Analysis, Comparison of Two Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis, Comparison of Two Articles - Essay Example The article by Tannen on the divide in communication across genders posits the thesis that men and women communicate differently, and that there is a need for both sexes to understand where the other is coming from from a communication point of view to foster greater understanding among men and women, especially in the intimate context of heterosexual relationships, marriages ,and pair bonds. The rest of the essay undertakes an analysis of these two less, and undertakes to compare them from various contexts aligned with the subject of gender differences, communication between the sexes, the power hierarchies between and among the genders, and the implications of language, word usage, and word choice in everyday relational contexts between men and women, and in such things as items of clothing, on perceptions of what how men and women form relationships and interact with each other. In Smith’s article there is an exploration of the social and gender implications of the use of the name wife-beater to refer to a piece of undershirt that has gained popularity among young people, and among men and women. The issue is not so much the undergarment itself, which is also worn on its own, a T-shirt in essence. The issue has to do with the use of the name wife-beater to refer to the shirt. The shirt has become a staple among even the most famous and popular apparel brands, from Gap to the iconic names of high fashion. Moreover, the author notes that young people, those below 25 years of age, seem to relish wearing the shirt with no qualms about its name and the social and gender, cultural implications of the name. On the other hand, the author herself has serious reservations and objections about the name wife-beater.