Never would I have thought that a silly English project would be able to open my eyes to so many bigger issues around me, but it did and I have so much to say about it. In my advanced placement (AP for short) English class, we were reading, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, and at the end of the book, my teacher asked us to choose an issue represented in the book and dive into it on a deeper level. The book follows the journey of a girl growing into adulthood and the relationships she makes. Long story short, the story’s main character, Janie, is put through many toxic relationships and can’t seem to catch a break, so for my topic, I chose domestic abuse.
To be more specific, I decided to focus on the progression of domestic abuse laws and society’s reactions to the drastic changes. It genuinely shocked me to find out just how many people ignore the issue and actually try to justify it. I wanted to share with you all what I’ve found on domestic abuse in my essay, and maybe just maybe educate you a little on the issue if you aren’t aware of it already. Many don’t have much knowledge of domestic violence because women (and some men of course) are too afraid to speak out, for the fear that the court won’t believe her or that her abuser will take it one step further and murder her. In fact, only 70 percent of these cases go unreported and those that do get reported are looked down upon or sometimes even turned against the victim.
I hope you can take the time to read my essay and I would love to hear your input on it. This is a serious issue and we need to get more people to talk about it, so those stuck in abusive relationships feel like they have an outlet.
Defying Gravity 
Thanks for highlighting the progression of domestic abuse, which has been covered by fear and this notion of humans being treated as property. Simultaneously I was reminded of how the intent of marriage evolved, where it was heavily seen as a vehicle to maintain or “upgrade” one’s status. Again, a market “property value” put upon a human.
Your reference to Soler on the economic empowerment of women was right up the alley I went through in my mind. Knowledge is not only a gift, but knowledge is power. I love the data on the percentage shift of females in jobs/roles that were traditionally dominated by males. The hope is equitable representation, and just “value” of a human being (sans property).
When I think about domestic abuse, I can’t help but tie it to mental illness. That’s a huge area that is often minimally triaged in our society. As we bring more education and awareness to mental illness, as a society, I hope that also influences policies and laws related to domestic abuse.
Thanks for sharing your essay and the connection you extracted from your book study.
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