Documentary, Daughters of de Beauvoir

Word Count: 427

Daughters of de Beauvoir was a documentary dedicated to highlighting one of the most influential women,  Simone de Beauvoir. The documentary itself highlighted this fact by using multiple sources of women telling their stories about her and readximg her most in fluential book “The Second Sex.” In which each women discussed how impactful the book had been to one another and what it did for women at that time. These women believed that this book jump started her career and changed everyone forever. 

ANN OAKLEY “ I found myself reading an enormous amount of literature, because that sort of question leads you to ask really quite basic questions about why the roles of men and women are different, and in the course of pursuing those sorts of questions, I read The Second Sex. I found it very inspiring, which is I think what many other people, other women have found, because I suppose of the very strong statement that it contained that these things were nothing to do with biology, they were not determined for you, uh… except by social forces and therefore… therefore there was room for change and that was an inspiring message. Also, I mean the areas in which… which de Beauvoir covers in that book, I mean, she covers, you know, anthropology, economics, psychology, psychoanalysis, a whole… a whole range of disciplines, that was also inspiring.” 0:05:20 

This very quote demonstrates that fact that many women looked towards her for answers. Simone de Beauvoir had a unique an beautiful perpeseptive that allowed for other women to relate and change to be who they truly wanted to be without pressure from society looking down on them saying that they could only be fulfilled through their kids and life at home. Many women in this documentary talk about how her book introduced a whole new world allow for possibilities. Possibilities to allow women to make steps and progress into the free thinking women we have today. I for one can say that I am proud to be able to be as free as I am now and thankful for women like simone who had to come before us to set the path in order to cultivate the life that I am so freely given. Without Simone de Beauvoir I dont think women literature would be the way it is, but also the ideal allowed for women like anne to create jobs and raise questions that shape our future. Simone de Beauvoir is truly one of the most influential women in my own person opinion.