The Battle

The barrier is Joan of Arc’s situation that she is in before she goes to fight in the 100 years' war. She was poor, young and a female. This barrier was very restricting. It stopped other young women like Joan from making a difference in their communities. Women have different mindsets, backgrounds, and experiences that could have helped men, but this barrier stopped that.

Women were thought less of because of their gender and the way they were raised. Even though Joan was raised in a happy family, she was not taught to read or write. Only to sew. When Joan was called by the spirits, telling her to lead the war and go to the King, she was not trusted by anyone, because of her gender and her age.

When she went to ask to see the King to ask permission to fight in the war she was turned down and laughed at. Joan of Arc kept on persisting and eventually was let to see the King. When she came to see the King, he dressed differently to disguise himself to test Joan of Arc. She still knew who he was and bowed to him. It shows how much Joan of Arc was led by the spirits.

Although the poor, young women could not change their circumstances and how much money they had, Joan still persevered and was determined to change everyone's mind about her.

"All battle are first won or lost, in the mind" - Joan of Arc 1412-1431

Joan of Arc at King Charles Vll cornation

Breaking Through

These barriers were very hard to break but Joan of Arc did it. The barrier broke by Joan finding the King and leading the French into victory in Orleans. She stood by what she cared about and didn’t give anything away to the English. Even when she was shot with an arrow in battle she kept on fighting.

Breaking this barrier took multiple steps because Joan had to travel a long distance, fight the battle, get caught, and then be killed for an innocent act. Even though Joan of Arc went through all that women still do not have as many rights as men do today. This barrier needed to break at least as much as it did because women needed, and still need to be treated equally in society today and a long time ago. Breaking this barrier also inspired many other women to do the same.

Many people helped Joan of Arc break this barrier and King Charles Vll is one of them, although the King did not support Joan when she was captured, he helped break the barrier by providing Joan the opportunity to fight. Joan’s parents also supported her on her journey to follow God, they helped her by teaching her at a young way to pray and be very religious. Lastly, of course she helped herself break the barrier by going and doing what she had to do.