Warrior Marks Essay - 1044 Words

Alice Walker, Warrior Marks: Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Blinding of Women. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1993, 373pp. Female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision, is a practice that involves the removal of part or all of the female external genitalia. It occurs throughout the world, but most commonly in Africa where they say that it is a tradition and social custom to keep a young girl pure and a married woman faithful. But to some Westerners, the practice is viewed as being primitive and barbaric. We react with disgust and find it nearly incomprehensible that female genital mutilation can occur in the world today In Warrior Marks, Alice Walker looks at the reality that millions of African, Asian and†¦show more content†¦Whether a battered wife, a rape survivor or genitally mutilated woman, Walker concludes that a woman warrior learns that if she is injured, she can fight back. She closes by saying, Your wound could be your guide. Female circumcision is based on gender oppression and degradation of women. It is the result of a patriarchal society trying to sexually control women. Women are stripped of their sexuality and their virginity is controlled until they are married. As in most patriarchal societies, marriage is essential to the economic survival of women. Therefore, in the minds of these people, the benefits gained from this operation for the girl and her family far outweigh any potential danger. They look forward to circumcision as a coming-of-age ritual, which is necessary to maintain health, virginity and family honor. Circumcised women are considered beautiful while uncircumcised women are considered ugly, unclean, and unfit for marriage. So when parents request a genital procedure for their daughter, they are only seeking to enhance their childs acceptance into their culture and assure her desirability as a wife. There is also a health issue here because these procedures are usually performed under unsanitary conditions. They use tools non-sterilized like knives, scalpels or a piece of glass to do the cutting and there is no use of any anesthetics. Normal risks of circumcision include hemorrhage, severe pain, shock, infection, and even death. Harm that is done toShow MoreRelatedEssay about Warrior Marks2671 Words   |  11 Pages Warrior Marks nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Female circumcision is a traditional ritual that is mostly practiced in Africa on young girls with ages that vary from birth to pre-pubescent. It is reported to have its origins (with varying degrees of reliability) in ancient Egypt. Female circumcision was also discovered being practiced in western India and eastern Asia until it was outlawed around the turn of the 20th century (common era). The procedure is varied through three different types of circumcision:Read MoreBeowulf, The Great Warrior1074 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf has just arrived on the beach of the Danes, King Hrothgar’s territory. An unnamed coastguard is obviously intimidated by the proportion, design, and occupants of Beowulf’s craft, yet he stops the warrior to ask his business and inquire after his heritage. Thus, the hero of Beowulf, the great warrior himself, introduces himself to the coastguard and in doing so, to the readers (or oral audiences of the time). Beowulf men tions his famous relatives, including that they are, â€Å"King Hygelac’s hearth-companions†Read MoreRealism And The Setting Of The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2285 Words   |  10 PagesGermanic literature that later incorporated into English. 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During the medieval times, a typicalRead MoreThe Woman Warrior By Maxine Hong Kingston1866 Words   |  8 PagesThroughout the novel The Woman Warrior, by Maxine Hong Kingston, the past is incorporated into the present through talk-stories combined into each chapter. Kingston uses talk-stories, to examine the intermingling of Chinese myths and lived experiences. These stories influence the life of the narrator as the past is constantly spoken about from the time she is young until the novel ends and she becomes an adult. Kingston incorporates two cultures. 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There were a number of great reviews of the movie from both local and overseas papers and websites found by researching online. It was harder to find criticisms; some were aimed at the negative stereotyping