duties.

__Rachel Pace__ - Mona Lisa Smile portrayed through well constructed characters how poorly women were treated in early societies. The characters showed that society, particularly men, believed that women did not have the choice nor the intelligence to receive and complete a higher education. Mona Lisa Smile proved through characters like Katherine and Joan that women do have ambitions and wit, that they do have the capacity to be as educated and apply for jobs as every other man. This was juxtaposed with scenes where Betty conforms to marital status, and condones Katherine and Joan for adopting a Liberal response compared to a subservient lifestyle.

__Justine Newie Salazar -__ The film opens in the socially conservative setting of the 1950’s drawn from the experience of Katherine Watson, a teacher of art history. the film embraces the ethos of the days in which young women in prestigious schools are expected to memorise course contents as they prepare to become exemplary mothers who oversee the education of their children, and wives-to-be for the nation’s elite males.Mona Lisa Smile illustrates the numerous ways ways in which women’s lives were shaped and limited by existing social heirarchical structures, as awell as examining the ways in which females attitudes are reproduced in a society still dominated by male control.

__Rebecca Towerton__ - After watching the dvd Mona Lisa Smile I can conclude that the role of women in early societies was purely to do domestic duties. Women were treated as though they were the 'property' of their husbands. In the eyes of others it was not acceptable for women to lead lives of their own as it was their duty as a wife to stay at home and look after their husband and children.

__Sarah Nega__- The role of women in early societies, as portrayed through the film Mona Lisa smile, was one of inferiority. Women, generally were treated in a paternalistic and patronizing manner both through legal and non-legal institutions. One such evidence of institutionalized sexism evident within the movie is that of marriage and the expectations that accompanied this practice. Whilst feminist movements and female liberation existed, related beliefs were shined and widely unaccepted amongst greater society. The film also reflected the difficulty for women to appose and reject the subservient and demeaning roles impressed upon them.

__Mary Nega__- Upon viewing the film "Mona Lisa's smile" the conclusion may be drawn that women were subservient and were expected to discourage promiscuity whilst appearing pure in order to take up the position they "were born to fill". Through "Mona Lisa's smile" the desire of most women to become homemakers during early societies is evident. The discrace and shame placed upon a women who may possess liberal or radical views as to the role of women is also exposed through the film.