In the poem “Think Like a Weightlifter Think Like a Woman”, by Kate Braid the protagonist displays her strong sense of empathy and determination, which is essential to her triumph on her first day at work as a carpenter. The poem is set in a construction site in British Columbia where the protagonist, a woman, works as a carpenter in a predominantly male dominant environment. This woman faces sexist remarks and judgmental views where she is seen as less capable, and essentially as an outcast because of the sole fact that she is of the opposite gender. In one specific instance, her male partner, Lorne, sees the woman struggling with lifting the timber but did not assist …show more content…
The woman put herself in his position and did what she knew was best, as her ultimate goal is to succeed at the task at hand. As a woman, she is consistently undermined no matter how well she performs; however, the woman remains perseverant to succeed even during times of difficulty. She re-evaluates her situation and acts upon it by stating, “And now, because I need this job, and because it’s the first day and because every eye is watching the Girl. /I bend my knees as the books says, / think like a weight lifter, take the beam by its middle and order my body to lift ” (Braid 65). She expresses her frustration of being judged simply by gender and not by her actions, but does not let the opinion of others impact her work ethic. The men automatically affiliate a woman carpenter with being incapable and out of place, but she remains determined to complete the job no matter the challenges that come with it. Throughout the poem “Think Like a Weightlifter Think like a Woman”, the woman displays her compassion for others and tenacity to complete her job, in order to present