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Taylor-Jo M. Crace

Miss. Cook

Composition-01

20 November 2017

The Strength of a Woman

Have you ever thought about why men are thought so highly of in society? Have you ever

wondered why women have been retained, unable to do their very best? Could it be that men put

themselves above and hold women back because they are afraid of the high potential that women

have? This movie shows that women can overcome the obstacles that men set before them in

order to reach their goal and complete their mission. The main point that this movie is trying to

make about this country is that the assumed roles that are set for each gender are more flexible

than they are thought to be and women are capable of doing so much more than what is normally

allowed of them; women are now realizing that they are being held back by societys standards

and start to go beyond the roles set before them.

The movie, Kahaani, by Sujoy Ghosh tells the story of a pregnant woman, Vidya Bagchi,

that travels from London to Kolkata that claims to be in search of her missing husband, Arnab

Bagchi. While filing a missing persons report at the police station in Kolkata, the officers on duty

did not take her very seriously and just put her case to the side instead of as a priority. The

suspense is built up throughout the movie because she constantly puts herself into dangerous

situations, but always seems to find her way out and just when the viewer thinks that she will

find her husband another obstacle pops up. In the end, spectators find out that Vidya was never

looking for a man named Arnab Bagchi, but was on a mission to find and kill the man behind the
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attack on the metro, Milan Damji, the whole time and that she had made up a whole life story

that was very believable and faked a pregnancy the whole time.

Feminism is a fight that will continue forever, there will never be a time when both

genders are completely equal or even seen the same. In chapter eight, Gendering the Text, on

page 221 of the Texts and Contexts book it says, Feminist criticism, like feminism itself, is

concerned of course with the status of women, and defines it by saying that it is, the name that

should be applied to all criticism alert to the critical ramifications of sexual oppression, just as in

politics womens issues is the name now applied to many fundamental questions of personal

freedom and social justice. When reading the book, Feminism in Islam: Secular and Religious

Convergences, you will find that the introduction is very blunt by saying that the words

Feminism in Islam, contradict each other and are widely considered to be non-existent. So it

was not an uncommon occurrence for the police officers to brush off the missing persons case

brought to them by Vidya because their society only listens to men. Patriarchy in Transition

says that men are held high in the political eye and in public, but in the home the woman is the

one to praise due to all of her hard work. It also says that other than her companionship and

courtship [sexual relations], he cannot demand anything else from the woman. (Moghadam

139). If women are kept shut in a house all day then they may never find something that they

truly love doing or reach their full potential.

This movie is a very good example of feminism because it shows that if a woman puts

her mind to something she can overcome all of the obstacles to achieve whatever it is she is

trying to accomplish. The main character in this movie was Vidya Bagchi and she proved that

she could accomplish anything because they pushed her case to the side and did not pay much

attention to the things that she brought to their attention and she still completed the task that she
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was sent there to do. It turned out that instead of the men using her to get to Milan Damji, who

had caused a major terrorist attack on the Metro two years before she came, she had been using

the people in Kolkata including Rana, Kahn, the police officers, and others to get to Milan

herself because her husband died on the Metro attack and she wanted justice. This came to a

shock to the men after everything had happened and they finally understood because they did not

think she was capable of that.

Kahaani says a lot about the creativity of women because Vidya had come up with a life

story which included her and her husbands names, the story of why he was there, and even being

pregnant. She made up their names so she could not be traced when she completed her mission.

The story of why he had gone to Kolkata was very detailed which made it very believable. She

had also given out a picture of her and the man she claimed to be her husband, but in reality she

had photoshopped a picture of Milans face to an old picture of her and her actual husband.

Vidya faked being pregnant and wore a fake stomach because it is known by many in that

country that no one questions a pregnant woman so she knew that she could get away with a lot,

in addition to that she was pregnant when her husband passed away.

By taking charge and trying to figure out what happened to her husband, Vidya may be

considered to be taking on roles of the male gender according to this country. People of Kolkata

let the men take care of everything so it came as a shock to many natives of the area when they

found out that a woman was being so independent. Vidya changes the way that people view her

by being a very strong leader. She was very confident, bold, and showed emotional stability.

When put in tough situations she thought very quickly and moved without hesitation, which was

very crucial in some moments. Overall, there were more moments that Vidya could have been
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more self-aware and taken more precautions, but she showed tremendous strength throughout the

movie.

In this movie, the relationship between men and women is not shown very clearly. Vidya

is given more respect and is not argued against due to the people believing that she is pregnant

and in their country you do not go against a pregnant woman because they must be shown

respect. Other than the respect shown for her being pregnant, Vidya is looked at very differently

because her actions are more bold than the native women of that country and that behavior is not

expected of women from there. You can see in the movie that her actions aggravate the men

when she is told not to do something and she goes ahead and does it anyway because they see

themselves above women and would call that disrespect.

In conclusion, Kahaani does a pretty job of showing feminism, but does a better job of

showing women overcoming discrimination put before them. There are parts in the movie where

more feminist issues could be shown. As a woman from America, I feel as though this movie is a

very good way to learn about feminism and how women are treated in other countries; In

America we do not see and sometimes may not understand the ways of other countries and how

they treat females. Society standards with women have dramatically changed over time, but

women may sometimes still be held to the standards of those long ago, this causes a problem

because women are capable of so much more than what is thought of them. There should not be

any set roles in society for gender and what those people can do because all people are capable of

different things.

Works Cited

Badran, Margot. Feminism in Islam: Secular and Religious Convergences. , 2011. Print.
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Lynn, Steven. Chapter 8 Gendering the Text. Texts and Contexts: Writing About

Literature with Critical Theory. Sixth Edition, Longman, 2011.

Moghadam, Valentine. Patriarchy in Transition: Women and the Changing Family in the

Middle East. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, vol. 35, no. 2, 2004, pp. 137162.

Rubric rating submitted on: 11/29/2017, 7:22:40 PM by danielle.cook@redstreaks.org

4 3 2 1 0

W.1.a: Hook (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 3 creatively Introduction demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
demonstrated) paragraph a couple errors multiple errors Introduction
Introduction captures the exist) exist) paragraph
paragraph reader's Introduction Introduction captures the
captures the attention. paragraph paragraph reader's
reader's captures the captures the attention.
attention. reader's reader's
attention. attention.

W.1. a: Intro (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt) A

Summary creatively A brief demonstrate, but demonstrate, but brief summary
Your score: 4 demonstrated) A summary of the a couple errors multiple errors of the text(s)
brief summary text(s) analyzed exist) A brief exist) A brief analyzed is
of the text(s) is given to summary of the summary of the given to
analyzed is anticipate the text(s) analyzed text(s) analyzed anticipate the
given to reader's is given to is given to reader's
anticipate the knowledge anticipate the anticipate the knowledge
reader's level--no more reader's reader's level--no more
knowledge than a couple knowledge knowledge than a couple
level--no more sentences. level--no more level--no more sentences.
than a couple than a couple than a couple
sentences. sentences. sentences.

W. 1.a: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt)

Introduce creatively Intro paragraph demonstrate, but demonstrate, but Intro paragraph
Claims demonstrated) clearly a couple errors multiple errors clearly
Your score: 3 Intro paragraph introduces the exist) Intro exist)Intro introduces the
clearly claims of the paragraph paragraph claims of the
introduces the body clearly clearly body
claims of the paragraphs. introduces the introduces the paragraphs.
body claims of the claims of the
paragraphs. body body
paragraphs. paragraphs.

W.1.a: Thesis (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted, but (Attempted, but (no attempt
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Your score: 2 creatively The last a couple errors multiple errors made) The last
demonstrated) sentence is a exist) The last exist) The last sentence is a
The last thesis statement sentence is a sentence is a thesis statement
sentence is a that is clear, thesis statement thesis statement that is clear,
thesis statement sophisticated, that is clear, that is clear, sophisticated,
that is clear, and insightful. sophisticated, sophisticated, and insightful.
sophisticated, and insightful. and insightful.
and insightful.

W. 1. a: Topic (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted, but (Attempted, but (No attempt
Sentences creatively Each body a couple errors multiple errors made) Each
Your score: 3 demonstrated) paragraph exist) Each body exist) Each body body paragraph
Each body begins with a paragraph paragraph begins with a
paragraph clear, begins with a begins with a clear,
begins with a sophisticated, clear, clear, sophisticated,
clear, and insightful sophisticated, sophisticated, and insightful
sophisticated, topic sentence. and insightful and insightful topic sentence.
and insightful topic sentence. topic sentence.
topic sentence.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Organization & creatively Claims, demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Claims,
Sequencing demonstrated) counterclaims, a couple errors multiple errors counterclaims,
Your score: 4 Claims, reasons, and exist) Claims, exist)Claims, reasons, and
counterclaims, evidence are counterclaims, counterclaims, evidence are
reasons, and effectively reasons, and reasons, and effectively
evidence are structured and evidence are evidence are structured and
effectively organized in a effectively effectively organized in a
structured and logical structured and structured and logical
organized in a sequence. organized in a organized in a sequence.
logical logical logical
sequence. sequence. sequence.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Significance of creatively The significance demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) The
Claims demonstrated) of the claims is a couple errors multiple errors significance of
Your score: 3 The significance clearly exist) The exist) The the claims is
of the claims is established for significance of significance of clearly
clearly the audience the claims is the claims is established for
established for throughout the clearly clearly the audience
the audience body. established for established for throughout the
throughout the the audience the audience body.
body. throughout the throughout the
body. body.

W. 1. c: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

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Transitions creatively Thoughtful demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)Thoughtfu

Your score: 2 demonstrated) progression of a couple errors multiple errors l progression of
Thoughtful ideas and details exist) exist) ideas and details
progression of with sound Thoughtful Thoughtful with sound
ideas and details transitions to progression of progression of transitions to
with sound show connection ideas and details ideas and details show connection
transitions to between points with sound with sound between points
show connection and paragraphs. transitions to transitions to and paragraphs.
between points show connection show connection
and paragraphs. between points between points
and paragraphs. and paragraphs.

W. 1. b: Focus (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 2 creatively Maintains a demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)Maintains
demonstrated) consistent focus a couple errors multiple errors a consistent
Maintains a throughout. exist) Maintains exist) Maintains focus
consistent focus Thesis is a consistent a consistent throughout.
throughout. effectively focus focus Thesis is
Thesis is woven throughout. throughout. effectively
effectively throughout Thesis is Thesis is woven
woven every body effectively effectively throughout
throughout paragraph, with woven woven every body
every body ideas always throughout throughout paragraph, with
paragraph, with related back to every body every body ideas always
ideas always thesis in order to paragraph, with paragraph, with related back to
related back to prove the central ideas always ideas always thesis in order to
thesis in order to claim. related back to related back to prove the central
prove the central thesis in order to thesis in order to claim.
claim. prove the central prove the central
claim. claim.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Examples & creatively Contains demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Contains
Details demonstrated) effective, a couple errors multiple errors effective,
Your score: 4 Contains specific, exist) Contains exist) Contains specific,
effective, relevant effective, effective, relevant
specific, examples and specific, specific, examples and
relevant details to back relevant relevant details to back
examples and up major claims examples and examples and up major claims
details to back in each body details to back details to back in each body
up major claims paragraph. up major claims up major claims paragraph.
in each body in each body in each body
paragraph. paragraph. paragraph.
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W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Reflection of creatively Clear reflection demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Clear
Evidence demonstrated) on the evidence a couple errors multiple errors reflection on the
Your score: 2 Clear reflection is referenced exist) Clear exist) Clear evidence is
on the evidence from the text reflection on the reflection on the referenced from
is referenced and thoroughly evidence is evidence is the text and
from the text and clearly referenced from referenced from thoroughly and
and thoroughly explained to the the text and the text and clearly
and clearly audience. thoroughly and thoroughly and explained to the
explained to the clearly clearly audience.
audience. explained to the explained to the
audience. audience.

W. 1. b: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Consideration of creatively Demonstrates demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
Prompt demonstrated) thoughtful a couple errors multiple errors Demonstrates
Your score: 3 Demonstrates consideration of exist) exist) thoughtful
thoughtful the task & Demonstrates Demonstrates consideration of
consideration of thoroughly thoughtful thoughtful the task &
the task & answers the consideration of consideration of thoroughly
thoroughly prompt or the task & the task & answers the
answers the assignment thoroughly thoroughly prompt or
prompt or requirements. answers the answers the assignment
assignment prompt or prompt or requirements.
requirements. assignment assignment
requirements. requirements.

W. 1. f: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Rephrase Thesis creatively Conclusion demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
Your score: 4 demonstrated) restates thesis a couple errors multiple errors Conclusion
Conclusion and supports the exist) exist) restates thesis
restates thesis claims in the Conclusion Conclusion and supports the
and supports the essay. restates thesis restates thesis claims in the
claims in the and supports the and supports the essay.
essay. claims in the claims in the
essay. essay.

W. 1. f: So What (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Conclusion demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
demonstrated) offers closure a couple errors multiple errors Conclusion
Conclusion and leaves the exist) exist) offers closure
offers closure reader thinking Conclusion Conclusion and leaves the
and leaves the by answering offers closure offers closure reader thinking
reader thinking the So What? and leaves the and leaves the by answering
by answering question. The reader thinking reader thinking the So What?
the So What? significance the by answering by answering question. The
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question. The major claim is the So What? the So What? significance the
significance the clear to the question. The question. The major claim is
major claim is reader. significance the significance the clear to the
clear to the major claim is major claim is reader.
reader. clear to the clear to the
reader. reader.

L. 2: Sentence (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Complexity/Vari creatively Sentence variety demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Sentence
ety demonstrated) is effective and a couple errors multiple errors variety is
Your score: 4 Sentence variety sophisticated. exist) Sentence exist) Sentence effective and
is effective and variety is variety is sophisticated.
sophisticated. effective and effective and
sophisticated. sophisticated.

W. 1. e: Style & (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Tone creatively A formal style demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) A formal
Your score: 4 demonstrated) A and objective a couple errors multiple errors style and
formal style and tone is exist) A formal exist) A formal objective tone is
objective tone is established and style and style and established and
established and maintained. objective tone is objective tone is maintained.
maintained. established and established and
maintained. maintained.

W. 1. d: Word (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Choice creatively Word demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Word
Your score: 4 demonstrated) choice/vocabula a couple errors multiple errors choice/vocabula
Word ry is exist) Word exist) Word ry is
choice/vocabula sophisticated choice/vocabula choice/vocabula sophisticated
ry is and effective. ry is ry is and effective.
sophisticated sophisticated sophisticated
and effective. and effective. and effective.

W. 4: Clarity (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Writing is clear, demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Writing is
demonstrated) concise, and a couple errors multiple errors clear, concise,
Writing is clear, strong. exist) Writing is exist) Writing is and strong.
concise, and clear, concise, clear, concise,
strong. and strong. and strong.

L. 2: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Capitalization & creatively Sentences demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Sentences
Punctuation demonstrated) demonstrate a couple errors multiple errors demonstrate
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Your score: 4 Sentences correct exist) Sentences exist) Sentences correct

demonstrate punctuation and demonstrate demonstrate punctuation and
correct capitalization. correct correct capitalization.
punctuation and punctuation and punctuation and
capitalization. capitalization. capitalization.

L. 2: Spelling & (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

RO/Frag creatively There are no demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) There are
Your score: 4 demonstrated) spelling errors, a couple errors multiple errors no spelling
There are no run-ons, and/or exist) There are exist) There are errors, run-ons,
spelling errors, fragments. no spelling no spelling and/or
run-ons, and/or errors, run-ons, errors, run-ons, fragments.
fragments. and/or and/or
fragments. fragments.

L. 1: Usage (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Correct and demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Correct
demonstrated) consistent verb a couple errors multiple errors and consistent
Correct and tense is present; exist) Correct exist) Correct verb tense is
consistent verb words are used and consistent and consistent present; words
tense is present; correctly. verb tense is verb tense is are used
words are used present; words present; words correctly.
correctly. are used are used
correctly. correctly.

W. 8: Relevant (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Information creatively The quotes used demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) The
Your score: 4 demonstrated) in each body a couple errors multiple errors quotes used in
The quotes used paragraph are exist) The exist) The each body
in each body relevant and quotes used in information paragraph are
paragraph are effectively each body from research relevant and
relevant and support the paragraph are used in each effectively
effectively thesis and the relevant and body paragraph support the
support the claims. effectively are relevant and thesis and the
thesis and the support the effectively claims.
claims. thesis and the support the
claims. thesis and the
claims.

W. 8: (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Integrating creatively Information demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made)
Information demonstrated) from the text is a couple errors multiple errors Information
Your score: 4 Information integrated into exist) exist) from the tex is
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from the text is the essay Information Information integrated into

integrated into selectively to from the texh is from the tex is the essay
the essay maintain the integrated into integrated into selectively to
selectively to flow of ideas, the essay the essay maintain the
maintain the avoiding selectively to selectively to flow of ideas,
flow of ideas, plagiarism, and maintain the maintain the avoiding
avoiding overreliance on flow of ideas, flow of ideas, plagiarism, and
plagiarism, and the text. avoiding avoiding overreliance on
overreliance on plagiarism, and plagiarism, and the text.
the text. overreliance on overreliance on
the text. the text.

W. 8: Citations (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Your score: 4 creatively Each demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Each
demonstrated) quote/paraphras a couple errors multiple errors quote/paraphras
Each e is exist) Each exist) Each e is
quote/paraphras appropriately quote/paraphras quote/paraphras appropriately
e is cited using in- e is e is cited using in-
appropriately text citations. appropriately appropriately text citations.
cited using in- cited using in- cited using in-
text citations. text citations. text citations.

L. 3: MLA (Fully and (Demonstrated) (Attempted to (Attempted to (No attempt

Format creatively Paper is demonstrate, but demonstrate, but made) Paper is
Your score: 4 demonstrated) formatted a couple errors multiple errors formatted
Paper is according to exist) Paper is exist) Paper is according to
formatted MLA formatted formatted MLA
according to guidelines, according to according to guidelines,
MLA including: MLA MLA including:
guidelines, heading with guidelines, guidelines, heading with
including: name, teacher, including: including: name, teacher,
heading with class & period, heading with heading with class & period,
name, teacher, and date, name, teacher, name, teacher, and date,
class & period, centered title, class & period, class & period, centered title,
and date, and correctly and date, and date, and correctly
centered title, formatted centered title, centered title, formatted
and correctly paragraphs. and correctly and correctly paragraphs.
formatted formatted formatted
paragraphs. paragraphs. paragraphs.

Comments:
Total: 88/100 B+

This is a good start. The analysis needs to be a little more apparent. Remember, in an analysis it
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is assumed the reader already understands what you are talking about. You do not need to
summarize the movie so much. Instead of trying to tell the story, explain what the piece of the
story you're citing shows about gender relations. Although it's in the essay, it's not the main
focus, especially at the beginning of the essay. You should be drawing conclusions about what
the movie seems to be saying about genders and their relationship to one another.