Paper 2: A Proposition

My paper topic was inspired by one of my favorite books, The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. This is a fictional retelling of the story of Jacob from the viewpoint of his female family members. Their time in the red (or menstral) tent was the only time they had for really relaxing and talking with each other. Durning this time in the tent, the history of the women in the family was passed down from generation to generation. Through the mouths of their daughters was the only way that these women would ever be remembered. The stories of their past, their traditions, and their future was all dependent upon having a daughter to share with.
I thought of my grandma. She was the mother of two boys, with no daughter to pass these things on to. While things are much different now than in the biblical setting of The Red Tent, it is also not too different. Would my fathers remember my grandma’s childhood the way she wanted it remembered? I felt like they would focus on different aspects than a female would. Just like in the story, a woman’s story is best passed down by a daughter, who tells it the way that woman would have wanted.
Now, I do not wish just to tell my grandma’s story, but to tell and compare her life, her challenges and her aspirations to those of my mother, and my own. I think this paper will end up being a combination of family history, a commentary on the change of women in a social perspective, and a change in women’s wants and aspirations. I want to leave my direction slightly open ended, so I can just go the way the answers to my interview questions, the stories, and my emotions take me.

My favorite quote so far:
“Well, I wanted another baby. And your grandpa said no. But really Jess, it’s not my fault my birth control pills got flushed down the toilet!”
I wonder if my uncle knows he is a result of the deception of my grandmother. I asked her if my grandpa knew. She never outright told him.