Eunice and Polly both faced a lot of challenges in their lives. How were their struggles similar, and how were they different?
Both women were judged immediately in life, Polly on her gender/reputation/career and Eunice on her race/gender. However, Polly had little support from her family as a child, ultimately becoming a victim of violence and being forced to chose a career that was not respected, but did pay the bills. After that, it was her own grit and determination that got her through. Eunice had every opportunity possible for a young black woman and her family supported her decisions. That self-esteem boost and solid foundation of education and knowing her family has her back can be a huge advantage.
Both Eunice and Polly faced discrimination and societal views on who they were and what value if any they held. The challenges and prejudice they faced were similar but also vastly different. Eunice faced bigotry regarding her race but also the fact that she was a woman. Polly was looked on, as well as her girls she tried so hard to protect as dirty and without morals. Polly was thrown into a world she didn’t understand or could even navigate at such a young age. She tried to survive as best she could but the fates were set against her. She suffered brutality and then thrown out onto the street to either live or die. She chose to live in the only way she could. Both were trying to navigate thru their difficulties.
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They both were trying to change their circumstances. Polly was trying overcome her lack of education and opportunity. Eunice was trying to show that a black woman can be an incredible lawyer, wife, and mother. Both had to fight the societal norms of the time.
Their struggles were similar because being a woman during that time period was extremely rough. There were laws and limitations that made it almost impossible not to have to depend on a man. They did face different struggles as well, Eunice faced racism, however she had endless support, and Polly was an immigrant who was thrown out into the world with no support.
Both women struggled with their ethnicity, Eunice as a black woman and Polly as a Russian immigrant and her occupation. Eunice was raised by a stable family while Polly had to raise herself.
They both had difficulties for sure. However, even though Eunice was discriminated against based on her race, she didn’t have to fear being raped or beaten at work. She had a loving husband and child and she lived a mostly respected life. Polly while she achieved some financial success had none of the above.
They were both female, one in a profession that was disparaged, the other in a profession negatively regarded as being infiltrated by women. Eunice’s race was disparaged. Both were in were in arenas dominated and radically influenced by males. Both were extremely perceptive to what the dangers and pitfalls of their work presented. Polly kept highly secret where her operations were conducted; Eunice on the stealth pursued what she needed to investigate privately with no other officers involved. In Polly’s arena, bodily harm was a constant threat. In Eunice’s arena, the social attitude and male dominance was a constant threat. They were both driven by a desire to pursue what they considered a right outcome, not just for themselves, but for others.
I agree most with Lorraine_D’s explanation. Both women were negatively affected in their professions simply for being women. Both ladies were shrewd, tireless, socially adept, and regularly in the public eye. However, Eunice represented a positive force in terms of the law and Polly was constantly working to avert it. Polly overcame a difficult upbringing while Eunice had the support of a loving family. Either way, both women overcame significant struggles that intertwined them together.
Obviously, both were judged by gender, but what I really enjoyed was the way that they discovered common ground between the realities that went with being judged by skin color or profession. I also loved the conversation where it became possible to see Eunice as more privileged that Polly. I thought the authors did a great job of allowing readers to walk in each character’s shoes.
Although race wasn’t the issue for both women, their sex was. Women were not supposed to be powerful, they were to have their place being quiet and letting the men make the decisions and have the powerful careers. Lisle was an exception; although at some point, I had a feeling that Lisle was starting to resent Eunice’s career. I think he was happy to say his wife was a professional, yet not view her the same way as her peers.
They both dealt with misogyny – stereotyping & discrimination on the basis of gender. For Eunice, that was compounded with racial discrimination.
Eunice, ironically, had opportunities and a support system that Polly lacked. Eunice’s close family encouraged her achievements, especially her mother. And she married well. Her husband was a dentist and she did not sturggle financially.
Polly’s family sent her to America all by herself at just 12 years of age, and she had to make her own way in the world with no education, no initial ability to speak English, no resources, and no safety net. Everything she had she earned all on her own, and her family expected her to support them financially. (Her father was lazy and ungrateful.)
Both women were strong, determined, and empowered. And because of their resilience, they overcame incredible obstacles.