"The Lamplighter"

Girls have always been told what is right and what is wrong from the day one and through out the rest of their lives. There has been a slight change from the 19^th century and today regarding how a girl should be and act.

In the 19^th century and particularly in “The Lamplighter”, girls were told to act a certain way in order to be loved and accepted. In the video that I just watched, Anna said, “You want people to like you for who you are.” Instead of being you, in the 19^th century girls were told to act a certain way in order to be liked. Today, I feel that girls try to be different and stand out with our own attitudes and our own styles. In the nineteenth century, girls were told to act a certain way and be good in order to be accepted. In “The Lamplighter” and in “The Wide, Wide World” girls were taught to make toast and tea and be neat and clean and today I feel that the idea is to be yourself.

Gerty had a much different childhood than any of us have experienced so Gerty’s appearance on Amy Pholer’s TV show would have been quite different. If Amy were to ask Gerty what she would say to someone who says they can’t do something, Gerty probably would have said there is nothing really that can be done. Throughout the story, we commonly find Gerty saying “I can’t” and “I’m an ugly witch” etc…

When Amy asked Anna “What advice would you give girls?” Anna replied by saying, “Just be yourself.”

If Gerty were to be asked the same question, the response would be a little different. Gerty was herself when she was growing up around Nan Grant and was constantly scolded. During this time Gerty tried to be so quite and discrete that she was almost unnoticed. When True took Gerty into his home things changed and Gerty was able to be herself and be accepted.

When Gerty found Emily in the church, Gerty said “But I ain’t good, I’m real bad!” Emily replied by saying, “But you can be good, and then everybody will love you.” These quotes show that being accepted as a young girl in the 19^th century is more about being good.