Julia Alvarez shows us in her writing that “nothing is impossible in this world.” In the poem Woman’s Work, what does this phrase mean?

 

Nothing is Impossible

In the poem "Woman's Work," Julia Alvarez implies through her writing that nothing is impossible in this world. Her poem centers on a woman's housework, which, traditionally speaking, women are obliged to do. Julia's poem is just short, but she makes her readers think about the role of women in society. After all, "Woman's Work" tells readers that hardships have a purpose in one's life, and all the sufferings will bring success.

            The narrator of the poem said that she was forbidden to enjoy her youth since she was always inside the house. She said, "I'd sigh, hearing my friends outside" (Alvarez 5). She is told by her mother to clean and do her duties, making her the primed daughter. This was said in the form of alliteration, "primed, praised, and polished" (Alvarez 14). She was told to value the house more than herself, and it was addressed as a simile, "Keep the house as if the address were your heart" (Alvarez 3). The father was out of the context in the poem, and it is presumed that he is not present because he is at work. Being a housewife entails doing so many chores, especially if the husband does not take part in doing them. A study by the University College London states that most household chores are done by women, given that men take part in doing chores (McMunn et al. 155). The poem then narrates that the mother is a conservative. On the other hand, one may also look at it as a preparation made by the mother for her daughter. The daughter dreads doing those things and does not understand why she had to suffer that way. This poem sheds light on the difficulties of being a woman, or more specifically, a wife, and how the sacrifices made were underestimated. The husbands mostly get the most praise, and, on many occasions, the men are highly favored (González et al. 187). The usual arrangement is that the husband goes out to work, leaving the wife at home. In the setting of the poem, the mother commands the daughter to do the chores with her. All that turmoil the daughter had to endure made her decide that she wouldn't be like her mother. She said, "I did not want to be her counterpart!" But lo and behold, she loved it, and she became her (Alvarez 16). She worked on the paper and created art in a written form.

In conclusion, her story started as a discipline that let her suffer, and as time went by, she put dedication into it. In the end, she found happiness, and the occurrence helped her discover something that she would enjoy and love doing at home. Her hardships have proven their purpose. Nothing is impossible because she was desperate and sad at first, but after everything that happened, she found love and a rainbow after the storm. This poem also emphasized that women doing household chores and taking care of the children should not be shunned and should be given equal respect. The idea that women are doing less work than men should be discontinued; and that she, as a woman, whether she has a career or is doing housework, has a right to be treated fairly.

Nothing is Impossible Outline

1. Introduction
   1. In the poem "Woman's Work," Julia Alvarez implies through her writing that nothing is impossible in this world.
   2. Thesis Statement: After all, "Woman's Work" tells readers that hardships have a purpose in one's life, and all the sufferings will bring success.
2. The narrator of the poem said that she was forbidden to enjoy her youth since she was always inside the house.
   1. She worked on the paper and created art in a written form.
3. Conclusion
   1. In conclusion, her story started as a discipline that let her suffer, and as time went by, she put dedication into it.
   2. The idea that women are doing less work than men should be discontinued; and that she, as a woman, whether she has a career or is doing housework, has a right to be treated fairly.
4. Works Cited