Our personal perspective sheds light on differing aspects of tales, leading to messages unique to our current socioeconomic and cultural experiences. Much as viewers of Grant Woods’ “American Gothic” come away with different definitions of the American experience based on upbringing and life situation, consumers of literature find differing themes based on societal and geographical influences. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is required literature in many modern U.S. public high schools. The tale’s strong patriarchal stance is foreign, even offensive, to most of those reared in Western societies where women are encouraged to question the status quo and are afforded educations equal to their male counterparts. The role of women is carefully outlined by early societal nurturings and ingrained in citizens. In the 1950’s, “Leave it to Beaver” land, U.S. children were taught that caring for hearth and home was “women’s work,” while male heads of household were expected to “bring ho...
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