Gilman uses two apes to represent a human family with both genders. The female ape could have what she wants. Instead, she has to wait for the male ape to give her what she is “allowed” to have which at the same time would satisfy the male ape himself. The female ape stands for the woman who is intelligent enough to be able to figure out how to create a meal that would make her husband happy by pleasing his appetite.
However, a person’s appetite also depends on where they came from and what their cultural heritage is. For example, American food is considered easy to eat since people do not use too many “exotic” spices here. When people cook, most of the time they only put salt and pepper and you definitely can never go wrong with that combination. Sometimes there will be a pinch of paprika or any other herbs, but those work together to enhance the flavor of the dish.
As if in most Asian countries like India, people use so many different spices to the point where unless you are already used to the taste of the dish since you were little or there is near to no way you will love it. Women had very limited rights compared to men during the past and they had many significant roles in all categories. Households functioned as the social centers before hospitals, asylums, orphanages and any other facility that would act as a care-providing source at the time.
Women were responsible for raising all of the children no matter what. Women played a much more significant role than ever given credit for during these times, especially with the lack of freedoms and technology. If women strayed outside the bounds of typical female behavior during those times back in the day, they were often met with unjust persecution. Even if they were in the right, the court would typically try to sway it in a way that still made the woman at fault.
Coming from a place where people consider a ‘third world’ country, I truly understand how women have to be under the control of men and can hardly do anything they want. I lived in a big city back home so everyone is kind of open-minded already. However, in many suburban areas, women are still getting married at the age of 13 and have at least 3 babies by the age of 18. As an 18-year-old, I cannot imagine how I could handle the kids as well as making sure that I take good care of my husband after his long day at work. About 30 years ago, it was still considered okay for the husband to hit their wife if they don’t listen. I feel like all of that happened because of arranged marriage. People did not love each other from the first place so they just got married because women are supposed to taking care of the house chores. Some people don’t consider staying at home and taking care of the children is a job.
Men have the rights to complain about their boss and their co-workers after a long day at work and expect women to cook and clean up after them. Nobody actually sees that being a mom is the hardest job in the entire world. As Gilman states “Motherhood is not a remote contingency, but the common duty and the common glory of womanhood.” People always ask women about how can they balance between work and life but you can barely hear anyone asking that to men. Why do people have this assumption of women going to work all day and then they are the one who responsible to take care of the house chores too? To be fair, men should also be responsible to take care of the children or share the housework with their wives. My dad also helps my mom to wash the dishes after we are done eating because she already cooked. It is amazing how husband and wife and share the works together so that they know how tiring and time-consuming it is to do everything by themselves.
I’m glad because women have more rights now and can stand up for themselves and what they think is fair for both genders. I think that the most meaningful achievement of feminism movements is not that all women must get into boys’ club and compete with men in every aspect, but that now women get more choices so that they can find themselves a place in the society according to their personality and ability. Therefore while we have successful women figures such as Condoleezza Condi Rice and Indra K. Nooyi who contribute to the fields of politics and economics using their wisdom and talents, we also have great mothers and wives who stay in the backstage and give full support in a low pitch to their husbands and children who might thus feel more supported and confident to make great contribution to the society. Both types of women are living a meaningful life. It’s really good for them to have choices so that they could actualize themselves in the most suitable way.
Cupid In The Kitchen. (2021, Dec 17). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/cupid-in-the-kitchen/