Analysis Of Barbara Ehrenreich's Essay

Staples’ essay effectively connects problems between ethnic and racial groups to societal issues through his personal experiences, while Ehrenreich's essay makes the connection to modern gender issues irrelevant by mocking the male sex. Staples’ scenes of racism and stereotyping eerily resembles the issue of police brutality, for unarmed young black males are often seen as threats by white police officers as well as white females. Eric Garner, a 43-year-old black man, was killed after being put in an illegal chokehold by a New York police officer while being arrested for suspicion of selling loose cigarettes. Eric Garner was a describes as a gentle and loving father of six children and three grandchildren, yet his killer, Officer Daniel …show more content…
Currently, women all over the country are coming out to face a difficult past in which they were sexually assaulted by more established men in power, such as the cases of Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer. Ehrenreich connects this issue with a very similar situation that occurred with a professor who was lustfully attracted to Ehrenreich and unfairly took advantage of her. She automatically resorted to her ladylikeness instead of defending herself, and now the author wishes she chose the possibility of standing up to the professor and saying, “All right. I’ve had enough of this crap.” Ehrenreich expresses that women should be tough rather than embrace the pleasantries males expect them to display. However, Ehrenreich’s condescending attitude towards men undermines much of her argument, as Ehrenreich stereotypes men as merely tough individuals without much civility or intelligence. Both Ehrenreich’s essay and Staples’ essay deal with modern issues, but “Night Stalkers” is much more effective in its argument than “What I Learned From Men.” Staples connects the racism he has experienced with societal tension; Ehrenreich’s commentary on gender issues is nulled by her offense portrayal of men as unintelligent