October: Gender and Self-Esteem

Literature

Are Women Human?: And Other International Dialogues by Catharine A. MacKinnon

Annabel by Kathleen Winter
The Good Girl Revolution: Young Rebels with Self-Esteem and High Standards by Wendy Shalit
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

The members will receive access to biographical information of the authors of the literature featured that
month. Such information will be collected from print sources and library databases such as the (Artemis)
Literature Resource Center. In addition to biographical information, members will receive lecture
material on the general topic of discussion for that month. As the month progresses the members should
focus their study of the issue to parallel that months readings. Members will obtain both a deeper
understanding of that months topic and greater appreciation for reading material as they annotate the
material for subject-matter mentioned in that months lecture.
To enhance the dynamics of a mentorship-book club combination, members shall respond to specific
prompts that will consolidate lecture, reading, discussion, and personal experience. These journals will
provide a bridge between group meetings and small-group mentorship experiences and demonstrate
growth throughout the program.
The following pages include:

Lecture Notes and Presentation

Journal Prompts
Annotations & Discussion Guide

Gender and Self-Esteem

Annotations for Selected Novel:
Annabelle by Kathleen Winter
Members take note of the following quotes for this weeks selected reading.
Prologue:
Pg. 2 The only reason any of us would become one, and not part of the herd, is if she were lost.
The New World:
Pg 7 Paragraph One: Take note of the physical nature of the practical knowledge held by women and
Jacintas previous profession as a teacher
Pg 9 Paragraph One: Note the nature of the daydreams of the women
Pg 13 If the women dreaming of life without their husbands could know how he felt, they would not
imagine themselves single with such gaiety. Contrast the nature of the interests and dreams of the men
versus the women.
Discuss the relationship between Annabel and Graham and how the two break the mold of their culturePay attention to the last scene: what appears to be the role of the men in child rearing.
Beaver River:
Pg 17 Had Wayne not been born in 1968 in a placethings might have gone differently. How might
things have gone differently?
What does the symbol of Treadways gentleness imply?
Pg 19. Why does Treadway hold sorrow for his wife?
Notice the gruffness in Jacinta in her belief People should get on with things pg 23. .
Pg 28. She imagined its male and female halves as complementing each other, and as being secretly,
almost magically powerful.
Thomasina Outside the Church
Litany: a tedious recital or repetitive series
How does Thomasina break the mold of the typical woman of their culture? How do men view her? How
does Jacinta view her?

Girls L.E.A.D.
October: Gender & Self-Esteem
Journal Prompts:
I.

II.

III.

IV.

Define gender- The members will be asked to note their impressions of

the term gender. Members will then have the opportunity to share their
personal definitions before learning psychological definition.
a. What questions do you have about gender? In response to the
psychological definition, members will be asked to formulate
questions regarding the implications of such a concept.
Self-esteem
a. How do you define self-esteem? Members will be asked journal their
personal responses to these questions using both their personal
impressions of the term and psychological definitions.
i. How do you measure your self-esteem?
ii. What factors influence your self-esteem?
iii. Has your self-esteem changeed over the years? Is so, how?
Gender Binary, Gender Inequality, Gender Specific Issues
a. What are the implications? The members will be introduced to
articles which discuss misconceptions regarding gender and issues
caused by such misconceptions. Such material will include statistics
that demonstrate the differences men and women face as a result of
gender inequality. They will analyze the issues through journal
reflections and share their thoughts in group discussion.
What if it were a gender spectrum? After discussing historical
patterns and modern forces that shape gender stereotypes the members
will be introduced to new schools on thought on gender.
General Reflections
Shall follow the conclusion of each unit