In society, both in past and present, people were sought to become the perfect definition of a citizen, sacrificing religion, moral, and traditions to meet society's utmost expectation. While becoming that perfect citizen, that person tends to lose their way and become someone they may not be proud to be, or they may not even recognise themselves. Such examples of conformity can be seen in the poem, “The Ruined Maid” by Thomas Hardy, and the short story, “ST Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves” by Karen Russell. In the texts, Hardy uncovers the ruin conformity can bring upon a person, whereas Russell illustrates the ongoing struggle of conformity in children to meet society’s expectations. In the poem, “ The Ruined Maid,” a young country
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The girls in the text create a somber and anger filled atmosphere throughout the story. Words such as “disorienting” (239), “depressed” (240), and “confused” (238) shows that the girls do not fully understand the purposes of why they left their beloved home and family, and why they are forced to change everything about themselves to meet the expectations of the nuns. While going through this drastic change, the eldest girl, Jeanette, who shows the most improvement in her conformity is soon hated by the others in her “Pack” (237). Words used such as “spiffed” (241) and “hated” shows that the pack, that both longed for conformity and to stay as they were, begins to dislike Jeanette for becoming closer to a perfect member in society and further away from her origins in society. Throughout the poem “The Ruined Maid,” the poem takes on a conversational structure, creating a truthful and blunt conversation. The young woman would claim that, “O’ Melia, my dear, this does everything crown!/Who could have supposed I should meet you in Town?/And whence such fair garments, such prosperi-ty?”(1-3) to which Melia counters back with, “O didn’t you know I’d been ruined.” (4). Melia discards every comment and envious remark by stating over and over again that she had been ruined.
The girls in the text create a somber and anger filled atmosphere throughout the story. Words such as “disorienting” (239), “depressed” (240), and “confused” (238) shows that the girls do not fully understand the purposes of why they left their beloved home and family, and why they are forced to change everything about themselves to meet the expectations of the nuns. While going through this drastic change, the eldest girl, Jeanette, who shows the most improvement in her conformity is soon hated by the others in her “Pack” (237). Words used such as “spiffed” (241) and “hated” shows that the pack, that both longed for conformity and to stay as they were, begins to dislike Jeanette for becoming closer to a perfect member in society and further away from her origins in society. Throughout the poem “The Ruined Maid,” the poem takes on a conversational structure, creating a truthful and blunt conversation. The young woman would claim that, “O’ Melia, my dear, this does everything crown!/Who could have supposed I should meet you in Town?/And whence such fair garments, such prosperi-ty?”(1-3) to which Melia counters back with, “O didn’t you know I’d been ruined.” (4). Melia discards every comment and envious remark by stating over and over again that she had been ruined.