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NishaliNaik
TravisWashmon
AP/GTEnglish
1March2015
ProtestPoem:DivingintotheWreck
AdrienneRichwasafeministpoetwhocenteredherworkaroundpostwarAmericaand
focusedprimarilyonthefeminineidentityandgenderstereotypesthatwomenhadtosuccumb
to.InherpoemDivingintotheWrecksheusesacombinationofmetaphors,succinctsentence
structure,andfirstpersonperspectivetodisplayherdesireforequalitybetweengenderroles.
Throughtheusageofvariousmetaphorswithinthepoem,AdrienneRichwasableto
alludetothenecessitytorecognizetheoriginsofthemovementandthemythsthatcausewomen
tobeconsideredinferior.ByopeningwithbookofmythsAdrienneRichisrecognizingthat
therearefalseaccusationsthatrepresenttherelationshipofmenandwomen,andlateralludes
thatthebookholdsterrorsasshemustpackaknifeonthejourney.Similarly,sheusesthe
cameraasametaphorfortheoriginofthesemyths,aspicturesareoftentakenofouryouthorthe
originofourcharacter.Shelaterenterstheoceanofgreatvastness,solidarityandpower,by
climbingdowntheladderthatinsinuatesherlowsocioeconomicpositionasawomeninsociety.
Sheisstrugglingundertheweightofherscubagear,thereforemakingitadifficulttasktoenter
themysteriousworldofthedeepsea.Afterreachingthewreck(possiblyofmarriage)Rich
recognisesbothsexesascreaturesofthesea,withonemoresafethentheother,asthemanwears
anarmoredsuitandtheladyhasonlyherstreamingblackhair,asymbolofhersexuality,to


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protectherinfemalefantasy.ByreferencingalloftheseaspectsRichisabletodemonstratethe
dividebetweenmenandwomen.
AdrienneRichsconcisestructureandprose,helpsthereaderrecognisethatalthoughshe
maybeinprimalwaterssheisstillstutteringinherfantasy.Thebreakswithinthepoemcreates
arhythmicflowthatmakestheexperienceofthereadersimilartothatofthefemalenarrator.By
usingshortconciselinessheisabletoportraythatsheisonamissiontodiscoverherselfand
discoverthewreck.ShelaterendsthepoembymakingfullcircleandstatingthatWeare,Iam,
youarebycowardiceorcourage,theonewhofindourway,backtothisscene,carryingaknife,
acamera,abookofmyths,inwhich,ournamesdonotappear.Theseshortphrasesalludetothe
keysymbolsofthestory,aswellasshowsthatshereturnstothewreck.Italsocreatesanairof
mysteryasshedoesnotstatewhethershereturnedfromthewreck,makinguswonderifshehas
becomeapartofthewreckthatisthefailedfeministcause.
ByusingawomansperspectiveRichwasabletoshowhowitrelatestothefeminist
cause.Asthepoemisintheperspectiveofawomenitisclearthatthedreamworldisthatofthe
feministendeavor.OneofAdrienneRichsdreamsduringthetimewastofeelempowerednot
inthesensetohaveauthorityoveranotherbuttofeelindependent.Thisperspectiveallowsthe
readertobeinhershoesandexperiencethetreacherouswatersthatisthefeministcauseagainst
thecurrenthierarchy.


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Flawless:FeministProtestMusic
Inherselftitledalbum,Beyonceshowcasedtheimportanceoffeministprinciplesand
evendedicatedalittleportionofhersongFlawlessasamonologuethatbroughttolightthe
injusticesofgenderdiscriminationineducation.Byalludingtoapriorpersonalscenario,
providingadefinition,andrepeatingthemesthroughouthersong,Beyoncewasableto
effectivelydisplaytheneedandlackoffeministprincipleinsociety.
Byintroducingthesongwithareallifebroadcastofadancecompetitionthatshe
performedinasachild,Beyoncesetsthestagetoprovideaclosingstatementtotheargument.
WhenBeyoncewaslittlesheperformedinangroupconsistedofgirls,againstanallboygroup.
Althoughtheyperformedadmirably,throughthecontextofthesong,attheendwhenthehost
announcesthewinnerthejudgesgivethe"championSkeletonGroove4Stars,Aperfectscore,
AndthechallengerGirlsTYMEreceives,3stars,SkeletonGroove,championsonceagain".The
listenerbeginstoconnectthedotsandseethatitseemskindofdiscriminatorythattheallboy
crewarechampionsonceagainandreceivesaperfectscorewhichisunlikely,whilethegirls
teamalthoughtheyperformedverywell,wasjustbelowthemen.Italsomakesyouwonder
wherethatgroupisnow,consideringthatBeyonceisanationalstar.
WhenNgoziAdichieincludesamonologueaboutthewayweeducatewomentostrive
formarriage,shemakesacleardefinitionofwhoafeministis.AccordingtoNgozia"Feminist
isapersonwhobelievesinthesocialPolitical,andeconomicequalityofthesexes",therefore
withinthisdefinitionshealsoallowsforamothertoalsobeconsideredafeminist.Notonlydoes
shehintthatwomenareencouragedtoworktowardsmarriage,butshealsoshowsthe


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consequencesthatithasonthewomen'sandmother'ssociallives.Afeministissomeonewho
believesintheidea,anddoesnotneedtoinvestallhertimeinthecause.Howevershealso
expressedtheneedforsuchmovements,becauseweareteachinggirlsdifferentprinciples
comparedtowhatweareteachingboys.
Throughrepetitionofdiction,Beyonceisabletoreassertcertainthemestomakeher
protestargumentmoreaffective.Bystating"weflawless,ladiestell'em",Beyoncehintsthatshe
wantswomentotellmen,thattheyareflawless.SimilartothatofArethaFranklinssong
Respect,Beyonceisaskingforrecognitionthatwomenarefinejustthewaytheyare.So
essentiallysheisjustaskingforalittlebitofrespect.Shethereforemakesaneffectiveprotest
songthathighlightsthenecessitytorespectwomen.


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FeministProtestCartoon
Asthepeoplegrowmoreconvincedthatamothercannotbothbeanactivefeministand
fulfillherroleasalovingmotherithasbecomemoreapparentthatpeoplearetryingtomakethe
publicawareoftheidioticnatureofsuchthoughts.InthiscartoonLizaDonnellyusesa
combinationoftextandimages,symbolism,andcolorschemetoallowthereadertomakea
connectionbetweenhowwebothrespectanddisregardamothersaccomplishments.
Thecartoonistusessymbolismtohelpmakeacriticalconnectionbetweentherelationto
thatoftheambiguouslinebetweenfeminismandmotherhood.Asthemotherisdrawninher
"place"asastereotypicalhomemakercooking,wemakeanemotionalconnectiontothe
situation.Inthisparticularscenariothemotherfitstheantiquatedcultofdomesticityapproachas
someonewhoisinthekitchencooking.Theapronaroundherwaistsymbolizesthe"ideal"
housewifewhocooks,cleans,anddoeshouseworkalongwithraisingthechildren.Theapron
alsocanrepresentaformofsubmissivenesstoherhusbandwhositsawaywaiting.The
newspapersymbolizesthefatherslackofinterestanddistancefromthehearthandhome.
Thecartoonistusesthecombinationoftextandimageryofayounggirltoconveyher
message.Thelittlechildisintentionallythatofafemale,becausesherepresentsthenaive
ideologyofthefeministmovement.Sheistheonewhotoldapeerthatmothersarenotfeminist
by"punchingthemout".Thereforesheisspreadingtheideathatmotherscannotbeactive
feministsaswell.Sheisalsoyoung,becauseitrepresentsthefairlynewfeministmovementthat
hasnothadthatlongofalifespanincomparisontoothersocialandpoliticalmovementsand
alsothenaivenatureofthestatement.Becausethelittlegirlsaidthestatementweconsiderit


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comedicandmaketheexcusethatsheistoonaivetounderstandheractions,howeverwhenyou
relateittotherealworldyourealizehowstrangethestatementis.
Thecartoonistalsopurposelykeptthecartooninblackandwhitebecauseitrepresents
theoldfashionedstyleofthinkingandcontraststhegrimrealismofthestatementtothecomedic
valueitholds.Ifthecartoonisthadusedculturecertainsymbolicaspectssuchastheapronand
littlegirlwouldnotbeasemphasized.Thesimplisticnatureofthecartoongreatlyaffectsthe
effectivenessofthepoliticalproteststatement.


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ProtestSource1:DivingintotheWreck
Firsthavingreadthebookofmyths,
andloadedthecamera,
andcheckedtheedgeoftheknifeblade,
Iputon
thebodyarmorofblackrubber
theabsurdflippers
thegraveandawkwardmask.
Iamhavingtodothis
notlike
Cousteauwithhis
assiduousteam
aboardthesunfloodedschooner
butherealone.
Thereisaladder.
Theladderisalwaysthere
hanginginnocently
closetothesideoftheschooner.
Weknowwhatitisfor,
wewhohaveusedit.
Otherwise
itisapieceofmaritimefloss
somesundryequipment.


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Igodown.
Rungafterrungandstill
theoxygenimmersesme
thebluelight
theclearatoms
ofourhumanair.
Igodown.
Myflipperscrippleme,
Icrawllikeaninsectdowntheladder
andthereisnoone
totellmewhentheocean
willbegin.
Firsttheairisblueandthen
itisbluerandthengreenandthen
blackIamblackingoutandyet
mymaskispowerful
itpumpsmybloodwithpower
theseaisanotherstory
theseaisnotaquestionofpower
Ihavetolearnalone
toturnmybodywithoutforce
inthedeepelement.


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Andnow:itiseasytoforget
whatIcamefor
amongsomanywhohavealways
livedhere
swayingtheircrenellatedfans
betweenthereefs
andbesides
youbreathedifferentlydownhere.
Icametoexplorethewreck.
Thewordsarepurposes.
Thewordsaremaps.
Icametoseethedamagethatwasdone
andthetreasuresthatprevail.
Istrokethebeamofmylamp
slowlyalongtheflank
ofsomethingmorepermanent
thanfishorweed
thethingIcamefor:
thewreckandnotthestoryofthewreck
thethingitselfandnotthemyth
thedrownedfacealwaysstaring
towardthesun


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theevidenceofdamage
wornbysaltandawayintothisthreadbarebeauty
theribsofthedisaster
curvingtheirassertion
amongthetentativehaunters.
Thisistheplace.
AndIamhere,themermaidwhosedarkhair
streamsblack,themermaninhisarmoredbody.
Wecirclesilently
aboutthewreck
wediveintothehold.
Iamshe:Iamhe
whosedrownedfacesleepswithopeneyes
whosebreastsstillbearthestress
whosesilver,copper,vermeilcargolies
obscurelyinsidebarrels
halfwedgedandlefttorot
wearethehalfdestroyedinstruments
thatonceheldtoacourse
thewatereatenlog
thefouledcompass
Weare,Iam,youare


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bycowardiceorcourage
theonewhofindourway
backtothisscene
carryingaknife,acamera
abookofmyths
inwhich
ournamesdonotappear.


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ProtestSource2:FlawlessLyrics
YourchallengersareayounggroupfromHouston
WelcomeBeyonce,Lativia,Nina,Nicky,Kelly,andAshley
TheHipHopRappin'
'GirlsTYME'
I'mboutthatH,towncomingcomingdown
I'mcomingdown,drippin'candyontheground
Ontheground
H,Town,Town,I'mcomingdown,comingdown
Iknoww
henyouwerelittlegirls
Youdreamtofbeinginmyworld
Don'tforgetit,don'tforgetit
Respectthat
,bowdownbitches
Itooksometimetolivemylife
Butdon'tthinkI'mjustthislittlewife
Don'tgetittwisted,getittwisted
Thismyshit,bowdownbitches
Bowdownbitches,bowbowdownbitches(Crown)
Bowdownbitches,bowbowdownbitches(Crown)
HTownbitches
H,HTownbitches
I'msocrowncrown,bowdownbitches


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I'maboutthatH,town,comingcomingdown
I'mcomingdown,drippin'candyontheground
Ontheground
H,Htowntown
I'mcomingdown
Comingdown
Drippin'candyontheground
Weteachgirlstoshrinkthemselves
Tomakethemselvessmaller
Wesaytogirls
"Youcanhaveambition
Butnottoomuch
Youshouldaimtobesuccessful
Butnottoosuccessful
Otherwiseyouwillthreatentheman"
BecauseIamfemale
Iamexpectedtoaspiretomarriage
Iamexpectedtomakemylifechoices
Alwayskeepinginmindthat
Marriageisthemostimportant
Nowmarriagecanbeasourceof
Joyandloveandmutualsupport


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Butwhydoweteachgirlstoaspiretomarriage
Andwedon'tteachboysthesame?
Weraisegirlstoeachotherascompetitors
Notforjobsorforaccomplishments
WhichIthinkcanbeagoodthing
Butfortheattentionofmen
Weteachgirlsthattheycannotbesexualbeings
Inthewaythatboysare
Feminist:thepersonwhobelievesinthesocial
Political,andeconomicequalityofthesexes
Youwakeup,flawless
Postup,flawless
Rideroundinit,flawless
Flossinonthat,flawless
Thisdiamond,flawless
Mydiamond,flawless
Thisrock,flawless
Myrock,flawless
Iwokeuplikethis
Iwokeuplikethis
Weflawless,ladiestell'em
Iwokeuplikethis


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Iwokeuplikethis
Weflawless,ladiestell'em
SayI,looksogoodtonight
Goddamn,Goddamn
SayI,looksogoodtonight
Goddamn,Goddamn
Mommataught
megoodhometraining
MyDaddytaught
mehowtolovemyhaters
Mysistertaughtme
Ishouldspeakmymind
MymanmademefeelsoGoddamnfine
Youwakeup,flawless
Postup,flawless
Rideroundinit,flawless
Flossinonthat,flawless
Thisdiamond,flawless
Mydiamond,flawless
Thisrock,flawless
Myrock,flawless
Iwokeuplikethis
Iwokeuplikethis
SayI,looksogoodtonight
Goddamn,Goddamn


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SayI,looksogoodtonight
Goddamn,Goddamn
TheJudgesgivechampion
SkeletonGroove4Stars
Aperfectscore
Andthe
challengerGirlsTYMEreceives,3stars
SkeletonGroove,championsonceagain
Congratulations,we'llseeyounextweek


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Source3:ProtestCartoon