Therese Carter: Just A Housewife (Second Post)

This is another component of of my Monologue project (as described in "Therese Carter: Just a Housewife" First Post). It is basically my character analysis of Therese Carter... what I view her to be.

Sierra Guequierre

11-6-12

A2

Therese Carter: Initial Character Analysis

All throughout this interview, Therese Carter expresses different opinions on what it means to be a housewife. First she acts ironic, talking about how she’s “just” a housewife and talking about how lazy she is and how anybody could do the work she does.  But her true point of view is eventually revealed, everybody puts down housewives when they’re actually really important. She loves being a housewife.

Therese Carter has a funny, sarcastic personality. She loves to relax in the house, and drawls about her schedule in depth, especially about the books she’s read. She loves to read. She doesn’t really do any art except cooking, and occasionally painting the house. She prides herself on that small achievement.

Despite her sarcastic demeanor, Therese Carter really loves her family. She talks a lot about them- what they’re reading, where they work, what books they’re reading. She has a husband, Bob the foreman, and three children, two boys 21 and 14 years old and one girl 18 years old.

Therese Carter talks a lot about what she’s going to do when her children leave and start their own families. “I’ll never say I’m really a good mother until I see the way they all turn out. So  far they’ve done fine.” (Carter, 397).  She’s looking forward to having more time to herself, she wants it to be a “happy kind of time”. She’s the sort of person who likes to have fun and relax, but isn’t lazy either. She doesn’t see housework as a chore, she sees it as a pleasure. She know’s she’s needed, and she thinks it’s the greatest satisfaction in the world to know she’s pleased somebody.

Just A Housewife: Therese Carter

This is one of the products of an ongoing project throughout this six weeks (The Monologue Project). I'm going to post other parts of this project also. My project's based off an interview by Studs Terkel: Therese Carter, an American housewife. I created a portfolio to go along with the shortened interview I gave an oral presentation on (COMING SOON). One of the pieces was a historical paper, relating to the context of my interview. Here it is!

Sierra Guequierre

11-14-12

A2

America’s View On Housewives (Women’s Rights): Historical Context Paper

Throughout our history, Americans have struggled for civil rights, religious rights, etc. We are trying to free ourselves from many different prejudices that have been accumulated over time. Every single bias and stereotype affects somebody and needs to be stopped. However, I feel that one of the most important of these struggles is undoubtedly our struggle for women’s rights, and recognizing (not looking down on) the women known as housewives, who are a very important part of our society and possibly the basis upon which it is founded.

More than 90 years ago, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was certified. The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. Today, American women are generally considered equal to men, we have come a long way. Women serve in many important political positions and cast the majority of votes in political elections. However, studies have shown that we still have barriers to overcome. Among other issues, women are twice as likely as men not to have a driver’s license, of all Americans without a license, 70% are women.

Stereotypical housewives are flirty, talkative young women with a skirt, apron and other girly clothing. For example:

I don’t think this stereotypical image is true at all (except the basic style from the 50’s). I think American housewives are women who work hard to make sure their family has a happy and neat home. I think we understate housewives (and women in general) way too much. They are just as important to families as the money maker of a family, perhaps even more important. They are the structure for our society! We need to stop looking down on housewives, and start recognizing them more.

"One Moment"

This is a character development assignment. My character is named Emma, this is the moment when her eldest sister disappears. Note: This is just a rough draft, not final material. I might post the final material later. :) PS: Emma is sort of like my brother...

Emma crouched down in the shadows, behind her favorite tree. She was glad to get away from the party. All the little kids running around, all the teenage cousins texting, and all the adults chatting like they'd never be able to talk again was starting to drive her insane. 
It was enough that she'd had to wear this ridiculous, scratchy dress ALL DAY. If it hadn't been her best friend/eldest sister's wedding, she would have snuck away a long time ago. However, this was her limit. What was the point of wedding receptions anyways?
She adjusted herself to be more comfortable on the dusty, dry ground, but only succeeded in spilling her Coke all over her knees. She cursed and set her tray of food on the ground. Then, just when she had finally reached a nice position and relaxed, her little sister Mauve popped out from nowhere. "Boo!" she said. Emma spilled the remains of her Coke.
"Mauve." she said. "Haha!" said the mischievous little girl, her auburn hair blending in perfectly with the autumn leaves and the dimming light. 
"Watcha doin?" "Nothing. Nothing at all. "Well..." said Mauve. "That's better than something!" She hopped in Emma's slightly stiff lap. Emma seriously wondered about her sense of logic. 
Everything seemed to be perfect at that moment. Even the chaos of the party seemed to fade in the face of the happiness of the occasion. Unfortunately, all of that was about to end.
Another one off Emma's sisters poked her head into the corner. Emma immediately knew something was wrong. Leia's blue eyes were rimmed with red and her cheeks were streaked with tears.
"Emma... I... can't... I..." she sobbed. "And on her wedding day!" Emma shot up, sending a frightened Mauve into the tree. "What's happened to Violet?!?!?!?" Leia was sobbing uncontrollably now. "Emma... we've... been... searching... for as long as we've noticed..." Emma froze in fear. She knew what Leia was going to say. "Violet is missing, isn't she?" said Mauve, her voice trembling. Emma couldn't speak. "Yes." said Leia. "She's disappeared without a trace."

INTRODUCING: THE CHIBI!!!

This was a writing journal assignment (Propose a Product) that was the inspiration for the group-ad mini-project that I did. It's a good example of persuasive writing and rhetoric. I wish I had a pet Chibi!!!

PS: I have drawings but I can't post them on here so you can leave the imagery to your imagination. Just imagine a pomeranian with giant anime eyes.

THE WORLD CHANGING...

REVOLUTIONIZING...

AMAZING NEW PET...

THE CHIBI!!!!!!!!!!!!

This product of genetic research by the esteemed Doki Research Corporation (developers of the first rainbow-colored domesticated foxes)  took over 40 years to develop. After all, we want nothing but the best for out valued customers!

And the "dokitus chibae" is nothing but the best. We bred a bush monkey with a pomeranian, and then bred the most ideal animal with the product of a lemur and a housecat. For the perfect amber coat, we bred the best animal with a yorkie! We used the most humane process possible and all of our results live in perfect conditions. 

When we first set eyes on the little chibi puppies, we gasped in wonder. They are the most adorable little things the world has ever known! With the huge eyes of the bush monkey (but gorgeous, anime charm of the chibi alone), the amazingly fluffy fur of a pomeranian and the soft amber coloring of the yorkie, PLUS the delicate nose and mouth of the feline family... the chibi is designed for MAXIMUM cuteness. And what's more, it's a miracle of modern science! The chibi can run like a dog with pads on its paws OR stretch out its toes and CLIMB like a lemur... right onto YOUR LAP!!!

"Hey! We're chibis, and we're the perfect pets! We just want to play, and we can't wait for you to take us home today! 

Washed Away

“I told you, NO.” was the reply of the old man, looking like something that had lived its whole life in the dark and gloomy alleyway. “But-” replied the girl, her long and mousy brown braid bobbing with her frantic gestures. She was desperate. But why? Then she turned around and all flickered away to black. 

Keri’s dream faded. She shot straight up in bed, pressed her sweaty hands together, then leaned slowly back against her pillow. She breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was clear that something had scared her.

If things persist this way, my hair is going to turn white… oh my god, Keri, stop being morbid. The super paranoid person that I’m sure I secretly am moved to the mirror. No white, just boring light brown… Yeah, you could say that the girl in my dreams looks a lot like me, but the same creepy intuition that tells me the dreams are real tells me she’s something else. I don’t know what, but somehow I hope I never find out. Seriously, what kind of person dresses in complete black? A freaking spy?

Anyways, these dreams are totally creeping me out. Every night, the same old braided ninja argues with that decrepit old man. It’s always somewhere different, somewhere creepy, somewhere with the dim yellow light of the midnight hour. An old storeroom, the boxes and crates covered with dust and yearning for some sunlight. Stair steps covered in rain, shoved into the corners where we never go, because we don’t want to end up sleeping there. The images flicker on and off like a black and white movie. It claws away at the fragile cobwebs of my sanity. I know that it’s real. I know that their arguing holds somebody’s life in the balance. And I have a bad feeling it’s mine, hers… or ours. I’ve got to do something about this.

“Stop the car.” ordered the girl in black. The old man stubbornly continued. The girl put her gun to his head. The man sighed. “You aren’t possibly serious about this…” “I am.” she replied. “More serious than I’ve ever been about anything else in my life.” In a quick, fluid movement, she leapt out of the moving car and ran like the wind into the cold, harsh, rain. He sighed again. “I think I’ve trained her too well…”

The rain stung my eyes, numbed my skin and seemed to sap the very soul out of my body. But I continued, on through the winds that swept me back, clouded my vision and seemed to moan the pure hopelessness of what I was undertaking. I held firm, because although I have not known it this is my destiny, and it’s only just beginning.

 Keri DeVeaux was on her way to do something about it when a sudden, inexplicable instinct told her to look out the window. Through the curtain of rain, she could make out a solitary figure, clothed completely in black. Keri stood frozen in shock as the girl sprinted towards her. The glass was not very thick, but through the rain and the window she was only able to make out snatches of words. What she did hear would haunt her for the rest of her life. Stolen… chosen… coming… save… destiny… die… Then the girl disappeared. The raindrops blurred her for a moment and when they cleared she was simply gone. It seemed as though she had been washed away.

A good example of my creative writing- I don't even know where I got the idea for this. :)

Sweeter Than a Demon - a poem about my love for my eldest dog, Toki

sweeter than a demon

we were  both babies

they were frisky and furry

bouncing in my lap

an exchange of love

my mother named her

tokeloshe means demon,  or mischievous imp

I wonder what my mother was thinking

she is sweeter than a demon

on a camping trip, the dry, grassy heart of texas

my dad went hunting

she is scared of loud noises, her brother wasn’t

he died days afterward

it was my first real experience with death

my dad rushed him to the vet

I was crying and praying on my bed, why so soon

she didn’t understand, he was gone

she was so lonely

a territorial, fat corgi

another puppy of frisk and fur

years later, she loves them like little brothers

but they’re not him

she is old now

twelve years with me

still acts so frisky

the twelve-year-old puppy

the day when I thought I was losing her

before I went to school she couldn’t walk

crying, telling my mom to watch out for her

I passed that day in a daze of worry

walking outside, hey, it feels like fall

laughing at her, sitting in a huge hole

my dad says one day, she’s going to dig her own grave

those holes are in his precious garden

he’s joking, I get mad at him, ha ha ha

coming to greet me

sticking her curly head between my knees

I laugh and pet her

smiling up at me

she is better now

but not forever

an exchange of love

sweeter than a demon

I love you toki

These are some pictures of Toki!!

This is a picture of my dog Cormac and my dog Bogie (the other puppy of frisk and fur and the fat corgi - note he just finished eating a biscuit and is searching for another one). Cormac is the one coming towards me and Bogie is is the background. 

Please note that I will have to my paste my writing on here until I can figure out how to link to a word document. Any suggestions?