Adrienne Rich Claiming An Education Summary

They acknowledged that they came from comfort and were given the privilege and opportunity of obtaining higher education, but for them, that higher education was not a reflection of, or supportive of

Andrew Simmons published his article for The Atlantic, “The Danger of Telling Poor Kids that College is the Key to Social Mobility” on January 16, 2014, which raises his concerns that higher education is only being promoted as an opportunity to increase their economic status, when it should be an opportunity to experience an education (Simmons). Through the use of students such as Isabella, Simmons disagrees with the way students now look at higher education and blames the educators through the students’ lives for this view. Instead, Simmons views education as an intellectual opportunity rather than a way to elevate ones economic class which is all people see when they see “higher education.” He believes that education, ambition and work ethic is how you have a satisfying life, not with how much you make. He makes the point that when economics becomes the main goal of education it’s all children begin to think about and they might not pursue something that they are truly passionate about or what they want to learn about, which then does not create an intellectually awakening experience (Simmons).

It brings up the question: what would a woman that only has a future to be a housewife or housekeeper do with an education? By not taking a woman seriously when she wants to attend school shows that it will be highly likely that an education would be of irrelevant use.

In has education failed by Ashley Montagu, he states his opinion that education has inadequately lacked teaching student correctly, Affecting their full potential. Mentally Montagu believes that for a person to be mentally healthy they must be able to know how to love and work. Stating that if they aren’t taught to communicate with other their performance drops. But due to outside problems that are something different than in class he think teachers shouldn’t allow outside problems to continue but to distinguish outside problem and find ways to solve those problems. He believe that students aren’t the fault in the system but have been due to lack of work teachers put in.

Privilege is giving someone unearned advantages that all cannot attain. When you are privilege most likely you are ignorant to the fact that you have received the best education, compared to others who do not share the same privileges. In this article the author mainly discusses the effects of social and economic privilege in our education system. Socio-economics deals with a person social class and income level. People who have the advantage of belonging to this social class are upper-middle and the upper class. They are the people who make six or more figures, compared to those who only make about $40,000 a year. The upper-middle and the upper class live opulently. To live opulent you have to have money, and money brings status and influence in

In her next chapter, Kerber examines the newfound need for the educating of women. Women were not allowed freedom or a political opinion, but they could not be completely pushed aside. For years women had been taught that education made them undesirable to men and educated women were scorned. Kerber argues that a new need for

Mary Wollstonecraft’s famous book, Vindication of the Rights of Women, is “one of the earliest expressions of a feminist consciousness.” Wollstonecraft claims that women are upset mainly due to the fact that they are not receiving the education they deserve, and goes on to explain how women are notorious for being weak, and mentally unstable. She blames the education system for this since all the books are written by men, and they claim that women are barley humans and are treated as another species. She questions the eligibility of men to claim they are better than women. A useful education, in her opinion, is one that teaches students how to be strong and independent. Her directed audience is anyone who is unsure of the true definition and meaning of feminism. Wollstonecraft believes that all humans are capable of the same intelligence, no matter the gender. Her overall idea is that every individual, both male and female, deserve equality.

Education being extremely important is drilled into your head as a teenager. Rich wrote in his essay, “The first thing I want to say to you who are students, is that you cannot afford to think of being here to receive an education; you will do much better to think of being here to claim one (608).” Rich is saying claiming an education is taking what you deserve and what’s rightfully yours. Claiming an education is doing it for yourself, as for receiving an education is doing it “just because”. He is saying education cannot be something you just “accept” and get it just to have it; it is something you must take because it is critical, especially for women. To me, claiming is going after what you want. You have to be active not passive to claim an

In her article “College Is a Waste of Time and Money”, Caroline Bird attempts to pursued her readers that colleges are overflowing with students who don’t belong there. Her article first appeared in Psychology Today (May 1975). Since this material is outdated, I find it hard to believe that most of the responses by students and parents quoted in the article still hold true. The author has set out to pursue the readers that college is a bad and unnecessary choice for today’s youth. Yet the author holds a bachelors and a masters degree from two different universities. I would think that if she thought college was really a bad choice and a waste of time and money, she would not have gone back to get her masters degree.

“The subject of the Education of Women of the higher classes is one which has undergone singular fluctuations in public opinions” (Cobbe 79). Women have overcome tremendous obstacles throughout their lifetime, why should higher education stand in their way? In Frances Power Cobbe’s essay “The Education of Women,” she describes how poor women, single women, and childless wives, deserve to share a part of the human happiness. Women are in grave need of further improvements in their given condition. Cobbe suggests that a way to progress these improvements manifests in higher education, and that this will help further steps in advance. Cobbe goes on to say that the happiest home, most grateful husband, and the most devoted children came from a woman, Mary Sommerville, who surpassed men in science, and is still studying the wonders of God’s creations. Cobbe has many examples within her paper that shows the progression of women as a good thing, and how women still fulfill their duties despite the fact that they are educated. The acceptance of women will be allowed at the University of New England because women should be able to embrace their abilities and further their education for the benefit of their household, their lives, and their country.

Rich is the author of an essay called “Claiming an Education” where she uses the words “claiming” and “receiving” very carefully. In the essay she talks about the difference between claiming an education and receiving an education. She states “You cannot afford to think of being here to receive an education; you will do much better to think of yourselves as able to claim one. One of the dictionary definitions of the verb “to claim” is to take as the rightful owner; to assert in the fade of

After stating these points she continues on to discuss the importance of women having the same opportunities as men. One of the first opportunities being the choice to pursue the education she desires and not one that be designated to her, “The education that will fit her to discharge the duties in the largest sphere of human usefulness, will best fit her for whatever special work she may be compelled to do.” She states that, “The strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities for higher education, for the full development of her faculties, her

How do you perceive to claim an education without receiving one? Rich uses the dictionary to define the word claim, which means “ to take as the rightful owner; to assert in the face of possible contradiction” and then to receive is ¨to come into possession of; to act as receptacle container for; to accept as authoritative or true¨ (608). Claiming your education to me is going out out their and working hard to get it on your own because you want to. Receiving one is something that was given to you. Rich believes that everyone should go and claim their own education and that they shouldn’t settle for less because there is a difference between acting and being acted upon, and for women, it can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Adrienne Rich states “That you cannot afford to think of being here to receive an education; you will do much better to think of yourselves as being here to claim one” (23). What is the difference between claim and receive? Rich writes “One of the dictionary definitions of the verb “to claim” is to take as the rightful owner; to assert in the face of possible contradiction. “To receive” is to come into possession of; to act as receptacle or container for; to accept as authoritative or true” (23).

In Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, she addressed many issues for women regarding civil rights and the expectations that were held for them at the time. “…men have… been led by viewing education in a false light; not considering it as the first step to form a being advancing gradually towards perfection; but only as a preparation for life.” (Wollstonecraft 58). Essentially, Wollstonecraft implied that men interpreted education only as a means of learning how to live life. In accordance with such an interpretation, women were only allowed to learn how to be wives and mothers. Wollstonecraft also stated her own perspective as to what education needed to be perceived as in contrast to what it was believed to be. After the large uproar that A Vindication of the Rights of Woman created, Wollstonecraft’s writing inspired many other female writers to join the fray.