Alice Paul led the militant wing of the suffrage movement, realizing that the vote would bring women legal equality. As the main leader and strategist of the campaign, along with Lucy Burns and others, she led a successful campaign for women’s suffrage that resulted in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.(She wrote the ERA(Equal Rights Amendment) to Congress in 1923.)
Then what is the influence for American women? We can find a representative from a movie which is about this movement------- “Iron Jawed Angels”
Emily Leighton is a fiction character of this movie who represents the evolving attitudes of many women in this pivotal period in history. Leighton’s growing awareness of her own worth and autonomy is worth nothing through careful observation on the viewer’s part.
At first, Emily met Doris Stevens. At that time she did not pay attention to her. However, after she saw Doris’s body language, she found Doris’s enthusiasm and resolution for their movement. At this time we can find Emily was fascinated from her facial expression.
Then she met Alice Paul and Lucy Burns during a party. But this time she still cannot talk about their thoughts with them because of her husband. Her husband is a senator. From this scene, we can know Emily was a traditional woman, she is loyal to her husband.
Next scene is “the parade”. Although Emily did not join this parade, but she stood in the crowd. From her body language, we can know she was interested in it ,she wanted to join them, and she tried to see more about this parade. But after a few minutes, the crowd began to be confusion. She just ran away with her kid. So she was still afraid. She was afraid about the danger of this movement.
But she did not stop thinking because of the danger. When her husband came back home, she was writing something. But when she found her husband was back, she hid the notebook. She did not want her husband to know anything about what she write. Maybe it’s about the militant wing of the suffrage movement.
Unfortunately, Emily”s husband knew what Emily did. So he closed Emily’s account. Then she began to know it was true that it was unequal between men and women. Depend on a kind of mother love, she did not want her daughter to have the same life as hers. So she decided to fight for freedom.
Emily began to help the American Women’s Party. She brought some hot drinks to the men who were standing out of the White House. Pleasant hours fly past, after Emily’s husband found she took their daughters to join the suffrage activities. At this time, Emily was almost mad. But she know it was not the right time to give up.
Emily continued to join the suffrage activities. However, the government cannot bear these women any more. The police caught Alice Paul, Lucy Burns and the other women who stood out of the White House, including Emily. But this time, Emily seemed very quiet. Her courage helped her to face it.
In the prison, the members of American Women’s Party was maltreated, then they had a hunger strike. From Emily”s eyes we cannot find any fear from her eyes any more, only determination and hope. Especially when they were singing, Emily seemed very honored.
After a few days, Emily met her husband in the prison. From her body language and her face, we can know her body was weak because of the hunger strike. Moreover, we also can feel her determination was stronger than any time. Because she knew what she did is not only for herself, but also for her daughters. Emily give a piece of paper to her husband. It was the story about their prison life. Her husband gave it to a newspaper office.
Then the government released the members of American Women’s Party because of the pressure from the society······
From fear to firm, from traditional to fight for her freedom, for women can be equal with men. Emily was changed by this movement.
How about others? I believe many women began to know be equal with men is their rights, they began to know courage is very important for winning freedom.
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