Social...what?

Look out of a window, right now. (The one in your bedroom, that opens up to the street that seems to always full of loud, obnoxious people right as you're about to fall asleep.) All of those people, they have lives. They have lives, and their lives have issues. That man in the yellow parka, (which is so weird, because it's like, thirty billion degrees and sunny...) he might have marital issues, or he might have just lost his job. That woman in the workdress, her son might be gay. And she's homophobic.

Now you're asking yourself, 'Why am I making up terrible scenarios for these people?'. Well, that's what stories do. They make problems. In every book I've ever read (no, self help books and non fiction and cookbooks don't count), characters always have major issues that they're dealing with, throughout the story. Without a problem, you have no book. Problems make everything interesting. They are the story, itself. Problems make you relate to characters.

For example, I'm reading Sold by Patricia McCormick, which has major social issues. It's not just about prostitution, which is a pretty heavy topic, in itself. This goes so much deeper. Because, what makes these people think it's okay to hurt people like this, to do disrespect them?
The fact that they're prostitutes.
Why are they prostitutes?
Because these girls were tricked, hurt, and young and naive.
How are they tricked?
They are uneducated, and poor, and unexposed to the world.
Why aren't they educated?
Because they're women.

In Lakshmi (the main character) 's society (in Nepal) women are seen as lesser, they are only meant to bear children, and support a family. Women cannot function on there own, according to Lakshmi's culture. Her mother even tells her 'a crippled husband is better than none at all.' That's demeaning.
That a social issue.
How can women be so degraded?
 Women are hugely significant in life-we're not just goats who get used for milk, and then slaughtered for stew. And it's terrible that Lakshmi's society sees women this way. Because of this, she's been sold into prostitution-because of the way these women are treated, like they shouldn't have rights, like they're lesser, it isn't fair. It's what causes them to be in this situation, in the first place.

Now, how can we relate to a social issue like prostitution, anyway? That's why McCormick ties feminism, and women being degraded into this story. It's something we can relate to more easily, it helps us understand this struggle that Lakshmi goes to, having been sold into prostitution, and it makes us think.
What gives them the right?

What gives people the right to treat women-or any group of people- like they're lesser?
I mean, why couldn't these women fight back, come to the realization that this wasn't okay, that women are just as intellegent and worthy as men? Maybe, it's because they're not educated. I read this article that talked about how many families in India wouldn't send their daughters to school, because they could only afford to pay for one child's education, and they would rather educate a son, because sons are 'more worthy'.  By keeping women uneducated, they are more easily brainwashed into this 'unworthiness' idea.

And the disgusting thing, is that many women accept this. In Sold, there's this whole feeling that even if Lakshmi, or anyone else tried to speak out about the way women are treated, or the issue of children getting sold into prostitution, no one would listen. Most women have accept their fate, and have started to believe themselves, that this is how women should be; that they are lesser than men. And if anyone tried to speak out about this, even many women would be against it. And in terms of prostitution-no one really seems to know, or care, maybe. And these girls have no way of getting out-their brothels are like jails-the girls cannot speak to anyone, or get anyone's help.

I hate that, the idea that even if you tried to save yourself, or could speak up, the people you're representing would push you back down. Because they've already accept their fates. They've lost all hope. And that's the remarkable thing about Lakshmi-she never loses hope. And because of that, she's able to stay 'alive'. She's able to stay who she is, and not become another slave, another zombie to this terrible situation. She hasn't given up but she's giving in. She's accepting where she is, but you still understand, she's holding on to her past, and she still knows she can get out. And that's remarkable.

I think that strong social issues like these can bring you to conclusions like these. A social issue can get you to want to do something about the problem. Whether it's helping girls escape prostitution, or just helping girls know that they're worth something-these social issues impact you, when used and written powerfully. That's exactly what Patricia McCormick does.

So when you look out your window at 3 A.M and hate all the loud people keeping you up, maybe, you can think about their problems, and why they're so loud anyway. Maybe you'll get some inspiration. Maybe you'll want to do something. Or maybe you'll just get some earplugs and go to sleep.