The traditional perspective and belief society accorded women undermined and grossly affected the choice of their career. Besides, the society naturally and obviously differentiated courses, professions, and subjects so that women were made to believe that they did not deserve certain ‘masculine’ professions and subjects. Considering this contention, two female writers, Virginia Woolf and Susan Jacoby write the articles, ‘Professions for Women’ and When Bright Girls Decide Math is a Waste of Time respectively to share their opinions based on their knowledge and experiences. Virginia is a female journalist cum novelist. She writes her article, which she delivered as a speech to share her experiences and challenges of a professional woman in a society that is so masculine and undermines the ability of women. Similarly, although with a slight different, Jacoby writes her article to share a story of a female student who opts to drop physics and math for art subjects, which the author criticizes especially when the parents give the student go ahead in her decision. Although the writers make different articles, they both write to condemn academic and professional chauvinism the male folk imposes on women. They both believe women should strive against the belief and make a significant change. This comparative essay, therefore, shall use the two authors to discuss the position of their articles.Woolf vs. JacobyFirstly, both Woolf and Jacoby contend that society undermines women in terms of career choice. In her career as a journalist, Woolf narrates her encounters and the challenges she experienced as a woman. She makes the audience aware that her job as a book reviewer was not adequate to guarantee her independent life. The society still expected her to employ charm in order to survive, both in her career, and in her personal life. For instance, she reminds us of the Angel in the house she had to strangle in order to survive. Woolf uses the phrase, ‘the angel in the house’ figuratively to simply mean the societal thought and perception on women that beckoned her not to be extra ordinary in her own independence but rather to generously take her position in the society like all women did. Actually, she surfaces her intention to be extraordinary and fight against the odds by killing the thought. According to Woolf (335), she could not prosper without killing the thought. In fact, the belief that women are not competent and must depend entirely on men for survival is a feeling that has killed the dream of so many women around the world. Woolf therefore, lauds the killing of the feeling and moving on with much strength without such thoughts nagging you from time to time.Jacoby on the other hand records the same opinion; however in a different context. In her article, she narrates the story of one girl, Sussanah, who has to make a choice to drop physics, calculus, and math. Her decision is more personal and without influence from the parents or teachers. Contrary, the author sees her action as a force dropped on her by the society that has always undermined the ability of women especially in the science subjects. Somehow, the society has separated the subjects on gender basis so that sciences are more masculine whereas arts and humanities are more feminine. In order to underscore her criticism further, Jacoby speculates and predetermines a different situation were Sussanah to announce dropping English or were she to be a boy. She says, “…her mother and father would have been horrified. I also think they would have been a good deal less sanguine about her decision had she been a boy” (Jacoby 167). This particular quote reveals the masculinity with which the society held women. No one supports the girl child especially to take a career or subject that society views as masculine. In this view, both Jacoby and Woolf share the same opinion that girl children and women are supposed to narrow the gap and fit into the universal space in the world. Yes, the society undermines women. Nevertheless, they should not accept the chauvinism to bring them down and kill their dreams.Again, the authors agree that the society is to blame for the mean achievements women make in whatever career path they chose. While Woolf gives her own account to foreground the facts, Jacoby speaks from research and uses typical examples and experiences of other women. In her own account, Woolf points out the powerful object that hovers around against the achievements of women. She says:“These were two of the adventures of my professional life. The first--killing the Angel in the House--I think I solved. She died. But the second, telling the truth about my own experiences as a body, I do not think I solved. I doubt that any woman has solved it yet. The obstacles against her are still immensely powerful--and yet they are very difficult to define.”(Woolf 337)The object that poses the obstacle Woolf talks of is the male dominated society. As a novelist, she needed to write in a trance; however, a greater and a bigger impediment blocked her writer’s unconscious state whenever she thought of it as she illustrates in this quote, “The consciousness of--what men will say of a woman who speaks the truth about her passions had roused her from her artist's state of unconsciousness. She could write no more” (Woolf 336). In other words, she asserts that women will only have their space and act universally the day they will kill the fear of what men will perceive of them anytime they want to pursue or make a step in their dream and career. Actually, the chauvinism and the urge to please men and the society are the greater impediments women have in their professionals and career choices.Similarly, Jacoby contends that men and the society are the major limitations to women. In her view, she feels that women need to be encouraged to act and make career choices without disparity. Contrary, she observes that the society has always been more discouraging and harmful than helpful. Actually, she believes that most girl children have been limited by the traditional view that linked sciences to boys and languages, humanities, and arts to girls. She explains, “The real problem is that so many girls eliminate themselves from the possibility of studying science as a result of decisions made during the vulnerable period of mid-adolescence, when they are most likely to be influenced on both the conscious and subconscious levels by the traditional belief that math and science are masculine subjects” (Jacoby 168). Same to Woolf, she uses her article to inspire young women to be bold enough and make career choices without such limitations, as society would impose on them.ConclusionThis essay has in details given the comparison between two female writers, Woolf and Jacoby. These writers underscore masculinity as a theme in both of their writings although they use different scenarios and approaches to address the subject. Through the analysis, it is very evident that women still have a major object and problem to address in their lives in order to make great achievements. Although the situation is changing, the change is minimal and requires extra efforts and determination in order to succeed. In both the articles, the authors unanimously agree that chauvinism is the major impediment that blocks women on the way to their success. For example, Woolf (336) accounts that she could not write freely without firstly thinking about how men would perceive her works. Correspondingly, Jacoby (168) records that most female students drop science subjects and their parents cannot encourage them to do otherwise because both of them are still nagged by the old belief that sciences are for boys. The position of this paper, therefore, is that women need to fight against the traditional belief that men accorded them. They should strive against the odds and gain professional independence. The analysis of these two articles explicitly shows that women can gain independence of mind and success if only they strive harder and kill the feeling that renders them less adequate as opposed to men. The writers have used the articles discussed in this comparative essay to echo the same contention as the paper gives.
Works Cited
Jacoby, Susan “When Bright Girls Decide That Math is ‘a Waste of Time’” (pp. 167-169)
Woolf, Virginia “Professions for Women” (pp. 333-337)
