“Language is power, life and instrument of culture, instrument of domination and liberation” - Angela Carter Language influences every aspect of our lives, but we rarely put it into discussion; if we examine the words we use and how we use them, we find a sexist patriarchal myth passed down from the ancient Greeks. Their leaders used the art of language to create a dichotomy between men and women in order to maintain power (Handouts dated December 2, 2011). For example, the two words we use to describe gender, masculine and feminine, limit us with their strict definitions. Sociologist Allan G. Johnson, in his The Gender Knot, defines “[masculine as] aggressive, bold, rational, emotionally inexpressive, strong, cool, self-possessed, independent, active, objective, dominant, decisive, self-confident, and uneducated [and feminine as] non-aggressive, shy, intuitive, emotionally expressive, thoughtful, weak, hysterical, erratic and lacking self-control, dependent, passive, subjective, submissive, indecisive and lacking self-confidence. (86) The words that describe the masculine, "dominant", "strong", "active", all give us a sense of power and authority, while the feminine adjectives, "submissive", "weak" and "passive", do not do it. Johnson, by defining the two words used to describe every human being, shows us how we establish a pecking order between men and women with our words. The way we speak, whether actively or passively, gives the connotation of male or female, strong or weak. We view men as naturally masculine and therefore, by Johnson's definition, active; they are always clear subjects performing distinct actions (an active phrase for the active male). In contrast, we see women as feminine, therefore passive; they don't... middle of paper... judge. Philadelphia: Running Press Book Publisher's, 2006. 13-34. Print.Johnson, Allen G. The crux of gender: Unraveling our patriarchal legacy. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1997. 53-74. Print.Locke, Liz. Lecture notes. Expository Writing: Myth and Hero 1213-001. University of Oklahoma. December 2, 2011.-----. Personal interview. December 7, 2011.Lünenborg, Margreth. “Say 'This is the one!' Powerful chancellors and queens: the media representation of gender in politics. Trans. Eric Rosencrantz. Genre of the Goethe-Institut. Goethe Institute. March 2009. Web. December 2, 2011. Tannen, Deborah. Interviewed by Susan Stamberg. “The power of language”. Energy. National Public Radio. October 21, 2003. Web. December 10, 2011. "The 100 Most Powerful Women in the World, the." Forbes.com. Forbes LLC. nd Web. December 2, 2011. "The Most Powerful People in the World, The." Forbes.com. Forbes LLC. nd Web. 2 December. 2011.