Sarah Beadle
Writing 100
Summary and Response Essay: A Great Divide
“Between the Sexes, a Great Divide”, written by Anna Quindlen, is an article
that talks about the differences between men and women. She writes about her
belief that boys and girls are essentially different, and have always been dissimilar.
She transcribes that middle school dances is where the differences are most
apparent because of the ‘great divide’ that occurs on the dance floor. She believes
that a divide occurs “not because of big differences among us, but because of the
small ones” (601). Eventually, though, both genders have to come together as a
couple and work well together to live in society peacefully. As they come together,
some couples start a family. These children are now being raised in homes where
“mothers do things that fathers once did, and vice versa” (601).
I believe that we are raised to be two different genders. I believe that there
is a physical difference between men and women, but not as much an emotional one.
The physical differences between men and women are quite apparent. Men are
typically taller and more muscular, while women are petite and curvy. I believe that
a great divide may exist between men and women; however, this occurs because of
the way we are raised.
From a young age, we are told how to act and certain things to enjoy or be
interested in by our elders. Boys are told to like trucks, sports, and comics at a
young age while girls are told to like Barbie, flowers, and make-up. These beliefs are
tossed at us when we are young, which means that later on in life, boys and girls do
not always appreciate or enjoy the same things. For example, Quindlen wrote about
how she placed an amaryllis bulb in her bathroom. None of the men in her house
Sarah Beadle
Writing 100
knew that it was a flower and instead thought it was an onion. She explained that it
was a flower to them, but they still did not seem to care (601). They never took the
time in their lives to learn the types of flowers or to appreciate them. Some girls
know all of the types of flowers because at a young age, someone they respect told
them that flowers are pretty and they should learn more about them. Although most
girls at a young age loved Barbie and the color pink, I was not one of them. Because
of my past experiences, I feel that the ‘great divide’ is created because of the way we
were brought up.
When I was roughly five years old, all of my close friends were guys. To this
day, I am a closer friend with guys than girls. Around the ages of five to seven is
where mothers tell their daughters that boys have cooties and vice versa. Around
that age, my mother did not care about whom I hung out with. I really enjoyed
hanging out with the boys and being ‘one of the boys’ because all of my interests at
that time were things that boys typically like such as playing sports, catching frogs,
and playing with Tonka trucks. I was a ‘tomboy’ back in the day. I believe the fact
that I used to be a tomboy and that I enjoyed all of the things boys are expected to
love prove that the ‘great divide’ is created by society. Later on in life, my interests
started changing because I wanted to be ‘one of the girls’, so I did things that girls
typically did like gossip about boys, paint nails, and wear make-up. Although I
started to enjoy things that the average girl enjoys, I still played sports and hung out
with my guy friends. My mother and father never cared if I played sports or with
dolls, just as long as I was happy.
Sarah Beadle
Writing 100
I believe that some parents shape their children into believing that they can
only like certain things because of their gender while the truth is both genders enjoy
things that are specifically set aside for one gender. I remember a friend’s mother
who did not want her 12-month-old son to play with a baby doll. When he’d grab for
the baby doll from the various toys at their house, she’d take it away and give him a
truck. Parents have ideas in their head of what their kid should act like or enjoy.
Boys are typically coined ‘macho’ and girls ‘emotional’. Parents act different towards
their different gendered children. I remember when I would get my way more than
my brother because if I got really upset, I would cry. On the other hand, my brother
would never cry if he didn’t get his way because he feels that if he cries, it is a sign of
weakness. Since a societal norm is that men should not cry because it is a sign of
weakness, my brother, along with other men, are afraid and ashamed to cry in front
of others. I believe that this emotion of being scared to cry in public is created
throughout the way we are raised.
There has always been the underlying question if boys and girls are different
due to genetics or if the way we are raised is the reason why we are dissimilar. The
answer to this question will never completely answered in life, but everyone has his
or her own belief on the answer. Because of my experiences, I believe that men and
women are emotionally the same in the beginning, but we are raised to be different.
The “great divide” that is formed at that middle school dance is mostly because of
emotions and feelings toward the other gender. Eventually, the divide is nonexistent and the feelings towards how others should act are abolished because to
exist in this world, harmony is needed between both sexes.
Sarah Beadle
Writing 100
Works Cited
Quindlen, Anna. Between the Sexes, A Great Divide. Date Unkown.