While watching the gorilla in the Chicago zoo, Mimi tells Daniel, “Iron bars aren’t the only thing that can cage people.” (p. 166) To what do you think she was referring? What else can cage people, in your opinion?
People and their opinions can cage people!
I think she was referring to all the invisible things that can trap or “cage” people—poverty, gender expectations, family obligations, and difficult relationships. Women, in particular, are often confined by society’s expectations of them and by marriages where there is no true partnership, independence, or autonomy.
There are so many forces within the human experience that can keep people trapped: fear, resentment, addiction, abusive relationships, and even low self-esteem. Sometimes the strongest cages are the beliefs people carry about themselves and what they think is possible for their lives.
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Rose_s said it beautifully. I think Mimi is well aware of how narrowmindness can cage people.
Mimi realizes that women are often confined by poverty, abusive relationships, limited education, fear, inadequate social systems, and lack of control, not iron bars.
I just can’t improve on @rose_s excellent response.
Specifically as to Mimi, she was feeling trapped by the expectations of society, her husband, mother-in-law, family of origin . . . She found her work surprisingly fulfilling and knew she could not go back to the limited life she led before she returned to nursing and be happy.
She was referring to the “invisible” bars that keeps us trapped such as poverty, family obligations, marriage and self esteem. All of these forces t will keep one full of fear and unable to break free.
i thank Mimi meant that there are many things that can cage people. In my opinion, circumstances can cage people. Sometimes, no matter how hard someone triesto change their situation, nothing changes. Also, mental illnesscancagepeople because people see them as crazy. No matter what they may try to change someone’s misguided opinion of them,they can’t because they have a closed mind.
rose_s I agree with you. I would also add pride and fear of what others may think to your list of traps.