Women Studies: The Impact of Patriarchal Norms on Women's Lives

This essay presents an interview with a woman named Manreet Kaur, who was raised in a conservative, patriarchal family in Surrey. The essay explores the difficulties she faced due to restrictive social norms and expectations surrounding marriage. Manreet's experiences highlight how traditional Indian families often prioritize finding a suitable husband for their daughters over their personal aspirations and independence. The essay discusses how women are acculturated to be submissive and prioritize the happiness of their in-laws, often at the expense of their own desires. It critiques the patriarchal construct of marriage, where women are expected to conform to traditional roles and any deviation from these norms is frowned upon. The essay concludes that while marriage in modern society should be about companionship, the controlling nature of Manreet's family reflects a regressive and constrictive approach to her personal progress.

Running head: WOMEN STUDIES
WOMEN STUDIES
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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WOMEN STUIDIES
The woman interviewed by me was born in Surrey and is named Manreet Kaur. Coming
from a conservative family of a patriarchal background. She had a number of difficulties while
being brought up as she was always supposed to follow the prohibitive norms and live up to the
expectations of her family. The institution of marriage was no exception in this case. The
concept of marriage that she had was based on the social construct of the traditional Indian
families. The concept of marriage in the patriarchal societies is itself binding in a number of
scenarios for the women. It is a general norm I then patriarchal societies in countries like India
that the women are nurtured to abide by the social norms and the laws if the society. It is seen
that she is expected to complete her education and the education can be used to find her a good
husband to whom she will be a presentable wife rather than an independent woman (Coontz,
2006)). The belief in the society of the development of the women as the secondary entity to the
man is well defined in her life as in a number of different scenarios she misses out on a number
of opportunities she would have had if she was a male member. The ultimate aim that is seen for
the daughters in the family is to keep their in laws happy (Kishida, 2007). This has been the case
with Manreet too, who was educated enough to have her own career and life but was bound and
expected by the family to be married to a man of their choice and not go into relationships on her
own.
The very construct of the marriage that these families follow go by the age old customs
and they are bound by a number of expectations to be fulfilled for the proper functioning of the
family. The family in this case accultures the women to be submissive to the needs of the male
members and be adept in handling the house hold to make the in-laws happy. It is also seen in
the case of Manreet that she had been accultured to become a good wife and house maker
irrespective of the knowledge of her happiness and aspiration. The very social norm of the

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marriage in the Indian society is based on the extremely patriarchal conduct and any divergence
from the social norm is extremely frowned upon by the society (Hamilton, 2005). The very
invention of marriage which was started for the cohabitated sustenance of the humankind in the
earlier times gradually has become prohibitive norm of controlling women. In the modern
society the need for marriage for a woman who is as educated as Manreet is to find a companion
rather than finding a protector and a provider. The overall thought process of the family behind
the plan of her marriage and the controlling of the overall social interaction is therefore
regressive and constrictive for her progress.

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References
Coontz, S. (2006). Marriage, a history: How love conquered marriage. Penguin.
Hamilton, R. (2005). Gendering the vertical mosaic: Feminist perspectives on Canadian
society. Canadian Journal of Sociology. Pearson/ Prentice Hall.
Kishida, T., (2007). Daughters in boxes. The essential feminist reader, pp.99-103.