#aplang14woolfphantoms

[marieclark55]

Who are the phantoms?

In Woolf's speech, she says "Even when the path is nominally open... There are many phantoms and obstacles, as I believe, looming in her way." The phantoms Woolf refers to is the still present overhanging obligation of women to be perfect housewives in addition to the ever-changing idea of women professionals. Woolf recognizes that as any woman approaches the professional world, they will face many challenges of character, judgement, and doubt from others. Simply by breaking the idea of being a man's lady and having a job is a radical idea in its own. Woolf is trying to be understanding of her audience; women wanting to grow in the professional world. But, she is careful to not feel sorry for them because she observes these women need some "tough love" to become stronger and battle their own phantoms oppressed by society onto them.

[charliesuncharged]

Phantoms

I believe these phantoms that women are still fighting are the offspring of the "Angel in the House". The Angel was telling women what they can do and say, and the phantoms are still doing that (just in a different way). The phantoms are telling women that they need to uprise and fight back against the man, even if they don't want to, because that's what they have to do. The phantoms are all around and makes the mold that women shape into and I don't believe they're going away any time soon.

[alexandraloyd-blog]

phantoms

The phantoms and obstacles that Woolf talks about are the pressures placed on woman. They don’t feel good enough to work the jobs that they want to because men put into their minds that the jobs are only suitable for men. Women are told that they belong working at the house, and although they’re able to do other things, that’s not right. The obstacle Woolf personally refers to is the angel of the house. I think the angel represents the thoughts in her head telling her that she doesn’t qualify as a good novelist, and the “house” in which the angel sits is her head. She gets tired of hearing the angel, (her thoughts), tell her that she isn’t good enough to be a good writer, and eventually blocks them out, killing the angel, the obstacle in her way. But even then, she still speaks for all women, saying that they feel pressured to work the stereotypical “women” jobs.

[cook1314]

Phantoms and Obstacles: Similar but Different

Woolf likes to use this metaphor a lot. She references angels, ghosts, and phantoms. The only thing is that these exist solely because people choose to believe in the their existence and validity. Woolf's phantoms are merely the prejudiced mindsets that severely inhibit certain groups of people from advancing beyond a certain point in society, even if there is nothing legitimate standing in their way. Sure, there are legitimate obstacles preventing a woman from becoming president, but when you boil it down to the core issue, is it not just a phantom looming over them that says "You can't do it because people don't want you and you'll cause too much tension from going against what is traditionally accepted"? Although this may be perceived as real to someone, and may have real consequences, the idea behind it is simply that: an idea. There is no law that says a woman cannot and should not be president if she's right for the job.

Now, I understand that these "phantoms" are most likely caused by some real "obstacles," and I am in no way trying to downplay the struggle of fighting against the "phantoms" imposed upon someone. Yet this is what Woolf wants- can you take the risk to rise above the legitimate obstacles so that you can, in essence, grab the phantom by the throat and silence all the corrupt ideas that hold you and others like you back?

[julienn-horton-blog]

The Phantoms and Obstacles

In her piece, Virginia Woolf mention phantoms and obstacles that act as restrictions for women. When she discusses these phantoms and obstacles, I think that she is not only talking about the Angel but other things that women may find themselves being held back with; things like insecurity, fear, lack of motivation, low self esteem, and maybe they cannot find a way to overcome the problems that may be placed in front of them. I also do not think that this applies to women alone but also men too. Everyone faces challenges that we may find difficult to overcome, and I think it is important that everyone finds a way to overcome them. 

[annahorton123-blog]

What Phantons?

At this point in her speech, Woolf is not talking about women facing adversity from men. She is talking about the other problems women will have to face when looking for a job. She says, “Even when the path is nominally open- when there is nothing to prevent a woman from being a doctor, a lawyer, a civil servant- there are many phantoms and obstacles looming in her way,” (Woolf). The obstacle a woman is facing now is the competition. The competition to get into a good school or a job. Now, she is up against men and women. She also faces her own insecurities that everyone has. That they are not good enough. One of my obstacles is anxiety. That has prevented me from trying many things. It has prevented many others from chasing their dreams and goals. These are things that people face every day. Those will be the obstacles and phantoms this woman will face. The obstacles are not unique to just women. At least, not anymore.

[alexiacoleman22]

Phantoms

I believe the "phantoms" that Woolf is talking about in the last paragraph is that a little piece of women will always have a small part of them that will be insecure about themselves in the work force and taking the risks involved in stepping out of the home. Men are always going to want to have more control over women and tie them down to being the "angel of the house", which is scary to think of knowing women will not always have the approval from men and even other women who do not believe in women going out to support themselves. The phantoms represent the pressure from men to remain in the house and take care of the things inside and refrain from taking risks. 

[sclancyposts]

Phantoms

The phantoms Woolf is referring to are the classic housewife image that women struggle to get over and the self image problems women face.  In this paragraph Woolf says, “Even when the path is nominally open- when there is nothing to prevent a woman from being a doctor, a lawyer, a civil servant- there are many phantoms and obstacles looming in her way,” Many companies will pick a male over a female for the job due to the image, not taking time of due to pregnancy, and usually men take less time off to look after their sick child or attend parent teacher conference ect. Maybe nothing physically is preventing women from becoming a lawyer, doctor, or civil servant but there are a lot of internal barriers. As time goes on I feel like society is more accepting of women having a professional career, but it difficult for a man to be married to a more successful women.  I have watched videos of the male in the relationship saying he feels some of his masculinity is taken when his wife is making double than what he is. I might get killed for saying this, but really when you think about it other than giving child birth and counseling what jobs do women do better than men?  In my personal opinion there isn't many.  With that being said, I felt like Woolf was saying being a stay at home mom is the traditional, easy way of life.  I disagree.  My mom is a stay at home mom and she isn't any less than a female that works a 9-5.  I personally believe if a woman wants to be a stay at home mom there is nothing wrong with that.  She is supporting the family, just in a different way than the dad is. I know this post is all over the place, I have many thoughts on this subject.

[icecoldgold]

Phantoms and Obstacles

The definition of a phantom is a ghost or figment of one's imagination. Something lurking, but not really there. The Phantom's Virginia Woolf speaks of are the factors such as traditional gender roles, or the "Angel in the House", that make a woman resist taking on a high position on the career pyramid. She is haunted by doubts if she's good enough or if she will ever be respected as a man is respected in that field. Though they are holding her back, they're phantoms because they're only mental and can't really be defined. A woman just has to get out of her head and tackle what's set before her.

[mariapetrushaismyname-blog]

Woolf

The mean reason that Woolf uses phantoms and a ghostly description is because no matter how many times she strangles and kills her demons, they will always be there in the background to haunt her.  In a larger, less personal, way of using this metaphor would be say that women have come along way from where they were in Woolf's time and even before that, but the discrimination and prejudice will always be there in the background.  Today, many people think that women have equal rights to men, but it is untrue because the past is always haunting women, making it so hard to take any steps forward.  

[jkoberstein]

Phantoms

The phantoms that Woolf is talking about in the last paragraph is still the angel.  "..when there is nothing to prevent a woman from being a doctor, a lawyer, a civil servant--there are many phantoms and obstacles, as I believe looming in her way."  Even when women are allowed to have any job they want, Woolf is saying that the angel is still pressuring women to have their traditional role of being in charge of the house.

[cgwilt11-blog]

Woolf's Phantoms and Obstacles

Virginia Woolf's phantoms and obstacles are representative of the restrictions that are put on women. Some of the restrictions are the double standards that people have for men and women. Some women aren't respected in their professions, and they have to constantly break down obstacles to move up in the company or get raises and such. The phantoms are the things that are telling her that she shouldn't be doing what she is doing or that she shouldn't say certain things to men because she will no longer stay pure.

[lexgallagher]

Phatoms, angels,and obstacles

To me I think the angel is suppose to be the good memories women that use to influence us and were/are teaching us to be the stereotypical stay at home moms. The phantoms are the negative memories that we have left of the angel. finally, the obstacles are the things that in reality we still have to face using the tools that the angel taught us but the "phantoms" of are experiences becoming who we are to challenge ourselves.

[mimiasante-blog]

It Is Far More Difficult to Kill a Phantom Than a Reality

Through figurative language, Woolf is using the image of Phantoms and Obstacles like how one would use Mind over Matter. Which would be more powerful? In this world, Obstacles are mainly two things: Challenges that are tangible, often times conquerable. Like a fierce competition, a race, a game. Or Obstacles are a condition. This condition makes the goal harder to attain - it's not be physical at all. You can't touch it, you don't even know where the starting line is -  all you know is that you are aware of it's chilling presence, always looming over you. Which of the two is worse? Something you can physically strike down, or something you're battling that you've become blind to - your own reflection, your Phantom? If faced with something real, Woolf is stating anyone, even a woman, can get over it. A woman can write. She can write like hell. All she needs is a pen and paper. Once that hurdle is clear - boom. But the moment the Phantom's whisper leaks, there comes the prejudice, sexism, and discrimination. Woolf is stating Phantoms are ideas, toxic enemies that people, especially women, bestow upon themselves because they believe they are looking at their own reflection. What they want to see, and what they do see are altered and twisted into that this isn't good enough. For women, who have already been degraded in the past, Woolf is demonstrating that the discrimination doesn't start from the outside, it starts from within. Many women fall victim to their Phantoms and become stay at home mothers, knitters, the not-really-reading-but-still-talking-about-the-book bookclub-er,  but Woolf wants the women who are/were like her to realize that before fighting whatever is outside there you need to fight what is inside. It cannot be something half done, shooed away into a corner, because it will come back to haunt you. You need to stop that Phantom in it's path, murder it, and walk straight forward down this already worn road, without looking back at the shadow connected to your feet. It's a path that has been walked down by many other women before her, and one that she should pass on just like she was given.

[gabriellebrancheau-blog]

Phantoms

In Woolf's piece, "Professions For Women" she describes a "Angel in the House" this angel represents all the stereotypes, judgements and limitations put on woman. A lot of women aren't strong enough to kill this angel. So they don't, and they live their life how society tells them to live it. She describes how hard killing this angel is and how it's easier just to slip through life as a housewife or a person who doesn't take risks and push societies limits. This phantom haunts women, tempts them to form themselves into a housewife.

[carolineeriley]

Phantoms

The phantom Woolf is referring to is the image of what women were supposed to be and the obstacles they fade during this time period. In this time period women were expected to just be a housewife and do the house chores and nothing else so that would be an obstacle, or in this case the phantom. The obstacles were that women were not equal and could not do what they wanted because they were held to a certain expectation that haunted them which would be the phantom.