Breaking the Societal Stereotype

The definition of a system is a set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole, in particular.  If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself….  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/system

A system that comes to mind when I hear the word “system” is the solar system.  The solar system is comprised of planets that revolve around the sun and it would not a complex system without its individual parts.  

Check out this gif to see the individual components (planets) working together to create a larger and more complex system!  https://media.giphy.com/media/FsTRLi4SnM86Y/giphy.gif

Celest Ng creates and develops multiple systems in Everything I Never Told You.  A prevalent system is dealing with hardships.  Lydia, one of the daughters in the Lee Family initially disappears and eventually is found dead.  Her family learns to cope with death as well as past memories and experiences.  Even though the reader may think that the main system is coping with death, there are other recurring hardships that members of the Lee family deal with.  

Marilyn, Lydia’s mother chose to study in the engineering field when she went to college.  She knew that this was a male dominated field, but she went against the societal stereotype.  While reading a passage, I noticed that the professor might have said an offensive comment, “When she arrived at the laboratory, though, she found herself the only girl in a room of fifteen men. The instructor said, Miss Walker, you’d better tie up those golden locks” (26). Marilyn constantly faced challenges while attempting to pursue her passion in engineering.  Her being female was controversial and held her back in many ways.

Even though this took place during the mid 20th century, even in my daily life, I sometimes relate to what Marilyn went through.  Last year, along with a few other students, we established our school’s Varsity Squash Team.  The director of the league was firm when he was confirming the establishment of separate both boys and girls team.  He constantly requested that we initiate one co-ed team; however, my persistence influenced him to agree to starting a girls’ team as well as a boys’.  Do any of you guys feel like you break the societal stereotype? The Huffington Post Article below elaborates on this world-wide issue…  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/clare-winterton/5-amazing-ways-women-and-_b_6016820.html

I think it is noteworthy to recognize other systems in Ng’s Everything I Never Told You.  Coping with death is a crucial system that should be noted; however, other systems such as breaking the societal stereotype also should be analyzed.