Introduction

Hi! My name is Jackie Richir and I am an Early Childhood education major with a concentration in English. My hometown is actually Fredonia so I didn't have to travel far for college (by choice, I'm a big family girl). Also, I absolutely love Fredonia and I'm very, very proud of my hometown.
Some interesting things about me:
I am utterly obsessed with my two NEW kittens, Peanut and Wheatley.
I am lucky enough to be employed at the Campus and Community Children's Center on campus where I am priviledged enough to be the Assistant Teacher for the before school program.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the Buffalo Bills...(even though they break my heart constantly).
I love goats! I got one as a present for my 16th birthday.
I teach dance at a local studio, Collage Performing Arts Center.
I believe Disney World is the most magical place on earth.
I also love my puppy Jake! Although he isn’t much of  puppy anymore…

I took this course for multiple reasons. First of all, I needed 300-level English courses for my concentration, but I could have taken any of them. Secondly, I have had Professor McGee for another class and enjoyed her approach in the classroom and her style of teaching. Thirdly, I am a woman, and why wouldn't I enjoy taking a class focused on women and writing?

My favorite quote from this reading was, “According to their journals and essays, they write to express deep feelings, send messages to others, create alternate worlds, make order of chaos, seek transcendence, celebrate themselves.” (pg 2). This may seem like a simple and general quote but, I believe it relates us to women writers aside from the fact that we are all women. We all do different activities in order to accomplish the things that these women are attempting to do as well. I may dance to express deep feelings while another woman writes. Mathematicians create order out of chaos in math while women do it in writing. We all are trying to accomplish the same thing but in many different ways.

Self Introduction

My basic information, sans additional facts: Alyssa Maraszek, Junior, English major/Women's and Gender Studies minor. Williamsville, NY.

I snatched up my spot in this class as soon as I could because it is relative to both areas of my studies which interest me greatly. I do wear the label of "feminist" proudly, and I find it important to talk about feminism and help to educate those who might not know much about it. Feminism is really so empowering once you get past all the negative stereotypes of what a feminist is.

"Because women have not had the same historical relation of identity to origin, institution, production that men have had, they have not, I think, (collectively) felt burdened by too much Self, Ego, Cogito, etc.,"
While women have been marginalized in just about every way throughout history, it would not do any good to separate them as authors from the text, and put the emphasis on only what is written and not who wrote it. Because of our status in society as a minority, women can relate to more people through writing about personal experience as well as topics that men may not choose to write about. Contemporary women writers should not be celebrated just because they are women, as that seems denigrating to their work, because we know that we are capable. It should be celebrated because of the perspective it offers and the quality of the overall writing.

Abby Donegan's Intro

Hi! I'm Abby Donegan, a junior at Fredonia with a BFA Dance Major and soon to be a Childhood Inclusive Education Major with a concentration in English! I am from Corning NY, which is about three hours southeast of Fredonia. At home I live with my mom, dad, brother, two dogs, and cat. :) I took Women Writers because I need a English class for my concentration and because it sounds like an interesting class. I usually enjoy classes that are discussion based because I think there is a lot to learn from other people in the classroom along with the teacher. I love to dance and used to be interested in Dance/Movement Therapy, but decided to change into education when I realized psychology wasn't for me. My dream is to be a special education teacher and to open a dance studio that works with children with exceptionalities (disabilities).
The quote I chose from the reading is "What I fear the most, I think, is the death of the imagination" (Slyvia Plath). I think the imagination is a beautiful place and I also fear that many children and adults are losing their since of imagination. I tend to think of this fairly often because I babysit a lot back at home. So many children turn on a video game, a TV, an iPad, a computer game, etc. and I rarely see children playing "make believe" anymore. I remember parents saying "kids, get out of the kitchen, go outside and play something", and all of my cousins and I would run outside and make up a game about fairies, ballerinas, monsters, witches, whatever was in our imagination that day. While we grow older, we tend to lose that sense of our imagination. As a dancer, I try to express my imagination in different ways. Of course I am not going to be a twenty year old running around campus pretending that witches are chasing me, because people would probably think I am schizophrenic. When we are adults, we must find our imagination in a different sense and then express our thoughts creatively. I hope children never lose their sense of imagination because that is what makes every child so special, brilliant, and unique.

Introduction - Ashley Enekes

My name is Ashley and I am a senior, public relations major and multi-ethnic studies minor. I am from Corinth, NY, which is a small town in the Adirondack's, next to Saratoga Springs. I am the public relations intern in the International Education Center here on campus, the President of SUNY Fredonia's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, the public relations chair for Student Association, and the Vice President of New Member Education for the Sigma Kappa sorority here on campus. I am finished with my major and needed credits outside of my major and I thought this class sounded interesting. My knowledge of women studies is limited so I look forward to the discussions in class, and to hear the view points of people who are in that major. The one quote that stood out to me most was addressing "the issue of what it means for a women to be so bold as to write in a man's literary world", which was said when describing the first section of the anthology. I have never thought of the literary world to be that of a mans, and I believe that this statement shows how blind I have been to the unequal balance of both genders throughout literary history.

My Introduction

My name is Maelia Duncan and I am an English major. My interest in the course wasn't really an interest as much as it was a choice between women's writers and a poetry course and I hate poetry with a passion and I already had a class McGee and understood her teaching style so the decision was basically made for me.
“...addresses the issue of what it means for a women to be so bold as to write in a man’s literary world. How does she find her own voice--that...” I chose this quote because it brought me back to what we were speaking about in class on Wednesday. This world is so stuck in old ways that it seems to be okay for women writers to not be respected as just “writers” and they are forced into gender based categories. I also feel that some feminist can hinder that cause by pushing for equality while still separating the genders and creating a double standard like when it says “To examine women’s literature from a feminist perspective is to assume that the distinction between ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ is important to the generation of all writing.” while there should be respect given to both sides, I feel the importance of a women writers course is to give women a chance in a classroom setting and show them the respect that they were denied for so many years.

Introduction

Hello, I am Samantha Kaufman...I know yet another Samantha in this class! But, you can call me Sam, no one ever calls me Samantha unless it's to be funny. I'm a Junior here having recently transferred from JCC and my major is Social Work. I started off as an Art major but quickly changed my mind when I took a psychology class and found almost nothing interesting or challenging about being an art major although I enjoy being creative.

  The reason I am taking this course is because my major required it. Although, I have always enjoyed various English classes this one struck me as interesting and new. I've always enjoyed reading and never really given much thought about what gender the author was while reading the book until I began this class. I wonder how knowing this now will effect my reading and how I read the book. That's not a bad thing. 

  "The term 'woman writer'...has no meaning, not intellectually, not morally, not historically. A writer is a writer." 

  This quote in particular is how I think about writers...for now. I believe that is partially true. I believe yes, woman have some barriers and they know that these barriers exist. They know so much that these barriers exist that they hide their gender behind initials and pseudonyms. I don't believe that is right but at least their voice and words are being heard. If a writer is good, well written and catches the readers attention, why should the rest of the world care what their gender is? But, that's just what I think for now. My mind is open to be changed throughout this course and I hope that I can more fully understand what there is to know specifically about Women in literature. 

Women Writers Intro

Hello Ladies!

            My name is Alisa Fox and I am a junior Public Relations major with a minor in Music. My hometown is Glenmont, which is a suburb outside the city of Albany. I originally started off as a Music Education major here at SUNY Fredonia, but realized this was not the right path for me in life. The notion of devoting my college life to practicing piano for countless hours in a stuffy practice room was not an ideal situation for me. I am a natural people person and want a profession where I can interact with my colleagues on a daily basis and possibly make a difference in the world or better it for future generations. I am considering adding Women’s Studies minor as well during my remaining time here at SUNY Fredonia. When I was looking up courses last semester, “Women Writers” caught my eye immediately. Yes, it fulfilled a Western Civilization CCC, but it also involved reading works only by women! I am really excited to be reading great literature for a change, instead of structured, dry textbooks.

            This section contained many inspiring quotes, but Gloria Anzaldua’s description of the poet and muse relationship really stood out to me. She stated that a women writer must “find the muse within you.” According to her, the female “muse” sustains the writer, and the creator and inspirer must be envisioned as one to be complete. I always thought of a “muse” as a separate person, not a part of the writer waiting to be discovered. For examples many artists and musicians gain their inspiration from a person, who they may call their “muse.” Reading her thought process introduced me to a new, female interpretation of the word “muse,” which I will now consider as I read through the anthology.

Introduction

Hi. My name is Samantha Hark, but I prefer being called Sam (the only person who calls me Samantha is my mother when she's furious). I'm a music education major with a concentration in voice. I also play the piano and the ukulele sometimes. I consider myself a feminist, but above all a humanist. I'm not really that interesting.

The reason I took this class was to fulfill my Western Civ CCC requirement, and the topic seemed interesting to me. However, this was a bit different than I was expecting. That's not a bad thing, but I'm a tiny bit wary and a little nervous as to how the subject of women in writing will be dealt with in terms of gender vs. sex. (IE: do trans* women still count as "women" writers, or are they immediately pegged as male because of the sex they were born into?). I hope I'll have nothing to worry about, though. I'm going to be optimistic.

The imposition of silence, she concludes, is a "terrorism that breaks spirits, that makes creativity impossible."

The above was the quote that particularly stuck out to me--I found it to be very powerful, and also very true. When you are forced to be silent and to stifle your opinions, thoughts, words, anything of that nature, your creativity recedes, resigned. After we have been pushed aside, we are afraid to be creative, and our ability to think imaginatively diminishes. [One of my favorite, albeit a bit creepy, videos on this matter is here, if anyone is so inclined to watch it.]

I'm not so sure how to finish up this intro, so I guess I'll just say I look forward to future discussions.

Introduction- Michelle Olesko

Hi everyone! My name is Michelle Olesko.  I am a fifth year senior and finally graduating in December! In my years here I have changed majors a few times but stuck with psychology in the end.  I was born and raised in Williamsville, NY.  I am taking this class to fulfill my upperlevel credits that I need for outside of my major.  I also chose this class because I love books and am always reading when I have free time.  I am excited to hear and take part in the discussions in this class.

Aside from books written by Nicholas Sparks I realized that the majority of the books I have read in my life were written by women.  I think that seeing a woman's name on the book makes it more desirable for me to read because I feel I can connect with the author's thoughts better if it was a woman over a man's writing.

The quote that stuck out to me the most in the reading for tonight was by Cynthia Ozick : "The term 'woman writer'... has no meaning, not intellectually, not morally, not historically.  A writer is a writer" (qtd, in Olsen 251).   As I said earlier, I find myself gravitating more towards literature that is written by females, however, maybe I do that solely due to my own biases.  I wonder maybe if I did not see a name on the cover before reading a piece of literature if I would connect just as well with a man's work like I do when reading a woman's work; because, like Cynthia Ozick said, a writer is a writer.

Introduction

Hello everyone, my name is Holly Paolicelli. I am a junior Social Work major with a minor in women and gender studies. I am a representative and member of the Women Student Union on campus and always looking to meet and talk with new people with similar values or even opposing ones. :) Feminism is a huge part of my life, it is not my only interest but it greatly shapes my perspective. Educating myself on gender along with the course requirement is the reason I am enrolled in this class. I have also taken a class with Dr. McGee before and loved it. She is passionate about her work and shows it everyday.

In the reading I was drawn to a section on page 9 "... By writing about 'those unrecorded gestures, those unsaid half-said words' that form when women are alone, no longer (mis)interpreted by the male gaze'' I have read a good amount of literature written by women and I would agree that at times it can be wonderfully uncensored and edgy. From reading great american books that only touch upon provocative material to hearing all the gritty details a woman was once not supposed to talk about, it is empowering. For years women have walked in the shadow of men, but all along there were wonderful female authors stepping out into the light, mustering up the courage and saying, this is what is really happening.

I really look forward to the discussions this semester with all of you. Also come to WSU meetings, the conversations always continue there!

Introductions

Hello! My name is Catherine Walsh. I go by Catherine or Cat. This is my first semester at Fredonia although I graduated from high school in 2008. First I went to Jamestown Community Collage and got my Associate's Degree in Fine Arts then I transferred to Edinboro University near Erie, PA. I went there for a summer class and Fall Semester of 2011 then decided to take some time off, work, save, make art and plan to get back in school. So here I am at SUNY Fredonia and so far I love it!

I signed up for this class because I have an interest in Women's Studies, women's issues and Feminism, historical and modern. A lot of my art work in the past has dealt with issues specific to women. This class was suggested to me by a friend of mine and former Fredonia student who now teaches Medieval Literature at Kent University.

One thing I've noticed is that people in our class interchangably used the term Women Writers with Women's Writers. I see a problem with that since a women's writer implies that the author is writing for women, it does not denote the gender of the author. However, "Women Writers", the term the book likes to use, and the name of the class, seems to imply a woman who writes. The book asks which term is more preferable 'Women Writers' or 'Women Who Are Also Writers'. I feel that either label alienates half the human race by making it sound as though the writing is directed toward women. Perhaps that also explains why our huge class titled "Women Writers" is full of women with not a single male student in attendance.

To sum it up I believe that writing should transcend gender. Even if the subject matter deals with the female (or the male) experience specifically I think that a wider audience could be reached by not labeling the writer or the writing by the sex of the writer.

The Beginning

Hello everyone! My name is Jillian Witz and I am a sophomore double major in Arts Administration and Public Relations. I was born and raised in a suburb just outside of the city of Syracuse called Cicero. I graduated from Cicero North Syracuse High School with a class of about 800 students. A fun fact about me is that I love meeting new people! As cheesy as that sounds I truly enjoy making friends with strangers because you never know where that friendship may lead!

I am enrolled in this course for the CCC requirement and also because I wanted to avoid taking Western Civilization at all costs. I liked the two English courses I took within the last year so I thought that this could be another opportunity for me to enjoy some literature, while acknowledging and appreciating the work of female writers.

There were a few quotes that I found to be very empowering, but this is the one I ended up choosing:

"The term feminist evokes a long and distinguished history of women and enlightened men who have raised consciousness about the oppression of women across cultures and who have argued for gender equality in the social, political, economic, and domestic spheres."

According to this statement, I am a feminist, which I never would have considered myself to be. I always thought of a feminist as a young girl that hates men, doesn't shave her legs and only acts, thinks and speaks of empowering women. I guess my generalization was a bit extreme, but this class has already opened my eyes to the misconception of feminists. I am a feminist because I constantly argue with young ignorant males about their sexism towards women and stand up for myself against their demeaning remarks and superior attitudes. I am a feminist because I believe that women should be one hundred percent equal in all aspects of life. I am a feminist because I've accepted that women still have yet to attain full equality.

Introduction

Hi! My name is Jen Scofield and I'm a Sophomore Social Work major. I'm from Suffolk county on the north shore of Long Island so yes, I say DAWG and no I've never been to Wegman's. I basically grew up at the ocean but you would never know since it's almost impossible for me to keep a tan. I currently work in the Campus Life office in the Williams Center and through my studies hope to enter the social work field with a focus on the aging population or bereavement support. I love animals (I'm basically a cat lady) and really enjoy avocados. I also hate using "I" so much in this introduction. 

I originally registered for the class because it filled my CCC Western Civ. requirement, but then remembered being annoyed with only reading male written literature in high school and realized I'd get a lot more than I thought out of this class. In current news there is a growing focus on a woman's rights to her body among other feminist lead discussions, so this class will be able to help me build a perspective for current events as well as historical insight. 

While reading the text a quote stood out to me because it reminded me of something I had previously read in an online magazine. On page 3 the author mentions Silences novelist Tillie Olsen stating, "Women who have written despite the demands to care for young children, husbands or lovers, and elderly relatives, and despite economic and psychic deprivation, are "survivors, 'only's.' One out of twelve" (39). This made me acknowledge that today female writers who are published still face another obstacle in the acceptance of their work as well as the acceptance of them as a person. Often these female writers are interviewed heavily about their personal life with very little focus on their work. The WHACK! Magazine article that the quote reminded me of is an interview with two male authors where the interviewer gathered and used questions typically asked to female writers. Although the interview has a humorous tone, it's shocking how differently female writers are treated than male writers. 

WHACK! Magazine article link: http://whackmagazine.com/post/58329286533/interview-with-chuck-wendig-stephen-blackmoore

Introduction

Hi everyone! 
My  name is Samantha Gramlich, but I just go by Sam. I just officially and permanently moved here to Fredonia with my boyfriend of two years. I have two years left here at Fredonia, and its going by too fast! I am a Junior Childhood education major with a concentration in English. I hope to someday teach first grade. My favorite thing right now is American Sign Language. I've taken two semesters, and I can't get enough of it. I even started a club on campus of which I am now the president of.

I took this class because its in my concentration requirements, and I've had Dr. McGee before, and I really enjoyed her class! I think I'll enjoy getting a completely different perspective on writing in this class as well. I know it will definitely have an impact on how I teach my future students. 

One part of the reading that struck me was the quote, "Nineteenth-century women writers sometimes adopted pseudonyms to disguise their voices..." (Pg 9). I knew of this before, but after just two classes, I already started thinking about this differently than I have before. 

It's sort of comical that women would trick their readers (including men) into reading their work by saying they were male. I bet most of the time, if not all of the time, no one knew the difference. It's sad to think that people are so obsessed with labels, that they think they wouldn't enjoy a book written by a woman, yet they had proven otherwise. 

It's also sad that this had to be the case. The works of men and women alike deserve to be recognized. Authors, no matter their gender, should be recognized as authors and not as wanna-be writers. 

The final thing I want to touch on is what would happen if we did this on purpose today? Would people still be fooled? An interesting experiment would be to have all submissions for one year to a particular newspaper or magazine be completely anonymous entries. Both men and women can write in, and the editors are not allowed to know who's writing belongs to whom. At the end of the year, the entries would be counted (similar to what VIDA did) and see how the results would change without the gender bias. 

Introduction

Hello my name is Katie Bogold! I am from Hamburg which is about 40 minutes from campus, which isn't too far but just enough time to be away from home. I am a sophomore at Fredonia, and I am an Adolescent English Education major. I decided to take this class because my advisor recommended it to me, and I also thought that it would be an interesting and different topic for me to get involved with. My goal was to get a great deal of different perspectives on a variety of topics and I think that this coarse is going to help me with doing that.       
       The quote that I found most interesting, or that caught my eye was, "One distinctive strategy that allows many women writers to find their own voices is their invocation of a female muse, an actual or imagined source of creative inspiration to who they pay homage." (10). I like this quote or phrase because it shows where a collection of women in the world get their inspiration to write from. Also, I think that it is important for each and writer to find their own voice and what they care about to help seek them to place a message across to an audience, and I feel that this quote explains that perfectly.

Introduction

Hi! My name is Emma Phillips and I'm a sophomore.  Im from a small town, Bergen, which is about ten minutes west of SUNY Brockport.  Im currently a Political Science major with a double concentration in American/International politics with a Leadership Studies Minor but I hope to add a Journalism or Communications major during this coming spring semester.  I hope to one day live in either Washington DC or Chicago and working in politics, as an aid for either a senator or governor. 

I am taking this class because it fills my Western Civ CCC and looked extremely interesting! I've always been interested in feminism and Women's Studies, so I thought this class would be a great opportunity to expand my knowledge in a fun/unique way.  Plus, I have always loved to read.  

One quote that really stood out to me in the reading was under the Thematic Organization section from the poet Adrienne Rich.  She stated that women's literature produces "a whole new psychic geography to be explored."  I absolutley agree with this quote.  I do believe that women writers do explore new and tap into emotions that some readers didn't even know they had until after they read a novel.  From personal experience, many women writers have made me think about very important characteristics that every individual (male or female) should possess.  Women do think differently from men in a variety of situations and when I read novels written by females I do feel a connection that I sometimes don't feel when reading a novel written by a male.  For example, can a male writer really know how a woman feels when her heart is broken or when her mother doesn't approve of her choices? I think women writers do and can explore a psychic geography that can be very hard for men to tap into and this makes me all the more excited to start reading and evaluating.

intro

My name is Kassandra Wall, Im currently a Junior, majoring in Animation/Illustration. I'm also considering minoring in Art History and Museum studies. I'm from a small town out in the middle of nowhere, about six hours from Fredonia. I'm taking this class for a the CCC Western Civilization category. But this course seemed way more intriguing than any other class I found that would have filled the requirement for this CCC. So I'm hoping I get some enjoyment out of this class, rather then just doing it as a requirement.

The quote that really stood out to me was on the first page of the Preface. It stated, "During the 1980s and the 1990s a series of 'culture wars' pitted advocates of aesthetic considerations as central to what makes a work of literature 'great' against those who privileged political and social concerns." This stood out to me because in one of my art classes, we once had a discussion about what makes an artwork great or not. And I feel like my answer is relatable to this quote. This is because, although there are a lot of literal and grammatical aspects that positively effect a piece of work, there are also a lot of impractical aspects of work that can make it great. For example, we are all individual people and so we all have different opinions. So what may come across as boring or lame to one person could be extremely interesting to another person. It's all about perspective, I think, so I'm wondering what you think; Do you think there is a set definition that makes a certain work great or not? Or is all work great, it just depends who is looking at it? And does being a woman factor into whether or not it's great?

Introduction

Hi Ya'll my name is Jess Walton. I'm a Freshman Psychology major. I live in Hamburg New York, about 40 minutes from here, and about 15 minutes south of Buffalo. I love college because you can always find a meaningful conversation going, and no I don't mean where the best parties are. I like talking to different people to get different perspectives on everything.I'm very empathetic so I find it very easy to understand other peoples point of views even if I don't necessarily agree with them. I defiantly think for myself and don't follow a lot of stereo types set out for someone like me. I choose to take this corse for two reasons, the first being to eliminate a CCC class, and second to get a feel of what women studies is all about.

A quote that really stuck out to me was from Helene Cixous, a french feminist theorist. She stated in "The Laugh Of The Medusa" to "Write your self, your body must be heard. Only then will the immense resources of the unconscious spring fourth." (xlvii). This quote most likely meant a lot to me because of my Psych back ground. It supports that the unconscious is what influences your actions with out your conscious knowing. I interpreted the quote as saying, write how you feel, only then can you true feelings be heard.

Intro Post

Hi everyone! My name is Jessica Mitchell. I am a sophomore, with a Childhood Inclusive Major and a concentration in English. I am from Homer, New York. Most of you probably have no clue where that is, very few actually do, but if you know where Syracuse is, Homer is a tiny town about thirty minutes south of there. It is about three and a half hours away from Fredonia. A fun fact about me is that I absolutely love dogs, and most would say that I have a slight obsession. My favorite breed is Golden Retrievers and I have a nine year old Golden named Hunter.

As far as interest in the course goes, with my concentration being in English I have to take some 300 level courses in English. Out of the choices available and the courses that would work with my schedule, this class seemed to be the most interesting. I figured that it would be a good class to take to learn more about other authors, since I am more familiar with male authors. I also would like to learn more about how the way the women have written in the past and how they write now. I am also curious about how men writers fit into the mix.

In the reading, the quote that stood out to me was on page 2, “According to their journals and essays, they write to express deep feelings, send messages to others, create alternate worlds, make order of chaos, seek transcendence, celebrate themselves.” I don’t really understand why the fact that women write about the things mentioned in this quote makes them so completely different from men writers that people feel that they should be in different categories. I just feel that there are several men that write about these same topics. Just because men may write about them a little differently and may write with a less emotion, I don't think they are necessarily two different categories. You can pick up a book by a women and a book by a man and have them be about similar things, so I don’t really understand why people think that there is such a big distinction between wimen and men writers. The only thing that I feel really is different between the two is that women do tend to write more about their bodies and sexuality, but I am sure that there is a male writer out there some where who writes about that.

Intro

My name is Cortney Ciaschi. I am an Early Childhood major and a super senior at Fredonia. I walked with my class this past graduation so it's weird to come back to school for four more classes. I have all classes for my major taken care of so I'm taking this class along with three other 300 level English classes for my concentration. I played lacrosse here at Fredonia my sophomore and junior year. This past year I went to Australia to do my student teaching so I was not able to play. I live in Ithaca, New York which is about 3 and a half hours away. I have had a job since I was about 12 in a family owned restaurant. I have worked in the restaurant business ever since then, it's good money and I love being around people. I also worked this summer at a day camp that I've gone too and worked at for about 9 years.

While reading their were a few quotes that stuck out to me and it was hard to pick just one. On page 2 "According to their journals and essays, they write to express deep feelings, send messages to others, create alternate worlds, make order of chaos, seek transcendence, celebrate themselves."

What else is there to write about for women? Even men do this but they don't do it with as much emotion. Why does it matter what women write about? Why do men write about things that they write about? Probably because it's something they feel strongly about, or they want to share an experience with others. It's easier for women to relate to others who have been in tough situations. This does not make women bad writers, and they should not feel guilty about writing such things. I think it makes us stronger to write about deep feelings and to celebrate ourselves. Perhaps I'm just rambling on but men are no better than women in any way shape or form. I'm so tired of hearing "women are bad drivers" or "only mean can play sports". Just because men say they're better doesn't make it true, for anything! If men had to go through what we have to go through I don't think they would be able to handle it, especially the criticism we get from them as well as others. I would rather read more personal things that I could relate to women to women!

Introduction

My name is Holly Machuga. I’m a public relations major with minors in film studies and English. I am from Central Square, New York, which is about 20 minutes north of Syracuse. Currently, I am the Social Media Director at Fredonia Radio Systems and that is where you find me most times on campus.

I am taking this class because it not only counts for my minor, but I think it is important to educate myself as a woman in terms of what our successors have gone through and written about.

The quote that stood out most to me in the reading was on page xlvii of the preface. It was by French feminist theorist Helene Cixous, who said, “Write your self. Your body must be heard. Only then will the immense resources of the unconscious spring forth.” I found this quote most interesting because it was mentioned in class the other day that editors think that women should leave their talk of their bodies at the door if they want to be published. If men are allowed to talk about their bodies in their published pieces then why are women criticized so harshly on their pieces that won’t be published because mentions of their body?

In relation to that quote, I also think it is very important that women write their thoughts and say what they think should be said. Everyone’s opinions are important. 

Introduction

My name is Laura Lukowski and I am in my junior year here at Fredonia. I am a Childhood Education major with a middle school extension and a concentration in English. I am from a town in Buffalo called Orchard Park. It is about 45 minutes away from here. I play for the women's soccer team here at Fredonia and I have been playing soccer since I was 4 years old. I love playing all sports and staying active.

This course caught my attention right away when I was looking up English courses for my concentration. When I then figured out that it also counts for one of my CCC classes and worked perfect into my schedule I knew I had to take it.  I also really enjoy writing. It comes easy and natural to me so I thought why not learn about other women who made a difference in the writing world,  instead of just constantly learning about male authors. I also have never taken a class with only women in it so I thought it would be interesting to see how class discussions went.  

When I was reading the introduction, one of the first quotes stood out to me right away. "The concept of engendering language, silence, and voice offers insight to readers who approach this anthology eager to explore women's ideas and experiences but who also seek inspiration from women who have successfully made the enormous leap from anonymity to literary recognition." There are so many great writers and authors in this world, both men and women. But the difference between well writers and successful writers are the ones that go above and beyond to make a difference and have reason within their writing. They relate and speak to their readers. Women writers who go beyond the minimum or required are the ones readers listen to. It really made me think of so many more female writers that I enjoyed over some male ones. Society is so focused on male authors that sometimes women authors get over looked.     

Intro

Hi everyone! 

I'm Melissa and I'm currently a junior here at Fredonia State. At first I began as a Journalism major, but soon switched over and now I'm studying Public Relations with a minor in English. I'm from Brockport, New York, which is around Rochester. Something interesting about me is that I've been swimming competitively for about fifteen years now, yes I began when I was only four years old. I continue to swim in college on our Fredonia State Swimming and Diving team. I swim breaststroke, both 100 and 200 and the individual medley(meaning all strokes in 1 event). I realize that many of you have no idea what that means, so I'll just put it as Michael Phelps swims that event! Being a swimmer at a collegiate level has taught me a great deal about time management. If you don't get your work done and receive a good grade on your work, you cannot participate in meets. It's tough, but I deep down, I truly enjoy it.

My interest in this class began as a CCC for Western Civilizations, then expanded to an elective I could include in my English minor. How could I pass up using this class for both requirements?! After some more looking into the course material, I realized that it truly is mesmerizing the amount of female writers that there are to discover. My expectations for this class are to simply teach me something new and exciting that I have never even thought I'd learn. Show me some writing by these incredible women that I'll want to pass on to friends and hang their inspiring quotes up in my room. If I'm captivated by a work or even a few sentences by the end of this course, so much so that I memorize them, I'll be satisfied. 

While reading the Introduction, I found some quotes to directly pop out at me. One of which was from Sylvia Plath,  

"What I fear most, I think, is the death of the imagination." 

This quote struck me because I've written about this in a previous class. She stated this because of her doubts of power she can have through her writing. The fact that women are overlooked in literature and as authors can cause a lack of confidence in their work. So with that lack of confidence, why even write any longer? The Introduction continues to say that those who keep writing, despite the critics and despite the large workload women had of taking care of their loved-ones (something that they were expected to do no matter what) are known as "survivors." This is beautiful to me. Not only are they doing their duties as wives, mothers and family members, but they are also taking their precious time and using it to do something they may never even get credit for or be acknowledged for. However, they still write and create, never allowing that death of imagination to occur. This is truly something in my eyes.

Welcome

Welcome to your blog site for Women Writers. We will use this blog as a virtual extension of our class space. You will all be added as authors to the site so you will have full access to post on the blog. Although I may occasionally chime in, this blog is primarily a space for collaboration with your peers. 

This site has been created in order to:

·         Extend learning opportunities beyond the confines of the scheduled class time and space, blurring rigid barriers between academic, campus, and community discourses

·         For those less easy with speaking in class, it provides a space where students can have the time to process ideas and contribute to the ongoing discussions of the course

·         Encourages a habit of writing as a collaborative act of communication and dialogue in which students may discuss reading responses, connections to local and global contemporary events, brainstorm papers, plan projects, ask questions, get feedback on rough drafts etc…

·         Provides a place where visual mediums such as photos, videos, diagrams may be easily shared as well as hyper-text and web links

·         Exposes students to alternative viewpoints and experience amongst peers as well as the opportunity to see how other students are working with and making connections with the course materials

·         Encourages students to form relationships built around academic work

        Although I have set up a basic template, you have free reign to suggest/implement new design elements. As a class you will need to decide whether you want this space to be private or open to public viewing and/or commenting. Please be aware, I will not post course information such as reading schedules,assignment descriptions, due dates, or the syllabus on this site- Please refer to ANGEL for this ongoing course information