Damsel in Distress Syndrome: Waiting for a White Knight | Teen Ink

Damsel in Distress Syndrome: Waiting for a White Knight

March 14, 2013
By OracleIz SILVER, De Queen, Arkansas
OracleIz SILVER, De Queen, Arkansas
5 articles 1 photo 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Shakespeare


Stepping into a high school classroom, a teen girl huffs in bratty indignation. The chairs at her table have not been brought to the floor from their overnight resting place. "Put them down!" she whines to a male classmate. "I'm a girl.I shouldn't have to do it!"
Across the room,a slightly older girl hears the demand as she is aiding a few boys put the chair in their rightful position.She rolls her eyes in near disgust but refrains from speaking.
The exchange between the young girl and the boy continues for several minutes before she gets her way. He pulls the chairs down,receiving a smug look from her but not a 'thank you' is heard.The older girl is burning inside to say something. She despise the mentality of her generation.Entitlement,Greed,Instant gratification but none more so than the preposterous idea of feminine weakness that is egged on by such acts of frailty.
She had once told a teacher,when questioned about her thoughts on chivalry, that, while she appreciated the well-meaning gesture of having a door held for her, she had hands and was perfectly capable of doing such task on her own.This elicited looks of disbelief from her classmates,mainly,the males.

Women are becoming more and more the heroines of their own stories,however,girls of all ages are still out there stuck in the fantasy of white knights and damsels in distress. This has less to do with princess movies and greater to do with societal pressure and ideals that barricade women into the tiny box of our stereotype. The harder we push to break this barrier,the farther we will progress. We will no longer "need" to be saved by a prince on a white horse,for we could set our own selves free just by refusing to comply to the cliche image of what society says we should be.


The author's comments:
This was inspired by an on going event in one of my classes.

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This article has 6 comments.


IPS O said...
on Dec. 6 2014 at 11:54 am
It's a very nice n interesting article it inspires me a lot n i'm sure it'll inspire other people also.

on Mar. 21 2013 at 6:00 pm
TargonTheDragon GOLD, Ofallon, Missouri
15 articles 16 photos 292 comments

Favorite Quote:
First dentistry was painless.<br /> Then bicycles were chainless,<br /> Carriages were horseless,<br /> And many laws enforceless.<br /> <br /> Next cookery was fireless,<br /> Telegraphy was wireless,<br /> Cigars were nicotineless,<br /> And coffee caffeineless.<br /> <br /> Soon oranges were seedless,<br /> The putting green was weedless,<br /> The college boy was hatless,<br /> The proper diet fatless.<br /> <br /> New motor roads are dustless,<br /> The latest steel is rustless,<br /> Our tennis courts are sodless,<br /> Our new religion &mdash; godless.

so true. i think the problem is the male mindset. a girl doesnt hold the door because shes not taught to. a guy holds the door to either be genuinely polite, to make those watching happier, or to get the girls attention. if a guy holds the door for a guy, its a sign of weakness. we see it as an insult to our self sufficience. granted, i dont agree with this mindset, but thats the way it is. and only by spreading the truth will anything change. but excellent story, and i understand your view.

on Mar. 20 2013 at 11:51 am
OracleIz SILVER, De Queen, Arkansas
5 articles 1 photo 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.&quot; Shakespeare

Yes,and while I appreciate that mind set, most males only hold it because I am a girl. If I were a guy,the door would not be held.

on Mar. 20 2013 at 11:39 am
TargonTheDragon GOLD, Ofallon, Missouri
15 articles 16 photos 292 comments

Favorite Quote:
First dentistry was painless.<br /> Then bicycles were chainless,<br /> Carriages were horseless,<br /> And many laws enforceless.<br /> <br /> Next cookery was fireless,<br /> Telegraphy was wireless,<br /> Cigars were nicotineless,<br /> And coffee caffeineless.<br /> <br /> Soon oranges were seedless,<br /> The putting green was weedless,<br /> The college boy was hatless,<br /> The proper diet fatless.<br /> <br /> New motor roads are dustless,<br /> The latest steel is rustless,<br /> Our tennis courts are sodless,<br /> Our new religion &mdash; godless.

I dont hold the door because your a lady, I hold the door because Im a gentleman.

on Mar. 18 2013 at 10:25 pm
OracleIz SILVER, De Queen, Arkansas
5 articles 1 photo 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.&quot; Shakespeare

Thank you ^^ It is a daily occurence in a class of mine!

Reshii BRONZE said...
on Mar. 18 2013 at 6:31 pm
Reshii BRONZE, Bariloche, Other
4 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Lettuce is like conversation; it must be fresh and crisp, so sparkling that you scarcely notice the bitter in it.&quot;

I absolutely love when people are able to make such stories out of everyday happenings