Overview
Choose one of the introductory paragraphs you wrote for Part B of any of your first five Reading Reviews, and expand it into a formal 5-page essay.
This was my response-
"Part B
For Gilman, “women’s work” is lonely and demeaning. Do you think “parent-work” and housework must be this way? Why or why not? Speculate about what specific measures, institutions, or practices and policies might help prevent or combat these tendencies?
According to Charlotte Perkins Gilman, "women's work" becomes lonely and demeaning because it is done in isolation, denied economic respect, and connected to women's dependence on men rather than because domestic or parental work is worthless. She highlights in Women and Economics that housework is invisible and emotionally taxing because women's domestic work "is the property of another" and what they receive "depends on the power and will of another" (Gilman, p. 264). Also, she points out that despite their continuous effort, middle-class and upper-class women are "absolutely nonproductive in goods of labor of economic value" (Gilman, p. 260). Housework and parenting don't have to be lonely or demeaning. They become so under social arrangements that privatize care, isolate caregivers, and deny domestic labor economic and social value. These tendencies can be countered through collective supports like shared domestic services, public childcare, and policies that recognize caregiving as socially necessary work.
Sources
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. Women and Economics. In Sociological Theory in the Classical Era, pp. 258–266.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper."
Your revision and expansion should demonstrate that you have moved your thinking forward. For example, you might:
- Present a clearer and more direct thesis statement than in your first draft.
- Include more citations from our course materials, with direct quotes from the theorist’s original work when possible.
- Deepen your analysis by making connections to other theorists or related concepts.
- End your essay with a reflection on how your thinking and writing have evolved since your original submission
- You include concrete examples to support your analysis. These may include:
- Examples from the theorist’s original text (explained in your own words or quoted directly)
- Examples from historical, social, or contemporary events
- Examples discussed in class lectures, slides, or videos
- Hypothetical or illustrative scenarios—as long as they clearly clarify a theoretical point
Requirements:
- At the very top of your essay, clearly state the question you are addressing.
- Copy and paste your original introduction (along with the week it was submitted and the question you were responding to) at the beginning of your document — before your revised, formal essay begins.
- You may significantly revise or rewrite your original introduction — in fact, most students will need to.
Evaluation Criteria:
Your work will be evaluated according to the following:
- Form (20%) — Grammar, punctuation, spelling, clarity of organization, and proper formatting.
- Content (80%) — Depth of analysis, clarity and precision of argument, and accuracy in your understanding and use of the course materials.
Your essay must include a minimum of six in-text citations (footnotes) to OUR course materials. You should not need to include any outside sources to complete this assignment. If you include too many outside sources, you will not receive credit. Aim to include multiple course materials: Readings and slides or class notes are especially important, but videos can also be cited.
Formatting:
- Length: Approximately 5 double-spaced pages (not exceeding 5), excluding the original intro at the top and the source list at the end.
- 12-point Times New Roman font
- Double-spaced
- 1-inch margins
- Chicago, APA, or MLA style — Headers, page numbers, quotations, and citations must follow the chosen style consistently.
- NO AI