Simone de Beauvoir notes and research.

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Please allow some of my notes and research to help guide your own analytical paper. Once you formulate it, please format using APA or MLA as directed by your professor and send to us for editing and feedback:

First of all, please note that Simone de Beauvoir is one of the world's most prominent historical figures. It is fascinating to note that she is primarily famous for her contributions to gender and feminist studies; however, she also made many contributions to activism in terms of social and political equity. Like other advocates of justice, equity, and equal rights and social status, she ensured that women's plights historically could be enhanced to improve not only the female gender but the entire world overall.

As you then examine her life and works within her historical periods, you might note that Beauvoir's greatest contribution to philosophy and history is probably her masterpiece, The Second Sex. As you explore her work within the historical contexts, research suggests that "The Second Sex was so controversial that the Vatican put it (along with her novel, The Mandarins) on the Index of prohibited books" (http://www.iep.utm.edu/b/beauvoir.htm#H3). Because sexuality was a taboo topic at the time, her book was revolutionary. She also broke barriers because she criticized organized religion and various historical traditions. Her work was so inspiring to people, especially women of the 1950s and 1960s; she encouraged women to re-examine their roles in life, culture, politics, literature, etc.

Although I am unsure exactly how extensive her biographical data should be, I offer a short overview with some research links as well as my brainstorming notes to guide you further:

First of all, please note that Simone de Beauvoir was born in Paris into a wealthy family in 1908. Although her upbringing was very strict and traditional, Beauvoir rejected the religious and social values of her family as a teen (http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/beauvoir.htm).

As an intellectual, Beauvoir was a child prodigy of sorts. Please note how her first book, L'Invitée, "was published in 1943. Yet Beauvoir started to write at the age of eight, and before L'Invitée appeared she had been writing fiction for over ten years" (www.kirjasto.sci.fi/beauvoir.htm). It is interesting to also note that she studied at a catholic girls' school. She then studied philosophy at the Sorbonne where she met Sartre in 1928 and enhance her philosophical studies and passion.

As you further situate the author within her historical time frames, please also note that she truly shocked the world with her views because women were positioned at the time to be silent and submissive, not strong and intellectual as she modeled. For example, research shows that at the time "The Second Sex was written, very little serious philosophy on women from a feminist perspective had been done. With the exception of a handful of books, systematic treatments of the oppression of women both historically and in the modern age were almost unheard of" (http://www.iep.utm.edu/b/beauvoir.htm#H3). Women as philosophers, social commentators, and politicians were uncommon during this era.

As you further uncover why The Second Sex, her other texts, as well as her philosophical ideas were so powerful within her historical contexts, you then might look at her new, radical views about gender and power dynamics.

Since women were historically the underdogs, she reversed the thinking. She saw that women were "held in a relationship of long-standing oppression to man" (http://www.iep.utm.edu/b/beauvoir.htm#H3). Accordingly, you might note that Beauvoir coined women's relegation to man's superiority as the "Other."

As you look at other effects of her book, please also note that even though it was supported by many feminists and intellectuals, many people from the right and the left politically attacked it and her.

In addition, you might also note that her book also references political and social reform, not just gender reform. To illustrate, please note that she cites Haiti as a model of a revolution; she praises them for slaves rising against masters in both the literal and ...