Connor Tanaka
English 1B
Essay #2
12 November 2014
Hold Fast
Intimate Apparel, by Lynn Nottage, incorporates both feminist and racial commentary throughout the story. Esther, an unwedded 35 year-old African American seamstress not only faces racial prejudice but also encounters obstacles presented by gender roles. Esther’s starts off as a strong and independent woman but her weakness are apparent when she lets George, a Barbadian immigrant into her life, which turns out to be a colossal mistake. Her dreams of opening a beauty parlor are crushed when she accepts this gender role, feeling that George needs the opportunity to make something of himself before she can. Both of these characters are avid dreamers and both know exactly what they …show more content…
He crushes her dreams and Esther just sits and “self-consciously returns to sewing” to avoid further conversation. The Esther before would never of taken such comments as her wit and personality would’ve taken a stand, but she’s changed because of George. She’s accepted the gender role of letting the husband take control and tries to be the ‘good’ wife. She lets George laugh at her dream, the dream she once vividly described earlier in the play with a smile and motivation. Esther is to blame for her dreams not coming true because she lets the societal norms affect her. She had succumbed to the gender roles of being a good wife instead of being herself. Esther let George take control because her desire for a loving husband distracts her. The ripping open of her quilt represents the destruction of her hopes. The money symbolizes her dreams and the minute George touched that money, it became tainted. Nothing stood in the way of her dreams but her own …show more content…
George came from Barbados where his lineage is laborers, which is an implication he wants to start a new life in the US. It can simply be implied that he’s tired of being a worker and strives for the life of luxury, and his ticket was Esther. He knows Esther has a quilt with her life’s saving in it as he “gently strokes the quilt” when she questions him where he’s going to obtain the money for a dozen horses. George doesn’t realize not only the time period he’s in but also how the world works in the US, which just adds to his naïve personality. George is ignorant in believing that over night he can become this sort of businessman without any education or former experience. His pride and ignorance is his clear obstacle. George doesn’t seem to think but act, as he thinks he knows what’s best. George doesn’t realize how much he depends on Esther as you can see he wouldn’t last if he were to be on his own. Both Esther and George are to blame for the failure of their dreams, but also the times they live in also create a recognizable factor. The play is set in 1905, which are both Pre-Civil Rights and Pre-Woman’s Rights. Since this play was before both of these famous movements, one can see the different mindset the people had back
English 1B
Essay #2
12 November 2014
Hold Fast
Intimate Apparel, by Lynn Nottage, incorporates both feminist and racial commentary throughout the story. Esther, an unwedded 35 year-old African American seamstress not only faces racial prejudice but also encounters obstacles presented by gender roles. Esther’s starts off as a strong and independent woman but her weakness are apparent when she lets George, a Barbadian immigrant into her life, which turns out to be a colossal mistake. Her dreams of opening a beauty parlor are crushed when she accepts this gender role, feeling that George needs the opportunity to make something of himself before she can. Both of these characters are avid dreamers and both know exactly what they …show more content…
He crushes her dreams and Esther just sits and “self-consciously returns to sewing” to avoid further conversation. The Esther before would never of taken such comments as her wit and personality would’ve taken a stand, but she’s changed because of George. She’s accepted the gender role of letting the husband take control and tries to be the ‘good’ wife. She lets George laugh at her dream, the dream she once vividly described earlier in the play with a smile and motivation. Esther is to blame for her dreams not coming true because she lets the societal norms affect her. She had succumbed to the gender roles of being a good wife instead of being herself. Esther let George take control because her desire for a loving husband distracts her. The ripping open of her quilt represents the destruction of her hopes. The money symbolizes her dreams and the minute George touched that money, it became tainted. Nothing stood in the way of her dreams but her own …show more content…
George came from Barbados where his lineage is laborers, which is an implication he wants to start a new life in the US. It can simply be implied that he’s tired of being a worker and strives for the life of luxury, and his ticket was Esther. He knows Esther has a quilt with her life’s saving in it as he “gently strokes the quilt” when she questions him where he’s going to obtain the money for a dozen horses. George doesn’t realize not only the time period he’s in but also how the world works in the US, which just adds to his naïve personality. George is ignorant in believing that over night he can become this sort of businessman without any education or former experience. His pride and ignorance is his clear obstacle. George doesn’t seem to think but act, as he thinks he knows what’s best. George doesn’t realize how much he depends on Esther as you can see he wouldn’t last if he were to be on his own. Both Esther and George are to blame for the failure of their dreams, but also the times they live in also create a recognizable factor. The play is set in 1905, which are both Pre-Civil Rights and Pre-Woman’s Rights. Since this play was before both of these famous movements, one can see the different mindset the people had back