A Student Response From:
Patrick
Hardship. That's the first word that comes to mind after reading through this week's prompt. The prompt gave us--the readers--more insight into the background that Ms. Simpson comes from, as well as what she tries to do for her daughter. Rather commendable, if you ask me, for is it not a parent's duty to ensure that their child's life/future is better than their own? Of course, "better" can mean a multitude of different things for each individual, but I think at the end of the day, all that matters is that the child is content with the life they live.
Comments 2
I wonder if we are ever fully content with the lives we are given?
Patrick,
This question you posed, “if you ask me, for is it not a parent’s duty to ensure that their child’s life/future is better than their own?” has many open avenues.
Is this just an unspoken rule we are told? We are dictating the life of someone else? The dilemma of adhering to the unspoken rules of parenthood that may be suppressing what we may feel is the right thing.
Growing up in a culture that is different from others and submitting to the societal standards because it is a norm. Between culture and society do we really get to choose who and what we want to be?
The story of Rose Simpsons upbringing, to her feeling of wanting freedom from that life, to the way she nurtures her daughter it ties together from her culture but is also dictated in a sense from society.
I would make an assumption here and think that Rose was not looked great by other when her hair was a mess and her clothes worn. If perhaps society didn’t look down on that she would feel freer in expression at that time. The need to pick her daughters clothes may come from her not wanting her daughter to be seen in the light that she was seen.
The need to want to express but there is a limit to what we can express. As a child the world is new. Her daughter picking what she wanted to wear of course is her choice until someone says something about it and then a piece of that expression may be chipped away. It is non confirmative of what is expected.
How do we break free of this? Can we fully not care about the thoughts and expectations of others? Will that then set us free?
Sarah