Positions within a Context

The authors describe the positions that women assume in their Knowing.
How do they view the world?
What is their perspective as they take into consideration the source of authority and understanding?
How do women know what they know?
Who tells them what is right and wrong, what is true or false?

After describing the five positions of perspective, the authors move into placing a context around these perspectives of knowledge.  The concept of family, parents and spouse is brought into the narrative. 
Each postion is analyzed as to how it came to be established, maintained or left behind.

I have been in these positions.  I know others that have been in these positions.
There is a tremendous amount of pain and confusion brought about by some of these circumstances.

With authority comes the Voice.
When a woman has no voice of her own, she has given the power of authority to an external force and in the context of the world, this often means a contolling or abusive family member, and it is simply not part of her perspective to object, change, stand up and speak for her self about right or wrong. 

But the context often evolves, just as the woman evolves.  Knowledge and wisdom can come, be gained and absorbed and synthesized into a woman's being.
At the higher position of knowledge and awareness, there is an understanding of the synthesis of emotion and intellect in the women, their parents and in their children. 

What a painful process it is for some, and for others an accomplishment of joy and of a life's work.