Zoëy Bard
Rhetoric and Composition
Husson University
Rhea Robbins
9/30/10

A French Heritage Woman


        The role of French heritage woman in the household has changed greatly in the past century. There are many different reasons for these changes in the ways women are portrayed and the way that they view themselves. The world has changed greatly over the last century and the people of the world have been forced to adapt to it; this in turn has forced the French women in today's society to change their ways of living. The materialistic view on the world has also brought a lot of change to the way that women interact in today's society. Customs and traditions have taken a different turn over the years, which also have an effect on the way that women are forced to act. Centuries ago women of the French heritage were depended on to only control the household aspect of life; Cleaning, cooking, and tending to the children are a few tasks that the women were responsible for. In today's society, women have a completely new job description they are no longer considered to be "housewives."
        The fact that some of the world is in an economic crisis has forced more women to go  and get an education. The number of women who are going to college and getting a degree is increasing dramatically. Colleges today are becoming more equal when it comes to the number of women and men that attend their schools. French women have been forced to leave behind the culture they once knew and branch out and adapt to a new way of living. With the hard economic times it is becoming harder and harder for the men of the household to make enough money to support their entire family. As more French women are entering the work force, they are able to play a large role in the survival of their families not only domestically but financially as well.
        In my family, very few women have received some type of degree. I am the fourth woman in my family to go to college since my mother and my aunt are both registered nurses; my cousin is a sophomore in college. In both families, my mother and my aunt are the sole providers for their families when it comes to their finances.
        My family changed culturally in the year 2006 when my dad could no longer work at a mill and provide our family with the money and benefits that we needed to live. Luckily, for my family my mother had graduated from nursing school the year prior to my dad's accident. This made her able to get a nursing job that provided my family with enough money to get by and gave us the medical benefits that are important to our family.
        The materialistic way of life has made an impact on the lives of women in the French culture. There is a constant drive for people to be the best and have the nicest things. This constant competition creates pressure that women cannot stay at home if they want to have all of the luxuries of people who have more money than they do. It is up to the woman to go out and get a job so that they can afford  fancy jewelry, purses, shoes and all of the other glamorous items that are in constant demand in today's society as well.
        The constant drive to strive for the best has quite an impact on my life as well. My mother and I both enjoy having jewelry, designer purses and designer shoes, but unlike the wealthy people in today's society, we are forced to work for the things that we want to buy. I have had a job every year for the last three years, and I am responsible for buying most of the miscellaneous luxury items that I want. I find that working for my belongings makes me appreciate them that much more. French women also in today's society have found a whole new look on appreciation because they are now working for the things they want, not waiting for their husband's or significant others to give them gifts on a silver platter. There are starting to be fewer and fewer people in the world today that can waste extra money on luxury items when there are bills to pay and mouths to feed at home.
        Customs and traditions in the French culture have changed a lot over time. Fewer "families" sit down and eat dinner together. The lack of family dinner times is caused by the fact that both parents are forced to work, which leaves no one to stay at home and prepare dinner. Now parents pick up takeout or fast food for their kids on the way home from work. There are many of other reasons for why this change could be happening. A French woman's customs and traditions have been changed greatly in the past century. Consequently fewer homemakers and more businesswomen.
        My family's customs and traditions have been changed because my mom is no longer home during the day. Before when my mom was a stay-at-home mom, I was able to call her for any reason whether it is to bring in the homework that I forgot was due, or even my shin guards for my big field hockey game. When my mom was not working my brother and I could always count on having delicious snacks to come home to right after school, and we always had someone to help us on our homework. When my mom was forced to go to work after my dad was unable to return to his original job, we were faced with a problem: who will make us snacks to eat when we got home? Dinnertime at my house was also changed when my mom was no longer home all day. We no longer had a big well put together family sit down dinner, instead it was a grab what you can put together yourself and eat wherever you would like.
        The French culture changed greatly in the last century because of many different reasons. The women of this culture changed and they dealt with many different obstacles to get to where they are now. Watching my mom change her own personal culture has helped me realize that I never want to be that woman who marries a man and is given everything. I want to get my degree and provide for myself. My culture is going to be a culture built on individuality and the ability to support my family and myself.