Reader Response Questions (7- A,B,C,E)

The character that most engages my interest is sister Rosetta because she is open-minded, honest, and stands up for what she believes in. I can relate to her in certain ways and because of the similarities I seem to have with sister Rosetta, I find her most interested than the other characters. No, this character does not remind me of someone I know. Though I can say there was a show I once watched as a child and it was about a nun being different from the rest. How the nun believed certain things that others didn't. The major problem that I thought was most important that came up in the first chapter was the male dominance over the female. The narrator introduces a situation when she speaks about the roles of males and females. She says, "I was told that all boys (including my brother) needed to be outside more and more as they got older in order to experience the world. Girls, however, needed to stay home more each year because the world became more dangerous for a female as she matured." This issue was not resolved in this chapter. The narrator seemed to have learned a major lesson the moment she opened the book. The book that contained information about sex, drugs, and fashion. The reader can conclude that because her curiosity  overpowered her, she exposed her true perspective on that subject. When sister Rosetta came in and caught her reading that book, she believed she had done wrong. Though sister Rosetta turned out to agree with her for that matter. Overall, the narrator learns that it is okay to be curious about certain things and though it may seem to go against religion, it is part of being human. One thing I learned about the narrator is that she has a desire for something deep inside her but it is hard for her to bring it out due to the pressure by her mother and traditions by the catholic church. I can relate to her because when I was a child, my mother forced me to do my first communion not knowing why but eventually finding out that because we are Catholic, I was indeed, forced to keep the traditions going. Today, I know how important it is and why we must have our sacraments. Though I also know to stand up for what I believe in because we won't always agree with each other.

"My Rosetta"by Judith O. Cofer in Woman in Front of the Sun

1. Characters and Characters Depiction
(A) Other than the narrator, the first chapter introduces Sister Rosetta (who is a nun) and the narrator's mother. One thing I learned about sister Rosetta is that she is an unattractive woman. The narrator uses descriptive language such as "slightly bulbous nose, plump red-veined cheeks, and close-set-eyes" to describe her physical attributes. Another thing I learned from sister Rosetta is that unlike the rest of the nuns, she is really open minded. The narrator presents a scene where sister Rosetta finds her (the narrator) reading a book about drugs, sex, and fashion. Assuming that sister Rosetta would respond in such a crazy attitude, the narrator was shocked when instead of accusing her of such a "sin" by reading "inappropriate books", sister Rosetta understood the curiosity behind the narrator and even offered to check more books out so that the narrator could read those too. As mentioned, the narrator's mother was also introduced in this first chapter. She is very traditional and really enforces the idea of what it is like to be a Catholic. She influences her daughter in many ways that builds up curiosity even for her own daughter.

(B) The narrator is a character within her own story. She describes herself as a Catholic child which she must demonstrate to the world. Pressured and influenced by her school, her religion, and her mother, the narrator is brought to us in the beginning as an influence child. It isn't until she conveys the scene of " the book of drugs, sex, and fashioned" that sister Rosetta caught her reading that we get a slim idea of what her curiosity is and how she wants to do things that seem impossible to her.

3. Place and Setting
(A) The book Woman in Font of the Sun by Judith O. Cofer was written in 1966. It took place in Paterson, New Jersey.

4. Elements of a Memoir Questions
(A) This chapter is about the idea of customs and traditions and what is expected from the people who follow these traditions. This first chapter introduces two sides to the idea. The narrator introduces characters such as her own mother to demonstrate and send a message of what it is like to be part of the Catholic tradition and how much influence it can make on someone. How being " Gods child " one must do as says with out any major sins. On the other hand, the narrator also introduces characters that advocate for Catholic tradition. In this case, sister Rosetta is the one who is chosen to play the role. With her actions and words the reader can conclude she is the type of women to be open minded to several things that not many people do.

9. Cultural Issues Questions
(A) List: Male (Gender) dominance; Female submission; Patriarchy/Patriarchy Cultural; Male Authority; Catholic traditions for females; Gender expectations.
(B) One of the issues that I found interesting and gave more meaning to the idea in general was the male dominance. Through the first chapter, there was a part where the narrator described the role of both men and women. The narrator said "I was told all boys needed to be outside more and more as they got older in order to experience the world. Girls, however, needed to stay home more each year because the world became more dangerous for a female as she matured." This quote conveys the meaning of how both genders were view not just by society but their religion as well.
(C) Tradition; both gender expectations; Women's liberation; drugs and sex; catholic tradition for females.