Friday, November 30, 2007
To Bind or Not to Bind--That is the Question
Having a wife with bound feet was a status symbol for men, and, consequently, having bound feet increased a woman's chances of marriage into a wealthier household. Women took great pride in their feet, which were considered not only beautiful but also their best and most important feature. As a child, would you have fought against having your feet bound, as Third Sister did, knowing you would be consigned to the life of a servant or a "little daughter-in-law"? As a mother, would you have chosen to bind your daughter's feet?
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yes i would have fought against the foot binding tomfoolery . but that is just me and if i had power maby i could start an anti foot binding rebellion . and if i had kids they would not be aloud to bind their feet. but thoes are just my thoughts.
Well, as an American I would not. However, if I were Chinese I would most likley have a different answer. Being raised and taught that this was going to happen I probably would not protest because I did not know differently. Even though the practice may seem weird to other cultures, it is not for them.
Personally i think foot binding is DISGUSTING! I looked at some pictures and trust me it NOT beautiful. So i would not bind my feet or make my children (girls) go through that pain so they can have feet that when i look at them i throw up. It's GROSS and whoever invented foot binding is a sick freak with fetish for NASTY A$$ feet. haha
You have to put yourself in there position. Bound feet bring a lot of good to the girls, even though it huts and scars them for life. I think if I knew there was no hope for me and I was going to be a servant I would resist, but if it meant a rich life I would go through the pain. As a mother I wouldn’t even hesitate, it is going to make the kids life a lot better, even though it sucks. Its just what you have to do. Thank god we don’t do that in America!
Ok well,being raised in the American culture there is no way I woukld do it.If I were born,raised and a girl in China.This would be the culture,the path of life really.Like college for us I guess.So thinking about it I would fight,but if I were raised to know thats what happens I don't know how I would react.If I were a mother its the same perspective.It really depends on what you were raised on.
I personally don't believe in the whole footbinding. I have seen many pictures from it, and it is so gross! But then again, you do have to put yourself in their postion. To them it is a culture and it's a beautiful thing. That relies on their future and how wealthy they will become. So you can't really say how you would react. It would be differnt because thats what they are raised with believing. But that is my opinion.
Had I been a young, Chinese girl, and had my mother attempted to "bind" my feet, I wouldn't have had it. I'm not going to experience this excruciating pain to please some haughty husband that doesn't even feed me, and makes me sleep with him by command. And all oft this in hopes of finding a good mate to make another soon-to-be haughty husband with? No thank you, I'll be fine without it. If I was the mother of this girl, I would probably want to bind her feet, considering that she would be socially accepted and admired if I did, but I would have a difficult time doing so, knowing firsthand the pain it causes, and the misery that is endured. So, given this fact, no, I would not have bound m lovely daughter's feet all in hopes of indirectly pleasing myself (daughter marries into a richer family, thereby benefiting the mom of the bride). I have more humane empathy than that.
Many people would say that they'd fight against the foot binding process and not do it to their daughters but if you were in China during that time period then circumstances would be completely different. Yes, I would have probably underwent the foot binding process and yes, I would have probably had my daughter/s do the same.
If I was the daughter I would fight to get my feet bound due to it must be extreemly painful to have done and I would rather be a servent or a "little daughter-in-law". If I had a strange feeling that something was going to go wrong I would have ran away like the third sister did to make it so I wouldn't get my feet bound.
If I was the mother I would only bound my daughters feet if she wants to get her feel bound and if my daughter didn't want to get her feet bound I would perfer to sell her as a servent of give her away as a "little daughter-in-law.
If I was a kid, I know I would try to resist something that would cause me pain, but if I was a mother, I would insist my child follow tradition. It is impossible to really give a true answer, because we were taught not ot have our feed bound. I am sure that if I had grown up in China, I would change my answer.
Assuming I was apart of the 19th century Chinese culture, I would get my feet bound. Of course, I would probably be a pansy when it came to the pain, but I would do it if it was customary and it would help me later on in life. If I was a Chinese mother, I would bind my daughter's feet. I'd want the best for her, and foot binding was the key to success for women in those days.
I really think that I can personally answer no, I would not have gone along with the footbinding process that involved so much pain. I would also have to say that if I had grown up in the Chinese culture, seeing what would happen to those who did not bind their feet, and just getting use to the everyday life, I would have probably gone through with it. I say this only because growing up in America, you have more freedom and are not use to these sort of things, so to say "No" is not a big deal. But to grow up in a different culture may change the answer. The same answer would go with binding the feet of my children. I would say no now, but growing up in that sort of culture I would want my children to have the best chances in life possible, so I would have to say yes.
If I were living in 19th century China I would want to have my feet bound as a girl, if it would offer me a better opprotunity later on in life. I don't know if I would fight against having my feet bound, because all other girls had it done too. I think I would want to show that I was tough and could handle it, but I honestly don't know what I would do. As a mother, I would have my daughter get her feet bound also, because I would want her to have the best chances with marraige later on in life. I wouldn't want her to marry some man who wouldn't treat her well, the way Snow Flower was treated.
As a child I would fight my heart out against getting my feet bound. Also as a parent, I would not encourage my children to get their feet bound because I would consously know that I'm causing my children pain. And that is just something that I would not want to live with.
If i was a young child i would fight against having my feet binded because i wouldnt want to go through all the pain for two years and after having your sister die from getting her feet binded and knowing it will happen to you
If I were raised under the tradition I would still undoubtedly object the binding, however I would most likely go through with it given what would become of my "destiny." As a mother I would most likely bind my daughter's feet for the purpose of giving my child an opportunity for a better life.
In china in those times Binding of the feet was what was accepted and what you were supposed to do as a little girl, and as a mothers resposibility. If I was a little girl getting my feet bound I definatly would have resisted but eventually would have complied knowing that by getting my feet bound I would live a better life. If I was a mother I wouldn't hesitate, knowing it would bring my daughter a good life and a good marraige.
As a child I would have fought against foot binding . Suffering for that long isnt't worth it for "beauty". Putting a child through this pain would be the same as doing it to yourself. Not binding would be unique to their culture and your family would stand out.
If i had been a child living in China during the 19th century i would definatly have my feet bound if it was to ensure a better future for me. As a mother, i also would have bound my child's feet so that she did not become a servant or "little daughter-in-law."
i dont think i would have fought against the foot binding if my life was going to be horrible if i didnt do it. i dont really think that if i was rich i would do it but if i was poor then i would have.
I really cant say...Im a guy, and I dont like it. But If I was infact a girl, and my daughter had a shot to have a great life, with a husband and a wealthy family, then I would...But I dont think that under any other circumstances I would allow that to happen.
If I was a child that lived in China in the 19th century I would have chosen to have my feet bound. Although the pain would be excruciating and almost unbearable I would have chosen to have my feet bound just because I would have a greater chance of marrying into a better home. I would be afraid of the chance of dying from the binding process, but in order to prevent any infection I would keep my feet clean and taken care of. If I was a mother in China during the time of foot binding and I had a daughter, I would have chosen to bind her feet. I would do it for the same reason as I said above when I was the child. I would bind my daughter's feet so that she would have a better life when she married into a better home. I would keep her feet clean so that she would not have to die from infection.
Since I am American, no I would not, but if I were born in a different country that believed in doing the foot binding, then yes I would do it. Even people in America go through painful struggles because that is what their country believes in. Because the foot binding is a huge symbol it would only be right in my eyes to do it.
I would be against the foot binding! I think it is foolish to alter your body in ways to make others like you. This reminds me of all the movie stars getting plastic surgery just so they can "look better." Maybe if someone set a new trend others would follow.
Well to start things off I probably would be all for foot binding because that was apart of there culture. When you’re raised to believe in that, it’s necessary to do something you kind of get permanently imprinted into your brain, hers an example kids aren’t born raciest, there raised to around racism and that’s what they believe. I would be for it if I was born and raised in that time era, because that is what I know. With the knowledge I know now about foot binding, I wouldn’t want a wife that binds, I wouldn’t want my children doing it, because of some of the aftereffects of it.
I think that if I was Chinese, I would allow that. That's their believes besides you do things how you were raised. But as an Hispanic I would'nt do it, especially it sounds really painful.
This is a very difficult question to answer due to many reasons. One being that I know my answer now on if I would go along with the foot binding process as a child or fight it would be that i would definately fight it because we live in such a different society and have very different traditions from China. Although, I know that if I was raised in China and brought up with the tradition, I most likely wouldn't have fought the foot binding because of how much it had to do with the outcome of the rest of my life. I can't even comprehend the pain and suffering the little girls went through and it is very hard to imagine myself doing the same. As a mother in China, I know that I would have my daughters go through the process because of the life they would live if they didn't. It's horrible but it is the truth. It is very hard to fight a tradition!
Well, I don't think that I would really have a say in my foot binding. Young girls in China are given the choice to be either poor, or a chance of being rich when there feet are bound. Personally, I would rather bind my feet, and have a chance of a decent future, then just not doing anything and becoming a slave or something.
I would never want my feet to be bound as the Chinese did in 19th century China. With all the pain the girls go through, I don't think it would be worth it. Also, with the 1 in 10 girls that die due to the pain involved with foot binding, it's not worth it.
I would have fought against having my feet bound. I know that having bound feet was a good thing, but the process you had to go through is terrible! In the book Lily described her feelings right after her mother bound her feet. They were made to stand up and walk. She said that the word “pain” didn’t even began to describe the feeling. They had to go through a lot of physical torment and agony. I wouldn’t like to go through that.
As a mother, if I was in China, maybe I would have chosen to bind my daughter’s feet. I know she would suffer, but it would help her so she wouldn’t be worthless to others. With bound feet she would be able to marry, have sons, and have a family.
Yes I would have fought against having my feet bound. Why go through all that pain to please someone? Especially back then when men thought women were useless. I just dont agree with the idea. Even if I had kids and they had the opportunity to marry in to a wealthy family, I wouldn't bind their feet. it's just not worth it.
If I was a young Chinese girl living in the nineteenth century I can almost guarantee that I would fight and rebel against having my feet bound. But almost as assuredly I would eventually give in so as to avoid the life of a “little-daughter in-law” or a servant. With bound feet you have the chance of bringing good fortune to your family with a hefty bride-price. If you choose another route, such as a concubine, you will be totally taken care for life without chores; the downfall, you have no standing in the house. As a mother I would definitely bind my daughter’s feet. This will benefit not only the mother by acquiring bride-price gifts, but also the daughter by giving her a chance of marrying into a wealthy family. So all around I would have to say that I would be into the footbinding culture.
Personally, I dont like foot binding. It isnt to attractive and it is (in this culture) probably really weird to most people. They are a completely different culture and they dont know any better, because of how propoganda goes around over there how it's a "beautiful" thing.
Though foot binding is a major tradition in the Chinese culture, I do not agree with this painful process. If I were in Lily's position, I would definitely fight so I wouldn't have to go through it. I think if chinese women had the choice to not bind their feet, then they should choose not to do it. It appears to be extremely painful, and to many other cultures, like our own, it seems like a strange thing to do.
I think if i was in the culture i would have my daughter have her feet bound and having an "anti feet binding" rebellion would not work especially in the 19th century.But yes i would deffinatly have my daughters feet binded only if i was in that culture and would not think about doing it today...
In our culture views the whole foot binding process as GROSS, Torturous and unneccesary. But in the chinese culture its seen as a process of growing up and achieving status. I personally think i would make my children do it if i did live in china because it sets them up for a better life and you would be living in that culture where it's an everyday accurance so it would be normal. But as an american I would never ever let anyone do that to any of their kids because its gross and looks like scrambled eggs. no cheese
I would bind my daughter's feet because in that time a girls feet were considered her greatest attribute and most beautiful feature. Also, if they were bound correctly it would give her an opportunity to marry into a higher class family and create a much easier life for her than if she were a "big footed girl". Granted, it's an extremely painful process but yes, I would have done it.
As a child I might have fought because of how much it would hurt. But back then in China that's what had to be done it was basically apart of life. So I'd do it eventually. Because it would depend on my whole future.
And as a mother of course I would have chosen to bind my daughter's feet. Because that was the way of life then. And it was what was best for my daughters. And as a mother I want whats best for them. And having bound feet meant having a good and wealthy husband.
If I were growing up in China and had been around foot binding all my life, I wouldn't think anything was strange. Therefore, I would not fight against it knowing foot binding is a tradition that has been passed down through generations. I would also encourage my children to go through the foot binding process; due to the honor it would bring her and my family.
Young chinese children in the 19th century probably didnt know the consequences of foot binding. I would fight against having my feet binded and become a slave to avoid the pain for the rest of my life. As a mother back then they probably wanted the best for their children, so they had them go through the process. Even if they would be in pain, they would be wealthier. I wouldnt let my children go through that process.
I would have fought to not have my feet bound. Because for one it sounds like it would really hurt. The other reason is because I would not want my feet looking that ugly. If I would have to choose to have my children's feet bound I wouldn't make them go through that. It is just wrong. I couldn't do that. But, that is just me.
I think that i wouldent try to fight against it because if it is going to give me a better life than i would do it. But the only down fall there is to the foot binding is if it doesnt come out the way you planned it to look, i mean ya you can have a better life that way but if it goes wrong then you can go throuigh all that pain and still have/get ther same life you had before. If i was a mother which would never happen..lol..I would make my kids(girls) have their fett binded because i would want the best for them and if that is going to give them a better life then i think that it is worth it.Ya it mite be gross and painful but that stuff goes away and also that they are raised that way and they think that it is a beautiful thing so yes i would make them.But after all im not in their position these are just my thoughts on the hole thing.
Well if you are raised as a little girl knowing that it was going to happen to you and that it does give you benifits then I probably wouldn't have a problem with it. Its basically just a part of life for them.
As a mother I also probably wouldnt have a huge problem with it because it is a part of there society.
welli would not like that at all, but thay think different.thay grew up thinking that doing that thing to your feet is a sign to attract men. i thank god we dont girls in the usa dont do that..
I would because living in there time it would be the thing i would have to do as a mother. Another is that it will give my daughters a better life then with out them.
Re-corrected>>>>>>>>
I think that I wouldn’t try to fight against it because if it is going to give me a better life than I would do it. But the only down fall there is to the foot binding is if it doesn’t come out the way you planned it to look, I mean you can have a better life that way but if it goes wrong then you can go through all that pain and still have/get their same life you had before. If I was a mother in this position it would never happen. I would make my kids(girls) have their feet bound together because I would want the best for them and if that is going to give them a better life then I think that it is worth it. Yes it mite be gross and painful but that stuff goes away and also that they are raised that way and they think that it is a beautiful thing so yes I would make them. But after all I am not in their position, these are just my thoughts on the whole thing.
I'm not a chick so I don't have to worry about getting my feet binded. Well hypothetically speaking as if I were Chinese ,it would be a hard decision whether I should have my "hypothetical" Chinese children's feet binded . I would more than likely leave the decision to my "hypothetical" Chinese wife, but if I had to, I would have my children's feet binded unless my family was already happy with it's living conditions.
If I was a young child I would fight against having my feet binded because I wouldnt want to go through all the pain for two years and after having your sister die from getting her feet binded and knowing it will happen to you
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