Two sisters, two perspectives. Mercy and Connie. Two Sisters written by Ama Ata Aidoo in 1940s Africa questions is it right to use manipulation for the sole reason of benefiting yourself? Powerful and successful men use their wealth to essentially receive what they want from women? Is this bringing down the generation of women as a whole? Connie the older sister and motherlike figure to Mercy certainly thinks so yet her husband opening admits jumping from mistresses even though he is not classified under “Big Men” in Africa. James, Connies husband asks, “Why shouldn’t she?”.Connie struggles against these morals even when she herself receives a gift from Mensar-Arthur. Mercy is on the other-hand in in a purist of happiness and Connie does not want her to be used. Moving from man to man after Mensar-Arthur is imprisoned? But are Mercy’s intentions true for her pursuit of happiness or is she just after material possessions. Waiting for a man to give her a house, car, money while she doesn’t invest in herself for an education or job. “Women allow men to behave the way they do instead of seizing some freedom themselves.” “Girls” are keeping all other women down. Women’s insecurities gives men the power. Both Connie and Mercy are at fault here. Connie for turning her cheek and asserting her own marriage and Mercy for her acquired taste of the unearned finer things. Who is more to blame?

What if Shakespeare had a sister, would she of had the same opportunities to make it as a writer? In order for a woman to write she must have a room of her own and enough money to survive. Woolf’s unconventional style speaks of women and fiction. “It would have been impossible, completely and entirely, for any woman to have written the plays of Shakespeare in the age of Shakespeare.” Woolf says even if Shakespeare had a sister she never would have had the same education or he same opportunities. Limited education to women and lack of opportunities they have. She does not only address the male and females conflict but also societies class system. Address men that say women don’t have ability to be artists. “Have you any notion of how many books are written about women in the course of one year? Have you any notion how many are written by men? Are you aware that you are, perhaps, the most discussed animal in the universe?” Asks, why are men writing about women if they “are not” threatened by them. She is very sassy throughout her lectures on her thoughts and how frustrating it was for a woman. Woolf wants women take away with them is freedom, freedom to write without consequences, free to be themselves. Virginia talks about women before her and how they went against the grain, went against everything they’ve been told. Reading Woolf’s work really kept bringing me back to a previous story we read, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft. They share a lot of the same ideas and similar styles in expressing themselves.