My family was never one for mathematics, but we sure loved to read. My mother adored Jane Austen and “The Lion and the Witch and the Wardrobe,” my father preferred “The Count of Monte Cristo” and Charles Dickens. Both labelled themselves to be “bad at math” and had to stop helping me with math homework after fifth grade. STEM subjects did not come to me naturally, but reading and writing did. One of the earliest sentences I remember reading was “the cat spilled the milk,” and from there, my vocabulary only expanded. Being able to read became one of the most influential parts of my life and I continued to carry a love for reading ever since. As March is Women’s History Month, I cannot think of any better way to celebrate it than to combine two passions of mine and take a look at some ladies in literature (both real and fictional) who have shaped my life.
“Matilda”, Roald Dahl (1988)
As a middle child, I inherited a lot of my belongings from my older sister. One of the most prized items I had passed down to me was a collection of Roald Dahl books. From “George’s Marvelous Medicine” to “The Witches,” I was fascinated with nearly all of his works, but my favorite of the bunch was “Matilda.” I was a bookish young girl reading about a girl with the same nature - how could I not become entranced? Seeing how Matilda truly encompassed the idea that “knowledge is power,” was empowering. I had read about smart girls before, but she was one I felt like I could relate to as a young girl who wanted to feel in-control. Even if I didn’t have telekinesis, the theme of the book still stuck with me and I’ve continued to carry it since.
“Beloved,” Toni Morrison (1987)
I was never one to complain too much about assigned reading in high school, except for perhaps “The Scarlet Letter,” I either enjoyed or felt neutral about the novels we were made to analyze for class. This attitude had remained unchanged until my senior year where I read Toni Morrison’s “Beloved.” This novel is a masterpiece. The way in which Morrison flawlessly mixes motherhood with horror and tells a haunting story that sticks with you after reading, struck me at my core. “Beloved” made me reconsider established ideas about what it meant to be a mother and the inner workings of female relationships. Reading something as strong as Morrison’s work was a reminder of what truly good writing could do, and moved me to try and work towards being able to do the same.
“Heartbeat of Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Yuri Kochiyama,” Diane Carol Fujino (2005)
Yuri Kochiyama is an icon of the civil rights movement whose name deserves to be remembered. Having worked as an integral activist for her community, political prisoners, and the previously-interned Japanese American community, Kochiyama was a bridge between groups and illuminates intersectional support at its finest. Diane Carol Fujino does an incredible job in portraying the actions of Kochiyama in this memoir. Even though I understand how unlikely it is for me to emulate her legacy, as an Asian American with a passion for social justice, learning about her life reminded me of the amazing things that people are capable of and how I can try to behave like that in my own life.
As with these novels and many I have not mentioned within this article, the power of literature and literacy can heavily be seen throughout my life. After all, I turned out to be a sociology major with an English minor and a dream for storytelling and social justice. But from a broader perspective there is something that exists within the themes of all these books that is not as simple to connect. What that idea is, is persistence. A persistence for an education and a better life, a persistence through the harrowing and the difficult, and a persistence towards building a better tomorrow. Persistence exists within the spirit of all of these pieces of literature and through womankind as a whole. Being able to find inspiration from these stories is a reminder to keep on pushing forward. That message has been extremely valuable in my own life, and I hope to be the kind of woman who can pass it on in the future too.
This Women’s History Month, take a moment to think of books or series that you feel contain or are written by women that inspire you and consider sharing it with others. Reading is always worthwhile, and you may never know who could be the next woman that influences and changes your path in life.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 老司机传媒. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 老司机传媒 or the Seventh-day Adventist church.