Well Done, Sister Suffragettes!
Ok. Just one more little bit of feminism...So I was watching Mary Poppins this weekend and I had quite forgotten how fabulous a movie it is. I have to say, one of my favorite moments is when Mrs. Banks arrives home from her suffragettes meeting. Of course since Mary Poppins is a musical, she has to tell us all about "the cause" in song. A key line and very memorable quote that quite sums up my feelings: "Though we adore men individually, we agree that as a group they're rather stupid." If you so desire, you can read the lyrics to the entire song here. Jennie was quick to point out that had I lived in 1910, I would have been Mrs. Banks. Who knows? It might have been fun to chain myself to the wheel of the British Prime Minister's carriage!
One small mar on the feminist movement is that I have read that when Mrs. Banks donates her Votes for Women sash to the children for a tail for their kite, it symbolizes her leaving the ranks of the suffragettes and embracing her proper role as mother. If true, it seems that it is only reflecting Walt Disney's view of women's proper roles and not necessarily the opinions of P. L. Travers, the author of the Mary Poppins books. I read about her and apparently she adopted a boy and raised him as a single mother. So, really, Mrs. Banks must have put her sash on the kite to try to increase advertising for women's rights!
Another key quote from the movie, not feminist related: "I don't like to see any living thing caged up. [...] They makes cages in all sizes and shapes, you know. Bank-shaped some of 'em, carpets and all." This made me think about my own cage. It's cube shaped with beige fabric walls and a distinct lack of proper internet...why oh why does the weekend have to go by so fast?
posted by Dish @ 10:10 PM
5 Comments:
Walt Disney's 'proper role' of a mother?
You know...I thought I was going to make it through the entire blog entry without some wacko theory. ;-)
oh Trish I feel for you. I can't imagine having no internet at work I think I would just quit! It would make me cagey.
Hopeless! (sigh)
Ryan. I know you miss me. :o)
I totally agree with you!
I absolutely love the Sister Suffragette song, and that "men are stupid" line. It always makes me laugh!
I think that if i lived during the same time, i would have been a Suffragette. Hmmm...now where are my chains?
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