Half The Sky Analysis

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Empowerment through Education After reading Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, I found that the authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s definition of empowerment could be broken up into two parts: Education and Voice. In most cases, education becomes the key element in a woman or “activist” finding her voice. Throughout the text, Kristof and WuDunn continually reiterated the fact that if more women knew how to, and were more confident to, actively speak out against abuse that the abuse would seemingly come to an end. In chapter three, Learning to Speak, Kristof and WuDunn tell the story of women in the slum of Kasturba Nagar, right outside the central Indian city of Nagpur. At the beginning of the …show more content…
Usha is from Kasturba Nagar and despite all odds overcame adversity and thrived. Usha came from an upper class family of five children, led by a mother and father determined to have all five children successfully educated. Despite all odds, Usha’s parents accomplished just that, having all five of their children graduate from university. “Usha’s mother is delighted and a bit horrified at what this education has wrought her daughter, ‘She’s fearless,’ Alka said,’ She doesn’t get frightened by anyone’” (Kristoff and WuDunn 48-49). This fearlessness would eventually play to Usha’s advantage as her life continued and she battled against the hardships her hometown placed on her shoulders as a …show more content…
On a particular day (the text does not specify what the exact date was), Yadav had just raped a thirteen year old girl. In his arrogance, Yadav decided to go next door and demand money from one of the neighbors, Ratna Dungiri. Usha later arrived and told the Dungiri to got to the police, however she would not go so Usha went herself. Outraged by Usha’s actions, Yadav and his men went to the Narayane home and surrounded it. Yadav and his men threathened to pour acid on Usha if she did not revoke her complaint, she refused. Using knowledge she had gained throughout her years at school she turned on the cylinder of gas the Narayane’s used for cooking and threatened to blow up Yadav, his men and the home if the men did not step back, which they did. When word of Usha’s actions reached the slum the women were so inspired they decided to act against him as well, throwing stones at Yadav and his men. Once again outraged, Yadav went to the police and was arrested for his safety. Later on, in a courtroom a brawl between Yadav and hundreds of women who had marched there ended in each woman taking a turn stabbing him. The result of this action was the death of Akku Yadav and a successful act of empowerment on the behalf of all women in Kasturba Nagar. Following this “victory”, Usha got a job as a community organizer. “She wants the Dalits to start