Gender References In In Two Kinds By Amy Tan

The works covered; ‘Oedipus the King’ and ‘Birches’ are all demonstrative to the comprehension gender and gender roles have in the society. To begin with, it has been established by history that the distinct roles attached to gender are as a consequence of our socialization. Generally, men have always retained an upper hand compared to women as the society has defined this to be so. Traditionally, access to education, socially acceptable experience and even financial power were in favor of men such that by extension, more men ventured into literature than women. As a result, most of these works are written by men.

"American literature is male. To read the canon of what is currently considered classic American literature is perforce to identify as male; Our literature neither leaves women alone nor allows them to participate." Judith Fetterley (Walker, 171)

Gender can be defined as the socially preconceived roles that are thought to be fitting for either men or women in a particular culture. These preconceived roles, stereotype men and women, ensnaring them into provincial boxes that prevent gender identity and expression (Fisher and Silber). Traditional gender roles, especially in the 18th and 19th century literature depicts women as delicate maidens, who are weak and submissive or as nurturing and sensitive characters taking the roles wives and mothers. Men on the other hand are portrayed as strong, rational, and assertive taking on the roles that require authority (Fisher and Silber). To better understand the role of fixed gender expectations, we will analyze four short essays namely: Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path”; Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Admontillado”; William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” All these essays except Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Admontillado,” describe the lives of women protagonists in different environments which influence how they act in an era when women played second fiddle to men. This we will accomplish by analyzing how major characters in this stories are utilized by the respective authors. Their interactions with other characters, their instincts, and their reactions provide a window into their world, and the society at large.

Being a young woman of this generation, I have come to realize the validity of a common bumper sticker quote: Well-behaved women seldom make history. Despite the fact that there is no verified initial speaker to this statement, the older I have gotten, the wider my eyes have become and the more of the world around me, I have seen in its full, vivid colors rather than the simple, crisp black-and-white of childhood. In my elementary days, being anything other than well behaved was downright frightening. The ever-bearing fear of disapproval weighed heavy upon my little shoulders, because frankly, speaking against adults was unforgivable and meant no rewards in the form of sweets or shiny foil stickers with terrible plays on words. But, I digress, the trueness of the statement solidified itself the older I got when the reality became clear; women are to be an object, a fixture, a malleable ball of clay left for shaping at the hands of the man she shadows. However true this may be, this paper, my last soapbox to preach observations upon, aims to reference: The Wife’s Lament, Beowulf, Paradise Lost, The Flea, and The Poetess’s Hasty Resolution to reiterate and further emphasize the use of, shift in, and development of gender roles. My primary focus resting upon the roles of women in literature throughout the time-periods discussed within the span of the semester.

Gender inequality is a problem that has been plaguing the world for a very long time. The United States has made great strides to promote gender equality. Despite all of those strides America has made, there are still reminders of the gender inequalities people have experienced in American Literature. The good thing about this is that the slow progression of change in the women’s rights sector can be seen by comparing various pieces of literature dealing with the issue of gender inequality to the time of its creation. The best way to observe this progression is by comparing two different pieces of literature from different time periods, and take note of differences, as well as the events that could be viewed as responsible for those changes. Two literary piece that

Before the rise of what is known today as feminism, Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” introduces an unorthodox character whom many women find relatable. The Wife embodies just about every female stereotype created, wherein her character is greatly exaggerated. Although the Wife of Bath breaks the traditional role of a submissive and obedient wife, her character illustrates and represents the stereotypes and criticisms commonly thrown at women. Seen as a representation of all women, the Wife of Bath’s deceptive and scheming nature hints at the stereotype that all women are untrustworthy. Her frank attitude and carefree acknowledgement of past deceit harbors no hint of remorse; she relishes recounting her past endeavors, reciting her despicable deeds as if they were any other fact.

The prologue of the Wife of Baths by Chaucer has a surprisingly modern view of women and touches many issues raised by modern feminists. She discusses the issues of equality between men and women, and how more often then not women are held to a standard that is not held to men. She uses biblical ideas to both demonstrate the hypocrisy of these issues and also uses them to defend her arguments. She also suggests that men are not upholding the expectations of God and thus should not expect and shame women.

In the short story, "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan, a Chinese mother and daughter are at odds with each other. The mother pushes her daughter to become a prodigy, while the daughter (like most children with immigrant parents) seeks to find herself in a world that demands her Americanization. This is the theme of the story, conflicting values. In a society that values individuality, the daughter sought to be an individual, while her mother demanded she do what was suggested. This is a conflict within itself. The daughter must deal with an internal and external conflict. Internally, she struggles to find herself. Externally, she struggles with the burden of failing to meet her mother’s expectations. Being a first-generation Asian American,

In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The wife of bath’s Prologue and Tale, it is one of the many Canterbury tales that can bring us awareness of the women’s role in the middle ages. Even though Alisoun, who is the wife of bath is a female traveling with a group of men; she still manages to hold her own ground. She tells thr men in order to have a great

Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is considered a work of satire towards medieval society by many literary critics. Chaucer uses the Wife of Bath as a prime way to quip a key fourteenth century practice wherein medieval society is patriarchal from noblemen to peasants. Women are one of the most restrained groups. The Wife of Bath narrates a story mocking male superiority and spouts a pro-women narrative. In this tale, the Wife of Bath shows women not submitting to a man’s world. For this period in time, she is a progressive who implies men are not in control of society which does not fit the mold of women at the time. She infers women are running everything from behind the curtain with men merely being used as puppets.

Tyson explains the basic concepts of feminist theory, and the ways in which readers can use the theory as a lens to examine the social pressures and gender roles within a literary work. To examine through a feminist lens, theorists need to first look at the different characters’ genders to determine whether their roles and responsibilities “conform to traditional (patriarchal) gender roles” (Tyson 84). “According to [patriarchal] gender roles, men are naturally rational, strong, protective, and decisive,” but “women [are] naturally emotional…, weak, nurturing, and submissive” (87). Moreover, “anyone who violates traditional gender roles is [looked upon as] unnatural, unhealthy, or…immoral” (86). Therefore, due to the “oppression of women” in

Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath Prologue is a text which employs the female voice through an exaggerated female narrator who believes her life experience provides her the authority necessary to weigh in on the conflict that is marriage and a woman’s role within that marriage. Upon further analysis one may argue that

In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”, the basis of the story directly reflects the storyteller’s personality in the way through the experiences that she has had with men and how women were treated during Geoffrey Chaucer’s time; all of these reflections and ideologies directly reflect the idea of human nature.

In the time period of the 14th century, many woman faced inequality. Women were not viewed to uphold the same quota as men. Most females were viewed as passive to males and were not able to make many demands in their relationships or make any contributions to their own survival or life. In the “Wife of Bath Tale”, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, Chaucer gives an insight into the struggles of a woman. Chaucer gives a voice for women who cannot speak for themselves. He creates a tale for the Wife of Bath that includes and questions the societal views of women. Written in the words of a woman, Chaucer undermines what it means to be a female in the fourteenth century who desires independence and

In order to be successful, humans must constantly adapt to the perpetually changing world. This evolution is evident in anything from a slight change in linguistics, to a major change in social order. “Language and style were changing notions of the world and of God’s design in creating it. Habits of thought that had prevailed during the medieval period now seemed to be incompatible with knowledge derived from the experience of nature.” (“Nature and Change” 646). One way to examine the changes in society that have transpired, is by analyzing literature. Authors of the middle ages, the early modern period, and the restoration and 18th century translate the discrepancies of english linguistics, religion, thematics, and views on women in their literature.