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Post by stormy44 on Nov 28, 2012 6:53:52 GMT -5
We've been reading the Dollhouse for two days now, and we constantly see the word "little" in the text.
Helmer likes to call Nora little, and he treats her like a child.
I understand this because men at that time had complete control over their wives, and viewed them to be powerless, and submissive.
But what I don't get is Nora's reaction to his comments. It seems to me that she loves it when he calls her little. I personally always force Kevin to say I'm tall...
but anyways, so why do you guys think Nora enjoys being treated like a child?
I personally think it's because she's so used to being under control of men. It was her father who had power over Nora since she was just so little. Then she got married, and now it's her husband "raising" her almost. And I'm sure the concept of independence to her is just terrifying.
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Post by sujeonggg on Nov 28, 2012 20:34:53 GMT -5
I agree with you. Since she never had her own power, she's not even aware of the fact that she has always been under men. Throughout her whole life, she was continuously controlled by dad and husband, so she just thinks that she is still a child. I think it's important how the men should not just treat her as a child because now it seems like she lost her identity as a woman.
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Post by yerin0727 on Nov 28, 2012 20:37:31 GMT -5
I think that she may enjoy being called "little" because she believes that he is just showing his sign of love to her. Also, I agree that it could have been because she was so used to being controlled by men. However, if I was her, I wouldnt actually enjoy being called "little". I mean, it was pretty common in the old days for men to ignore women but, I would still want to be treated equally. Even if I may love my husband, that doesnt mean that he can control over me and look down on me.
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Post by juliekim on Nov 28, 2012 23:58:48 GMT -5
A lot of girls enjoy being treated like a child these days too. I don't think it's any different. It's just a little bit more subtle now? I don't know. Girls like acting cute with their boyfriends and the guys like treating them like "little larks" too. I''m not saying this is all guys and all girls, but I'm just saying this is still prevalent in today's society. Nora just liked that feeling of being under the protection of a guy who provides for her and cares for her. She feels privileged and protected. She's like that the whole time and even though it kinda gets annoying I think we can relate to that and connect it to today's society.
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Post by edward08 on Dec 1, 2012 22:57:26 GMT -5
no, durin that time it was like a norm to the women that they are treated like the inferior or like a "child", she is used to the environment where they are. But we might see it differently because the society where we are living today is different than hers.
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anica
Junior Member
Posts: 70
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Post by anica on Dec 1, 2012 23:15:37 GMT -5
I think Nora enjoys being treated like a little lark because in that way, she feels protected, secure, and safe. I don't blame Nora to be feeling this way because I would want to feel like this as well. This portrays that, as Julie mentioned, the "little lark" concept still prevails in today's society as well.
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RegXD
Full Member
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Post by RegXD on Dec 2, 2012 5:15:47 GMT -5
i totally agree with stormy, but i'm still going to elaborate on that. i think that when nora was child, she saw his father treating the same way and she "enjoy" the husband treating her like he was treating on nora. so i guess she thinks that its ok for her husband to do the same. Or i was thinking that she is not intelligent enough to see the treatment or remark from her own husband.
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Post by alexkoo on Dec 2, 2012 5:31:10 GMT -5
Well, obviously you are correct. We discussed this in class and i personally think it is ridiculous. I like the fact that men are superior than man, but it would be terrible to consider my wife like my daughter. I would hate to have girl friend or wife who does not have independent life but only try to depend on me. I have to disagree with Julie that modern girls try their best to be cute. I think modern day women with education are going to be independent and successful as men.
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Post by Alam10kkfs on Dec 2, 2012 5:33:49 GMT -5
As Stormy mentioned above, she doesnt want to be treated like a child. And I also think that no one wants to be treated like a child. Nora enjoys being treated like a child because she has nothing and she couldnt do anything about it, i must say. Thats my opinion though, i dont know what else to say~
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Post by seongrae on Dec 2, 2012 6:06:34 GMT -5
In our modern society, I think treating wife or girlfriend little might make most of the women feel bad, but not for all. But at that time, women did not have any control of something and are depended on their husband, so even though they do not want to be treated as child, I agree that Nora is used to these kinds of situation. So, she might neither enjoy nor hate the way Helmer is treating her.
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cesar
Junior Member
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Post by cesar on Dec 2, 2012 6:12:33 GMT -5
I think that's a very good point but it doesn't have to be a subliminal derogatory term that proves how submissive she is, it can also be just a nick name. Ive heard countless couples call each other "babe, baby, honey, sweetheart etc", those are all fragile, small, weak and cute things. They don;t necessarily have to be a pseudo dominant nick name. With that being said, I think that in Nora's condition it definitely applies that she has been under constant control.
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Post by sageda on Dec 2, 2012 6:27:14 GMT -5
Women were constantly treated as children and put in their child ego state. When someone is treated as a child, they start acting like a child. Just like when you lower your expectations for a student, they end up under performing. There's a documentary called "Blue Eyes and Brown Eyes" about a social experiment done by Jane Elliott. She subjected one group to humiliating treatment and putting them in their child ego state and it was obvious that it messed with their head and they ended up acting the way she was treating them.
I don't think it's really Nora's fault or any other woman's fault. If you're treated like a second class citizen for long enough, you start to believe it.
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hafizh
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Post by hafizh on Dec 2, 2012 6:38:52 GMT -5
actually even now, a lot of girls loved to be treated like a little child. and called "little" is one of the way to express her husband's feeling toward her, which she's little (obviously), cute, and adored. of course a women want to be loved by a men who are bigger, stronger, wiser than them. i think there should be no any problem in here, just because her husband called her "little" it means that he underestimated or controlled her.
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Post by sarahlee4 on Dec 2, 2012 7:00:32 GMT -5
Ummm...I think it really depends on the girl! Yeah people can argue that she enjoyed being called it because they lived in a society where women were to be submissive to their husband, but for me personally, I think she enjoyed being called little. I think when a guy calls their girlfriend little or cute or something like that, its sweet! It just shows a close bond type relationship. Its a nickname that your special someone calls you I guess? haha I dont think its a bad thing to be called little. I mean, who wants to be called bigger than their.boyfirned? right?
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Post by jessicashim2013 on Dec 2, 2012 7:19:12 GMT -5
I agree with you. She is so used to that since she was born because of her father. She probably feels like she is being loved and protected. As Julie mentioned, it can be a "girl" thing. Although not all girls are like that, they want guys or their boyfriend to care about them. Girls want to look cute in front of guys but I wouldn't want to act like a little kid;;
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