Sex and gender have been theorized in a variety of ways. As we know, one way gender can be theorized is as a socially constructed set of rules and norms in society. Simone de Beauvoir\u2019s infamous quote \u201cone is not born, but becomes a woman\u201d highlights this way of understanding gender (de Beauvoir 1952:249). In this view, the process of gendering is a social process.<\/p>\n
In this assignment, you will closely examine a text for meanings related to gender. Beginning by looking at de Beauvoir\u2019s standpoint, you will argue that gender is (or is not) a social construction. To do this you will analyze lyrics from the Dar Williams song When I Was a Boy. By engaging with the lyrics of this song through close reading you will create your own analysis about gender.<\/p>\n
Do you agree that gender is a social construction in the way the songwriter has written? To deeply analyze this text you will apply (at least) five course readings we have discussed in class to the song lyrics.<\/p>\n
You will formulate a thesis that persuasively and coherently connects the theoretical paradigm(s) introduced in class to your close reading of the lyrics. You must support this thesis with solid examples drawn from the lyrics and texts you are discussing.<\/p>\n
To do this:
First, you will need to do a close reading of the song lyrics. You will then work to connect these lyrics directly to the course readings. In your essay, you will use the course readings to support your analysis of the song. Your essay needs a clear point of view, starting with a thesis statement or question that guides and structures your essay.<\/p>\n
All papers are to be typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, double spaced, with one inch margins, and stapled. Page numbers should appear on each page. The paper must have a title that reflects its contents and a works cited page. All quotes must be cited.
0\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014- its a song for the final paper
When I Was a Boy
Dar Williams
1993<\/p>\n
I won\u2019t forget when Peter Pan came to my house, took my hand I said I was a boy; I\u2019m glad he didn\u2019t check. I learned to fly, I learned to fight, I lived a whole life in one night We saved each other\u2019s lives out on the pirate\u2019s deck. And I remember that night when I\u2019m leaving a late night with some friends And I hear somebody tell me it\u2019s not safe, someone should help me I need to find a nice man to walk me home. When I was a boy, I scared the pants off of my mom, Climbed what I could climb upon And I don\u2019t know how I survived, I guess I knew the tricks that all boys knew. And you can walk me home, but I was a boy, too. I was a kid that you would like, just a small boy on her bike Riding topless, yeah, I never cared who saw. My neighbor came outside to say, \u201cGet your shirt,\u201d I said \u201cNo way, it\u2019s the last time I\u2019m not breaking any law.\u201d And now I\u2019m in a clothing store, and the signs say Less is More More that\u2019s tight means more to see, more for them, not more for me That can\u2019t help me climb a tree in ten seconds flat When I was a boy, See that picture? That was me Grass-stained shirt and dusty knees. And I know things have gotta change, They got pills to sell, they\u2019ve got implants to put in, they\u2019ve got implants to remove But I am not forgetting\u2026that I was a boy too. And like the woods where I would creep, it\u2019s a secret I can keep Except when I\u2019m tired, except when I\u2019m being caught off guard. I\u2019ve had a lonesome awful day, the conversation finds its way To catching fire-flies out in the backyard. And I tell the man I\u2019m with about the other life I lived And I say now you\u2019re top gun, I have lost and you have won And he says, Oh no, oh no, can\u2019t you see When I was a girl, my mom and I, we always talked I picked flowers everywhere that I walked. And I could always cry, now even when I\u2019m alone I seldom do And I have lost some kindness But I was a girl too. And you were just like me, and I was just like you.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sex and gender have been theorized in a variety of ways. As we know, one way gender can be theorized is as a socially constructed set of rules and norms in society. Simone de Beauvoir\u2019s infamous quote \u201cone is not born, Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-152001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152001","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152001"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152001\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152001"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152001"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152001"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}