Unfair marking at Brunel
University?
My granddaughter, AMY SALES, during one of her tasks in her “Creative
Writing” course for a degree had to submit an essay on “Writing Ireland”. And, she was instructed, that she could write
anything that she pleased. Amy chose to be very brave, choosing as her theme, “The Fear of God”.
In her paper she attempts to explain that all the ‘troubles’
of Ireland brought about by the conflict between the Catholic’s and the Protestants,
and, their religions; that the true rock bottom cause or basis of this conflict,
is brought about by the actual, “Fear
of God”. And, in her paper (shown below) she illustrates and demonstrates
some of the actual terrible ‘consequences’ of this.
I invite the reader here, to consider this: What is it that
so motivates Humankind, with all the dignity of a Human Being, to so demean that dignity, as to, confess to a complete stranger, a Priest, their ‘impure thoughts and actions’?
(That, impurity, as defined by the Catholic Church). It, can only be a compulsion. That, compulsion, can only be a ‘self
inflicted compulsion’ because no ‘force’ is employed to compel compliance. So
what is it that so compels a person to forgo all their ‘dignity’ to comply with
this ridiculous demand upon the person. It is, the, “Fear of God”.
Catholics are taught
from the earliest age that they must love and fear God. They are indoctrinated
with the concept that in order to secure ‘everlasting life’ when the die, and, then to
live forever in Heaven with their, “God”; they must confess all their sins
committed on planet earth, in order to obtain absolution. It is drummed into them from the earliest age
that if they die outside of this, “State of
Grace” with their sins, not being forgiven by absolution; that instead of
living in “God’s” glorious Heaven; they will go straight to Hell. This, for Catholics,
is the indoctrination of, the, “Fear of God”.
Amy’s paper, “Writing Ireland” is so brave, because it says
something that has never ever been said before. Everyone knows that the ‘troubles’
of Ireland, both North and South, has been caused by the conflict betwixt
Catholic and Protestant religions. But, to date, no one has spelt it out, or
put the finger on the true actual cause of this conflict. Amy, in declaring
that, at rock bottom the actual cause is the, “Fear of God”. Speaks, the, TRUTH, for the very first time.
The Brunel Examiner gave
Amy a “D Minus” for this paper. And.
I declare that this is clearly an ‘unfair’ marking. Amy has introduced a ‘topic’
about IRELAND, that is brand new. It actually could spark a whole new debate.
This warrants more than an award of a, “D
Minus”.
Amy also tells me that many other students at Brunel are also complaining about
unfair marking.
So here is Amy’s paper for all the readers of this blog to decide for themselves. Read Amy’s paper, and
then decide, does it really deserve a, “D
Minus”.
The
role of women in Ireland, a Catholic country, is dominated by the indoctrinated
doctrine of that religion: ‘The Fear of God’. Discuss
how this affected unmarried, pregnant Irish women of the twentieth century.
Women in Ireland, in the early
twentieth century, had to live with the fact that they were not considered as
equals. The people of Ireland
“Single motherhood was considered
shameful in Ireland at that time and children born outside of wedlock were
discriminated against in the law and put up for adoption in large numbers.
Moreover, unmarried mothers were commonly hidden and institutionalised until
their babies had been put up for adoption”[2].
The above quote is echoed in a
section of dialogue taken from the 2002 film ‘The Magdalene Sisters’[3]. The
film depicts one institution where single mothers were sent. This particular
segment is spoken by Father Doonigan as he convinces a young girl that her
baby, born out of wedlock, will be unwanted by society.
FATHER DOONIGAN
A child born out of wedlock is a bastard child. Would you
have him go through life as an outcast, Rose? Rejected and scorned by all
decent members of society? It's a grievous sin you have committed.[4]
Several cases over the years have
caused a lot of controversy about abortion, adoption and women’s rights in
Ireland at the time. One particular example divided the public opinion; the Ann
Lovett case. Ann was just fourteen when she died after giving birth to her stillborn
son. She left school and headed towards a grotto, next to a church, to deliver
the child alone. There has always been some confusion over the community’s
involvement in her pregnancy; many believe that society chose to ignore the
fact that she was with-child at such a young age. The incident took place just
a few months after the law against abortion had been passed and some blamed
this for her death. The main division, though, was religious. One side felt
that the lack of catholic morals in children was the cause; others felt that it
was actually a catholic repression that caused a frightened girl to experience
childbirth alone. Both of these opinions were religiously led and therefore,
once again religion was at the forefront of the problems.
The Magdalene asylums have caused
many people to question the morals of the religious institutions and whether
their role in Ireland at the time increased or hindered progression. The events
that took place behind the closed doors of the Magdalene laundries have been a
topic that has been discussed in depth for years.
“The focus and purpose of these
early institutions was closely tied to women in prostitution or women regarded
as in danger of falling into prostitution, including unmarried mothers”[5]
The role of the Magdalene asylums
was to rehabilitate women and make them repent, so that their sins may be
forgiven by God. Catholics felt that sins could not be forgiven unless they had
been repented for; saying sorry was simply not enough in the eyes of God. Catholics
have been taught through the bible that all repressed sin will be carried with
them to death and therefore shall deter them from Heaven. The fear of afterlife
in hell is one of the biggest dreads that a Catholic has and is the route cause
for all that transpired for unmarried, pregnant women in that period.
“The
end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for
this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment,
with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”[6] 12:12-14
It was, and remains to be believed
that a Catholic shall not gain access into the kingdom of Heaven if their sins
have not been repented for. If someone committed a mortal sin then they were
expected to pay penance and offer their souls to God, in return for acceptance
into Heaven. The Magdalene asylums were an institution where young ladies were
sent, by their parents or guardians, to apologize for their sins and any
disgrace that they had brought upon the family. Even if a family decided to
stick by their child, they would find a priest knocking down their door and
explaining that it was their Christian duty to send their daughter away.
BERNADINE (O.S)
The philosophy here at Magdalene
is a very simple one. Through the powers of prayer, cleanliness and hard work,
the fallen may find their way back to Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour… Mary
Magdalene founder of the Magdalene Convents, herself was a sinner of the worst
kind, giving of her flesh to the depraved and the lustful for money… Salvation came
only by paying penance for her sins, denying herself all pleasures of the flesh
including food and sleep, and working beyond human endurance so that she might
offer up her soul to God and so walk through the Gates of Heaven and live in
everlasting life… Here you may redeem yourself and, God willing save yourself
from eternal damnation.[7]
In the above quote from the film ‘The Magdalene Sisters’[8] Sister
Bernadine, the head Nun at the Magdalene laundry, is welcoming the new girls
into the institution and explaining how everything works. She gives the ladies
a brief outline of what is expected of them while they are a part of the
asylum. In this section of dialogue Bernadine uses the word “God” and other variations; “Jesus Christ”, “Our Lord” and “Saviour”,
a total of five times. This use of repetition increases the emphasis and importance
that there is on being a good Catholic. She also mentions Mary Magdalene, the
founder of the Magdalene Convents, and enlightens the ladies about how Mary
offered up her soul to God by removing all pleasures and working intensely for
several years. This lady is meant to be a role model for these women; they are
supposed to follow in her footsteps.
The fictitious screenplay
representation of what happened to the women that were sent to the laundries
shows disturbing scenes of violence and dehumanizing abuse with no discretion. The
2002 film depicts the lives of four teenage girls that have been sent to the
laundries to amend their ways. During their time there, they witness and
experience both physical, and sexual violence from the priests and nuns. In one
particularly shocking scene the girls are on their way to the chapel and Margaret
accidentally comes across a horrifying sight; Crispina performing a sexual act
on Father Fitzroy.
“Margaret kneels down, spits on her finger and begins buffing
her shoes. She glances down a few times at the basement window of the sacristy.
She sees Crispina's head thrusting back and forth between Father Fitzroy's
legs. He stands in a sweaty pre-orgasmic state.”[9]
Prior to this, Crispina had lost
her St Christopher and was trying to apologise to Father Fitzroy for not having
it with her. As a viewer of this, I believe that the Father is now taking full advantage
of this vulnerable woman and the fact that she feels that she needs to repent
for every sin; no matter how small. This is one representation of how the
church was abusing these deprived women and unfortunately, it was not an
unfamiliar subject. Institutional abuse was a common topic, especially abuse
from within the church. This illustration of the events that occurred at the
time is purely fictional, however; it is loosely based on real life stories
from survivors of the laundries. One survivor, Kathy O’Beirne, recently spoke
up about her personal experience at the hands of this institution and several
others.
The autobiography ‘Kathy’s Story’[10] is a
true story about a girl who suffered at the hands of institutional abuse. Kathy
O’Beirne released her distressing story in the early 2000’s as she wanted to
campaign to help other victims who had the same traumatic experiences. At the
age of eight she was regularly beaten by her father. The constant attacks
caused her to become a troublesome child, as diagnosed by a leading
psychiatrist, and as a result of this she was thrown out of her family home.
The book follows her journey and the traumas that she went through in different
institutions. In a reformatory school she was a victim to rape by a visiting
priest, in a psychiatric hospital the abuse continued along with electric shock
therapy and finally she ended up in a Magdalene laundry. It was here that she
was sexually abused by the staff and gave birth to her daughter Annie. Kathy
was not even fourteen years old when she had Annie; a child as a result of
rape.
In 1861, it was a criminal offence
to abort a child in Northern
Ireland United Kingdom England
“In September 1983 Irish people… voted
in favour of a referendum… They insisted that a constitutional amendment was
the only way to preserve Ireland's distinctive moral foundation in the midst of
a … growing exposure to "foreign"… influences resulting from
Ireland's entry in 1973 into the European Economic Community”[12]
The referendum that was passed,
banned abortion altogether within the Irish constitution. As stated earlier,
just a few months after this referendum was passed Ann Lovett died as a result
of giving birth alone. If this girl had been given the right to abort her child
then she would not have died at such a young age. Having sex outside of
marriage, especially as a teenager, was shameful. However; falling pregnant as
a result of rape was also seen as disgraceful, even though contraception was
completely illegal in Ireland Ireland England
Women in Ireland in the twentieth
century came under great scrutiny if they undermined the fact that sex outside
of marriage was illegal. If a woman fell pregnant outside of wedlock,
regardless of the circumstances, the state would ensure that she was sent to an
institution to repent for her sins. The Magdalene laundries were the most
famous of these organisations. Abortion was also not an option for these women
and this often ended in death, during childbirth, for many. I fell that ‘the
fear of God’ is the predominant reason for the laws against abortion at the
time. Catholics were so concerned with the idea of Heaven that they would do
anything, while living, to please God and stop others from taking the wrong
path; to Hell.
2,049
Bibliography
Connolly, Linda. Social Movements and Ireland
Davidson, Robert. Ecclesiasties
and the Song of Solomon. Westminster
Franks, Jill. British and Irish
Women Writers and the Women's Movement: Six Literary Voices of Their Times. McFarland, 2013, page 157.
Maguire, Moira J. Feminist Studies: The changing face of
Catholic Ireland College
Park
Mullan, Peter. The Magdalene Sisters. Scottish Screen,
2002.
Report
of the Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement
with the Magdalene Laundries: Chapter 3: History of the Magdalene
Laundries and institutions within the scope of the Report
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/MagdalenRpt2013
The Law and Ethics of Abortion: BMA Views. November 2007, page 1, 1.1.
www.bma.org.uk
[1]Jill
Franks, ‘British
and Irish Women Writers and the Women's Movement: Six Literary Voices of Their
Times’ (McFarland, 2013, page 157)
[2] Linda
Connolly, ‘Social Movements and Ireland
[3]
Peter Mullan, ‘The Magdalene Sisters’
(Scottish Screen, 2002)
[4]
Peter Mullan, ‘The Magdalene Sisters:
Screenplay’ (Scottish Screen, 2002, Page 9) http://www.lexwilliford.com/Workshops/Screenwriting/Scripts/Adobe%20Acrobat%20Scripts/Magdalene%20Sisters.pdf
[5] Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee to
establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalene Laundries: Chapter
3: History of the Magdalene Laundries and institutions
within the scope of the Report
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/MagdalenRpt2013
(April 2013)
[6]
Robert Davidson, ‘Ecclesiasties and the Song of Solomon’ (Westminster John Knox Press, 1986, Page 90)
[7]
Peter Mullan, ‘The Magdalene Sisters: Screenplay’ (Scottish Screen, 2002, Pages
16-17)
http://www.lexwilliford.com/Workshops/Screenwriting/Scripts/Adobe%20Acrobat%20Scripts/Magdalene%20Sisters.pdf
[8]
Peter Mullan, ‘The Magdalene Sisters’
(Scottish Screen, 2002)
[9]
Peter Mullan, ‘The Magdalene Sisters:
Screenplay’ (Scottish Screen, 2002, Page 64)
http://www.lexwilliford.com/Workshops/Screenwriting/Scripts/Adobe%20Acrobat%20Scripts/Magdalene%20Sisters.pdf
[10]
Kathy O’Beirne, ‘Kathy’s Story’ (Mainstream Publishing Company Limited, 2005)
[11] ‘The Law and Ethics of Abortion: BMA Views’
(November 2007, page 1, 1.1)
www.bma.org.uk
[12] Moira J, Maguire ‘Feminist
Studies: The changing face of Catholic Ireland :
Conservatism and liberalism in the Ann Lovett and Kerry Babies scandals’ (College
Park
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