A Lyrical Expression of Women's Work Experience

Women's work experience has been a defining discourse in society, embedded with personal, social, political, and cultural values. Song lyrics often embody these values and provide a perspective on the topic of women's work experience.

In the Week 1 Discussion, you selected song lyrics that reflected a general social change theme related to women. In this week's Discussion, you also choose song lyrics. This time, though, you will choose song lyrics that represent social change as it relates to women's work experience. In addition, you again explore the use of literary techniques used in song lyrics. Remember to focus on thewritten words in the song and not the sound of the music that accompanies it.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Consider how music has influenced and/or been influenced by social change.

Search your personal music library, the Internet, or another resource (including this week's Optional Resources) for a song that meets the following criteria:

The song was written by a woman.

The song reflects a social change theme that directly or indirectly relates to women's work experience.

The song includes two literary techniques listed in the "Glossary of Terms and Techniques for Literature and Creative Writing" document. Note: Choose techniques you have not previously used.

The song may be from any time period or country, but the lyrics have an English translation available.

Summarize and paraphrase the song using proper APA citation rules.

Consider how the song you selected offers a social change perspective related to women's work experience.

Identify song lyrics that reflect any themes conveyed in the works of any of this week's Required Resources by Ensler, Truth, Campo, and/or Ron.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a 1- to 2-paragraph analysis of how the song lyrics you selected address social change themes related to women's work experience. Provide evidence and discuss the effectiveness of two literary techniques used in the song lyrics.

Application: Women's Work Experience Through Personal Narrative

If you had to learn about women working in the U.S. public school system in the 1950s and could read a textbook chapter on the subject or read 20 interviews of women telling their stories in their own words, which would you choose? If you read both the textbook and interviews, which one do you think you would remember? Most likely you would remember the women's personal stories. The sharing of personal experience to communicate information captures a different level of attention and has a way of securing a place in the long-term memory of the reader. A personal narrative is a story about a personal experience of the writer. In this week's

Assignment, you examine women's work experience through personal narrative.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Think about how you would describe women's work experience based on your own personal, family, and/or social experience.

Review the Sojourner Truth and Ensler readings from this week's Learning Resources. What does Truth say directly about women's work experience? What can you infer about women's work experience from Ensler?
Review Carpenter-Aeby's article for an example of personal narrative.

Truth's and Ensler's works are considered examples of personal narrative. What makes these works memorable? How effective are the authors in getting their point across to their respective audiences? What literary techniques do the authors employ to engage the audience?

Consider whether Truth's or Ensler's messages would be more or less powerful if it were in another literary form, such as an essay or a short story, instead of a personal narrative. Why or why not?

Review postings from this week's Discussion to identify examples of personal narrative in song lyrics regarding women's work experiences.

The Assignment:
Compose 1-2 pages responding to the following:

What meaning did Truth's "Look At Me! Ain't I A Woman?" and Ensler's In the Body of the World add to your understanding of women's work experience? Evaluate the effectiveness of the literary form of personal narrative.

Relate the case in the Carpenter-Aeby article to your analysis. What does this article reveal about the power of the personal narrative that is also evident in the works of Ensler and Truth?