Jacqueline Aramboles

Professor Rumore

ENG 302

April 8, 2020

I was born and grew up in New York City, but my mother was raised in the Dominican Republic and brought over much of the customs to NYC with her. One of those customs is the expectation that girls are to be treated far differently than boys. I grew up in a single parent household, and my mother always expected more of me and my sister than she demanded of my brother. It is expected that women/girls do what we are told to do, much like Imoinda in Aphra Behn’s novel Oroonoko.

             Imonida was considered to be the most beautiful woman in Cormantien. However, when she refused to become the king’s concubine, he had her exiled and turned into a slave. The king’s goal was to demean Imondia’s grace and beauty because she denied the King his desire for her. The King wanted to have Imondia killed  but instead wanted to make her suffer more for disobeying him: “He therefore removes her from the Otan, with Onahal, whom he put into safe hands, with order they should be both sold off as slaves to another country, either Christian, or heathen, it was no matter where” (Behn 31). Women are taught to be submissive to men and when they are not, they can at times be treated harshly like Imonida was by the King. Imonida was treated harshly for not wanting to become another man’s concubine. She was married and in love with her husband Oroonoko.

The burden of carrying out chores, such as cleaning, washing the dishes, and remaining in the house at all times were laid upon my younger sister and myself. Whereas my brother was given more liberty to leave the house when he wanted, visit with his friends and had little responsibility when it came to the household chores. Although at the time all I thought was how unfair it was that he got away with a lot more than us girls did. As an adult the term sexism comes to mind when thinking about my situation growing up and how unfairly Imondia was treated. In some cultures, men and women are different and are made to function differently.  These differences in Latin households are made apparent immediately. For example, in my home my sister and I were always being taught by mother how a “perfect” household should function, while my brother was watching television and playing video games because he is a boy. Men/ boys are taught that it is acceptable to have the woman/girl do what they ask at all times without any complaints from them. In Oroonoko, the King expressed his male- dominance when he was denied by Imondia. He immediately wanted to get rid of her because she was in love with her husband and did not surrender to the Kings desires.

Ultimately, women and girls are treated very differently from men/boys in the Latin community. Women should be more appreciated for all that we do and put up with. I am very thankful women are not treated as unfairly as Imonida was, well at least in New York City.