The Feminine Mystique And Shooting An Elephant - 898 Words

Both The Feminine Mystique and â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† discuss the confrontation between the self and society. In The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan addresses â€Å"The Problem That Has No Name† referring to the widespread unhappiness of the housewife due to their obligation to uphold their ideal image rather than pursuing their dreams; in â€Å"Shooting an Elephant†, George Orwell comments on the societal expectations of imperialism and its effects on people who have the duty to uphold the law. In both of these texts, the confliction between societal norms and personal desires is emphasized, and both Friedan and Orwell agree that one must surpass the fear of breaking society’s expectations and use personal wisdom to achieve what one believes is right. In The Feminine Mystique, Friedan defines â€Å"The Problem That Has No Name† to be the dissatisfaction and longing in suburban housewives which was not caused by a lack of femininity but an excess of education and awareness. Society defined the suburban housewife as â€Å"the dream image of the young American woman and the envy†¦of women all over the world† (Friedan 60). Women were expected to make a â€Å"career† out of being housewives, which Friedan found to be ridiculous. Women should not be confined to the home when they have the same capabilities as men. By failing to speak out, these women allowed this idea of the ideal housewife to become engraved into every American’s mind, and this image of the ideal housewife did not benefit women at all