In “The Last Amazon” by Jill Lepore, “A press release explained, “Wonder Woman’ was conceived by Dr. Marston to set up a standard among children and young people of strong, free, courageous womanhood; to combat the idea that women are inferior to men, and to inspire girls to self-confidence and achievement in athletics, occupations and professions monopolized by men” because “the only hope for civilization is the greater freedom, development and equality of women in all fields of human activity” (64). I found this quote to be really inspiring and it gave me a better understanding on what Marston envisioned for Wonder Woman to represent. Lepore goes on to describe how Wonder Woman advocates for all feminists and how she should be grouped with Superman and Batman for her debt is to feminism.
In the “Battle for Womanhood,” I was appalled at all the bashing of women specifically when George Washington says, “Women will lose the war for America! Women should not be permitted to have the responsibilities they now have! Women must not make shells, torpedoes, airplane parts—they must not be trusted with war secrets or serve in the armed forces. Women will betray their country through weakness if not treachery!” (71). Women clearly were being recognized as able individuals and to be put down within a comic makes it hard to digest. I did appreciate how Wonder Woman tells Marva to change her life by joining WAACs or WAVES. She helps Marva from continuing to submit to her husband by providing her with other options she can seek out. Wonder Woman to me symbolizes female strength and by encourage other women to stand up for themselves and make a change, I find her to be an inspiration.
In Chapter 3: “Genesis: Departing from Paradise” by Lillian Robinson, Robinson relates Genesis to Wonder Woman. More specifically, she illustrates how superheroes are very attractive but males are “grotesque” whereas females “remain uniformly beautiful” (44). I always wondered why superheroes had to have the perfect appearance. It made me think about the social pressures for people to be skinny or look perfect. Women are always to be seen as beautiful which doesn’t seem to be a fair expectation to have. I didn’t notice until reading this article how Marston really seemed feminist in his views. For instance, “From Marston’s point of view; it appears, someone always has to be on top. Through the millennia that men have held sway, war, with women as part of its “natural spoils,” has devastated humanity. Once women have the upper hand, however, peace will reign, which, however, cannot kick in to enthrall them until women already have dominion over them” (52). For some reason, everyone seems to believe one gender needs to dominate the other and Marston illustrates the view we don’t usually see which is women dominating men. I like how Robinson illustrates how Wonder Woman never submits consciously and that’s because of her bracelets. Her bracelets are a constant reminder to her preventing her from letting her guard down, again illustrating her strength.
In “Wonder Woman: Bondage and Liberation” by Ben Saunders, Saunders illustrates Wonder Woman not getting the respect she deserves. Although she advocates for women’s rights, Megan Fox describes her as being lame. I found this article to be very informative when it came to understanding Marston’s relationship with Elizabeth Holloway and Olive Byrne. As we discussed in class about Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor compared to Lois Lane and Superman, Saunders says, “Steve is often dismissed as little more than a male Lois to Wonder Woman’s Superman, whose presence is more a result of the formulaic requirements of the genre than any original creative purpose; but in this story, at least, his job is also to communicate that men can be as attracted and inspired as women by Wonder Woman’s power and assertiveness. “Real men like strong women,” he reminds us.” (56). Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor’s relationship throws me off because she’s supposed to be this independent and strong woman yet she falls in love with the first man she sees on Paradise Island. Although I do see Steve as a step up from Lois because of how Steve talks to Wonder Woman. Lois would always put Clark Kent down or use him to get ahead in her career. Steve is compassionate and loving towards Wonder Woman yet I don’t think he belongs with a woman like Wonder Woman. She definitely can do better. Marston's argument about women being able to fit in dominant and submissive roles whereas men repress their desire to be submissive seems to be true. Just from our comics, like in the Superman comics we read, Clark Kent allows Lois to push him around and dominant him but when he’s Superman he would never let her do that. Wonder Woman’s description is spot on, “For Wonder Woman is a fantasy figure who asserts, against the entire masculinist symbolic order, that it is possible to be both beautiful and strong, to be nurturing and independent, to be emotional and intelligent, to be assertive and kind. Nor are these the only oppositions that she refuses: she comes from an artistically and technologically advanced culture, but insists that it is nevertheless possible to learn from nature; she espouses spiritual values but eschews fanaticism, dogma, and intolerance; she understands the arts of war, but teaches the lessons of peace” (70). This quote successfully describes how I feel about Wonder Woman. She’s so many things and advocates for all women which makes her character awesome.
In the “Battle for Womanhood,” I was appalled at all the bashing of women specifically when George Washington says, “Women will lose the war for America! Women should not be permitted to have the responsibilities they now have! Women must not make shells, torpedoes, airplane parts—they must not be trusted with war secrets or serve in the armed forces. Women will betray their country through weakness if not treachery!” (71). Women clearly were being recognized as able individuals and to be put down within a comic makes it hard to digest. I did appreciate how Wonder Woman tells Marva to change her life by joining WAACs or WAVES. She helps Marva from continuing to submit to her husband by providing her with other options she can seek out. Wonder Woman to me symbolizes female strength and by encourage other women to stand up for themselves and make a change, I find her to be an inspiration.
In Chapter 3: “Genesis: Departing from Paradise” by Lillian Robinson, Robinson relates Genesis to Wonder Woman. More specifically, she illustrates how superheroes are very attractive but males are “grotesque” whereas females “remain uniformly beautiful” (44). I always wondered why superheroes had to have the perfect appearance. It made me think about the social pressures for people to be skinny or look perfect. Women are always to be seen as beautiful which doesn’t seem to be a fair expectation to have. I didn’t notice until reading this article how Marston really seemed feminist in his views. For instance, “From Marston’s point of view; it appears, someone always has to be on top. Through the millennia that men have held sway, war, with women as part of its “natural spoils,” has devastated humanity. Once women have the upper hand, however, peace will reign, which, however, cannot kick in to enthrall them until women already have dominion over them” (52). For some reason, everyone seems to believe one gender needs to dominate the other and Marston illustrates the view we don’t usually see which is women dominating men. I like how Robinson illustrates how Wonder Woman never submits consciously and that’s because of her bracelets. Her bracelets are a constant reminder to her preventing her from letting her guard down, again illustrating her strength.
In “Wonder Woman: Bondage and Liberation” by Ben Saunders, Saunders illustrates Wonder Woman not getting the respect she deserves. Although she advocates for women’s rights, Megan Fox describes her as being lame. I found this article to be very informative when it came to understanding Marston’s relationship with Elizabeth Holloway and Olive Byrne. As we discussed in class about Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor compared to Lois Lane and Superman, Saunders says, “Steve is often dismissed as little more than a male Lois to Wonder Woman’s Superman, whose presence is more a result of the formulaic requirements of the genre than any original creative purpose; but in this story, at least, his job is also to communicate that men can be as attracted and inspired as women by Wonder Woman’s power and assertiveness. “Real men like strong women,” he reminds us.” (56). Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor’s relationship throws me off because she’s supposed to be this independent and strong woman yet she falls in love with the first man she sees on Paradise Island. Although I do see Steve as a step up from Lois because of how Steve talks to Wonder Woman. Lois would always put Clark Kent down or use him to get ahead in her career. Steve is compassionate and loving towards Wonder Woman yet I don’t think he belongs with a woman like Wonder Woman. She definitely can do better. Marston's argument about women being able to fit in dominant and submissive roles whereas men repress their desire to be submissive seems to be true. Just from our comics, like in the Superman comics we read, Clark Kent allows Lois to push him around and dominant him but when he’s Superman he would never let her do that. Wonder Woman’s description is spot on, “For Wonder Woman is a fantasy figure who asserts, against the entire masculinist symbolic order, that it is possible to be both beautiful and strong, to be nurturing and independent, to be emotional and intelligent, to be assertive and kind. Nor are these the only oppositions that she refuses: she comes from an artistically and technologically advanced culture, but insists that it is nevertheless possible to learn from nature; she espouses spiritual values but eschews fanaticism, dogma, and intolerance; she understands the arts of war, but teaches the lessons of peace” (70). This quote successfully describes how I feel about Wonder Woman. She’s so many things and advocates for all women which makes her character awesome.