Berenice De La CruzMrs. KehrmeyerAP EnglishMarch 12, 2014Humanity Against WomenGloria Steinem, journalist and activist, identifies the purpose of a feminist as being "anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men." In other words, feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Discrimination against women has been going on for decades. Donald Hall's literary and cultural theory explains that “the key to feminist analysis is the recognition of varying degrees of social power…” (199). This means that, depending on social power, women can be treated differently. However, women in society are like cows; they are branded in such a way that they are seen as property owned by men. Women are labeled as “weak and sensitive”, but when they stand up for their rights and make a decision; they are seen as crazy human beings whose expressed thoughts are misinterpreted as nonsense. There are women from past history or even today's modern world who have made a change to earn respect and gain their rights as women. For example, Mary Wollstonecraft; who supported the feminist movement through the fight for women's suffrage. In The Awakening of Kate Chopin and “The Story of an Hour.” Including Charlotte Perkins Gilman in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” we are introduced to three female characters who have realized how much their world has been controlled by their own husbands. He alludes to them as “beginning to realize [their] position in the universe as human beings and to recognize [their] relationships as individuals with the world within and around [them]” (Chopin15). These protagonists have made changes to show society that women should earn recognition not for what they are believed to be... middle of paper... really noticed by her husband, because for him her suffrage does not mean existing. He thinks he's doing a perfect job but he's not actually asking her how she's doing without him misjudging her pain as something else. In short, all three protagonists have their own worlds, choices, duties controlled by their husbands. They don't get recognition from themselves but from those who label them as women. Men think they don't have the right to change the way they should be just because they want to express themselves. They think that when women change their personalities, it is seen as a bad move or a “misfortune” on a woman's part. But above all, to summarize, it's all about gender discrimination. No matter what, it will continue in our future years, but those who imply a change, will help to come closer to change the point of view against women.