I found this reading to be kind of stereotypical of a feminist and because of that I didn’t find it all that interesting. When she refers to the relationships men and women have, she is basically saying that men are more individual than women because a boy is eventually separated from his mother in order for his masculinity to form. She also says that girls are not separated from their mothers because femininity is basically being attached “Consequently, relationships, and particularly issues of dependency, are experienced differently by women and men. For boys and men, separation and individuation are critically tied to gender identity since separation from the mother is essential for the development of masculinity. For girls and women, issues of femininity or feminine identity do not depend on the achievement of separation from the mother or on the progress of individuation” (Gilligan 805). I don’t think I necessarily agree with this, especially in today’s society. Gilligan was born in 1936 so I’m sure the society she grew up in was different. In today’s society though there are so many individual women who aren’t “attached” to anything. They go off to college and live on their own and do so many things. There are a lot of men too who can be referred to as “mama’s boys” because they can’t do anything without their moms. This is prominent in today’s society also. I’m not saying her ideas aren’t true. I’m just saying they aren’t completely true. She brings up a lot of psychologists and yes, many of their theories are confirmed. However, I think that psychologists in today’s society might find different results.
Gilligan, Carol. "Women's Place in a Man's Life Cycle." A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2006. pp 801-817
