If These Wings Could Fly
Chapter Thirty-Nine
by McCauley, KyrieIn Chapter Thirty-Nine, the narrative centers on a literature class exploring the portrayal of women in writing, highlighting works by Jane Austen, Alice Walker, and Mary Shelley. The protagonist reflects on the distinct ways men and women depict female characters, appreciating how women write women as fully realized individuals, while men often portray them in limited roles. Mary Shelley’s fearless and powerful voice, especially in “Frankenstein,” resonates deeply, inspiring contemplation on strength and identity. This academic setting serves as a backdrop for the protagonist’s internal dialogue about courage and self-expression.
Following class, the protagonist’s teacher, Mrs. Riley, encourages her to apply for a writing contest sponsored by the Auburn Township Council. Despite previous struggles with prompts and self-doubt, Mrs. Riley urges persistence, emphasizing the importance of finding a unique angle and trusting one’s voice. The protagonist is working on a column about crows in folklore, using the fable of a thirsty crow raising water levels with pebbles as a metaphor for incremental progress toward seemingly unattainable goals, such as admission to NYU. This metaphor encapsulates the tentative hope and effort driving her aspirations.
The protagonist wrestles with the tension between speaking truth and confronting the conservative, male-dominated power structure in her town. She recognizes the council’s composition—police officers, teachers, and family friends—and the risks of presenting controversial ideas to an audience resistant to change. Past experiences of witnessing dismissive attitudes toward women’s voices, both in school and her mother’s workplace, reinforce her awareness of the social constraints and the cost of dissent. Despite this, she acknowledges the necessity of challenging these norms.
Ultimately, the chapter explores themes of voice, courage, and social inertia. The protagonist contemplates the potential consequences of exposing uncomfortable truths in a town that values conformity. She reflects on the metaphor of flames that can either burn out or rage uncontrollably, symbolizing the precarious balance between maintaining the status quo and igniting transformative change. The chapter closes with a poignant recognition that some destructive forces persist because they are essential to survival, underscoring the complexity of personal and communal growth.
FAQs
1. How does the chapter portray the difference between how men and women write about women in literature?
Answer:
The chapter contrasts male and female literary perspectives by suggesting that men, exemplified by Thomas Hardy, tend to write women primarily as victims, survivors, or defined by their social roles such as wives, daughters, or mistresses. In contrast, women writers are portrayed as writing women “as people,” implying a more nuanced and authentic representation. Mary Shelley is highlighted as an example of a woman who subverts traditional roles by writing men as monsters, demonstrating a reversal of typical gender portrayals. This distinction emphasizes the chapter’s theme of female authors reclaiming narrative power and complexity in literature.2. What significance does the fable about the crow and the pitcher hold within the chapter’s broader themes?
Answer:
The fable of the crow raising the water level by dropping pebbles symbolizes perseverance and creative problem-solving in the face of obstacles. Within the chapter, it serves as a metaphor for the protagonist’s struggle to write an essay that meets a specific prompt and her broader ambition to reach goals that seem distant, like gaining admission to NYU. The crow’s incremental efforts reflect the idea that small, persistent attempts (“pebbles”) can gradually bring one closer to success (“a sip”). This aligns with the chapter’s themes of resilience, the power of incremental progress, and the necessity of invention when confronting challenges.3. Analyze the protagonist’s internal conflict about submitting her essay to the Auburn Township Council contest. What does this reveal about the social environment she inhabits?
Answer:
The protagonist experiences a tension between wanting to express her authentic voice and the fear of backlash within a conservative, insular community dominated by privileged white men. She doubts whether her possibly controversial ideas will be accepted or even read, knowing the council members’ likely resistance to dissenting views. This internal conflict exposes a social environment where conformity is demanded, and deviation is perceived as threatening. The protagonist’s awareness of the town’s narrow expectations, the dismissiveness toward women’s experiences, and the power dynamics at play reveal a community resistant to change and uncomfortable with uncomfortable truths.4. How does the chapter address the theme of female empowerment through literature and writing?
Answer:
The chapter underscores female empowerment by highlighting the protagonist’s engagement with women writers like Jane Austen, Alice Walker, Angelou, Plath, and Mary Shelley, who offer diverse and powerful portrayals of women. The protagonist reflects on Mary Shelley’s fearless declaration and the strength of women’s voices in literature. Furthermore, the encouragement from Mrs. Riley to trust her voice and write boldly, even if controversial, reinforces the idea that writing is a tool for empowerment and social challenge. The prospect of getting a byline in the local paper symbolizes a step toward claiming authority and recognition in a male-dominated space.5. What role does the protagonist’s relationship with Mrs. Riley play in her development and decision-making in this chapter?
Answer:
Mrs. Riley acts as a mentor figure who pushes the protagonist to overcome her self-doubt and to confront challenges directly. By encouraging her to try again with the essay contest and to trust her unique perspective, Mrs. Riley fosters the protagonist’s confidence and ambition. She frames writing as a necessary skill for future success and a means of influencing others, even those resistant to change. Mrs. Riley’s support offers a counterbalance to the protagonist’s fears about community backlash, illustrating the importance of mentorship and encouragement in personal growth and empowerment.
Quotes
1. “Maybe it’s true that men like Thomas Hardy write women well, as victims or survivors, wives or daughters, mistresses, or even soldiers. But women write women as people.”
This quote highlights a critical perspective on gender and authorship, emphasizing the authentic representation women writers bring to female characters, contrasting with male portrayals. It sets up a central thematic reflection on voice and identity in literature.
2. “And Mary Shelley wrote men as monsters, and I love her for it.”
This statement celebrates Mary Shelley’s subversive portrayal of men in Frankenstein, challenging traditional gender roles and expectations. It underscores the power of literature to invert norms and provoke thought, reinforcing the chapter’s engagement with feminist literary critique.
3. “I’m working on my next crow column now, and it’s about crows in ancient folklore. There’s a fable about a crow that is dying of thirst… The moral of the fable is that necessity is the mother of invention.”
Here, the narrator connects personal struggle to the metaphor of the crow’s persistence, symbolizing gradual progress through small efforts. This reflects the chapter’s motif of hope and incremental change despite daunting obstacles.
4. “If it’s controversial, it might not win, Leighton. But you should trust your writing, and your voice. At the very least, you’ll force six middle-aged, privileged white men to read something that matters to a seventeen-year-old girl. Maybe it’ll plant a seed.”
This quote captures the tension between conforming to expectations and speaking truth to power. It encourages embracing one’s authentic voice even in the face of potential rejection, illustrating the chapter’s larger theme of courage in self-expression.
5. “Some things should fall apart. They should burn themselves out, like a candle that’s run its wick to the bottom. It’s dangerous to wish for such a thing, though, because some flames are too selfish to extinguish themselves.”
This powerful conclusion reflects on the necessity and risk of upheaval in entrenched systems. It evokes the idea that decay and destruction can be necessary for growth, yet warns of the persistence of harmful forces, encapsulating the chapter’s bittersweet contemplation of change.
Quotes
1. “Maybe it’s true that men like Thomas Hardy write women well, as victims or survivors, wives or daughters, mistresses, or even soldiers. But women write women as people.”
This quote highlights a critical perspective on gender and authorship, emphasizing the authentic representation women writers bring to female characters, contrasting with male portrayals. It sets up a central thematic reflection on voice and identity in literature.
2. “And Mary Shelley wrote men as monsters, and I love her for it.”
This statement celebrates Mary Shelley’s subversive portrayal of men in Frankenstein, challenging traditional gender roles and expectations. It underscores the power of literature to invert norms and provoke thought, reinforcing the chapter’s engagement with feminist literary critique.
3. “I’m working on my next crow column now, and it’s about crows in ancient folklore. There’s a fable about a crow that is dying of thirst… The moral of the fable is that necessity is the mother of invention.”
Here, the narrator connects personal struggle to the metaphor of the crow’s persistence, symbolizing gradual progress through small efforts. This reflects the chapter’s motif of hope and incremental change despite daunting obstacles.
4. “If it’s controversial, it might not win, Leighton. But you should trust your writing, and your voice. At the very least, you’ll force six middle-aged, privileged white men to read something that matters to a seventeen-year-old girl. Maybe it’ll plant a seed.”
This quote captures the tension between conforming to expectations and speaking truth to power. It encourages embracing one’s authentic voice even in the face of potential rejection, illustrating the chapter’s larger theme of courage in self-expression.
5. “Some things should fall apart. They should burn themselves out, like a candle that’s run its wick to the bottom. It’s dangerous to wish for such a thing, though, because some flames are too selfish to extinguish themselves.”
This powerful conclusion reflects on the necessity and risk of upheaval in entrenched systems. It evokes the idea that decay and destruction can be necessary for growth, yet warns of the persistence of harmful forces, encapsulating the chapter’s bittersweet contemplation of change.
— Unknown
FAQs
1. How does the chapter portray the difference between how men and women write about women in literature?
Answer:
The chapter contrasts male and female literary perspectives by suggesting that men, exemplified by Thomas Hardy, tend to write women primarily as victims, survivors, or defined by their social roles such as wives, daughters, or mistresses. In contrast, women writers are portrayed as writing women “as people,” implying a more nuanced and authentic representation. Mary Shelley is highlighted as an example of a woman who subverts traditional roles by writing men as monsters, demonstrating a reversal of typical gender portrayals. This distinction emphasizes the chapter’s theme of female authors reclaiming narrative power and complexity in literature.
2. What significance does the fable about the crow and the pitcher hold within the chapter’s broader themes?
Answer:
The fable of the crow raising the water level by dropping pebbles symbolizes perseverance and creative problem-solving in the face of obstacles. Within the chapter, it serves as a metaphor for the protagonist’s struggle to write an essay that meets a specific prompt and her broader ambition to reach goals that seem distant, like gaining admission to NYU. The crow’s incremental efforts reflect the idea that small, persistent attempts (“pebbles”) can gradually bring one closer to success (“a sip”). This aligns with the chapter’s themes of resilience, the power of incremental progress, and the necessity of invention when confronting challenges.
3. Analyze the protagonist’s internal conflict about submitting her essay to the Auburn Township Council contest. What does this reveal about the social environment she inhabits?
Answer:
The protagonist experiences a tension between wanting to express her authentic voice and the fear of backlash within a conservative, insular community dominated by privileged white men. She doubts whether her possibly controversial ideas will be accepted or even read, knowing the council members’ likely resistance to dissenting views. This internal conflict exposes a social environment where conformity is demanded, and deviation is perceived as threatening. The protagonist’s awareness of the town’s narrow expectations, the dismissiveness toward women’s experiences, and the power dynamics at play reveal a community resistant to change and uncomfortable with uncomfortable truths.
4. How does the chapter address the theme of female empowerment through literature and writing?
Answer:
The chapter underscores female empowerment by highlighting the protagonist’s engagement with women writers like Jane Austen, Alice Walker, Angelou, Plath, and Mary Shelley, who offer diverse and powerful portrayals of women. The protagonist reflects on Mary Shelley’s fearless declaration and the strength of women’s voices in literature. Furthermore, the encouragement from Mrs. Riley to trust her voice and write boldly, even if controversial, reinforces the idea that writing is a tool for empowerment and social challenge. The prospect of getting a byline in the local paper symbolizes a step toward claiming authority and recognition in a male-dominated space.
5. What role does the protagonist’s relationship with Mrs. Riley play in her development and decision-making in this chapter?
Answer:
Mrs. Riley acts as a mentor figure who pushes the protagonist to overcome her self-doubt and to confront challenges directly. By encouraging her to try again with the essay contest and to trust her unique perspective, Mrs. Riley fosters the protagonist’s confidence and ambition. She frames writing as a necessary skill for future success and a means of influencing others, even those resistant to change. Mrs. Riley’s support offers a counterbalance to the protagonist’s fears about community backlash, illustrating the importance of mentorship and encouragement in personal growth and empowerment.
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