This paper examines Alice Munro’s short story "Boys and Girls" through the lens of ecofeminism. The theoretical part provides the key principles of ecofeminism as a literary theory, and in the analysis part their realisation in the story is explored.
Ecofeminist literary criticism is a branch of literary criticism that, first of all, uses the principles of feminist literary criticism and ecocriticism — but is not restricted to them. Among other approaches with which ecofeminist literary criticism closely interact, there are “radical environmental philosophy, critical animal studies, and radical economic and political theories about globalization, economics, ecology and politics” (Gaard 2010).
Historically, ecofeminist literary criticism stems from ecofeminism as a movement with a two-decade history of activism and theoretical work. Ecofeminism, first of all, operates on the premise that in the male-dominated world both women and nature have long experienced discrimination. Hierarchical thinking in establishing relationships among humans brought about another form of inequality — towards nature. This defines the angle from which ecofeminist literary criticism approaches literary texts: the scholars seek to register two binary cross-connected oppositions ‘male/female’ and ‘nature/culture’ and expose a fallacious and dangerous character of this dualism.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Ecofeminism: Shared Story of Oppression
3 ‘Boys and Girls’ through the Ecofeminist Lens
3.1 Shared Seclusion: Pens, Fences, and the Kitchen Door
3.2 The Male World
3.3 The Protagonist: The Story of Liberation
4 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines Alice Munro’s short story “Boys and Girls” through an ecofeminist lens, arguing that the societal discrimination against women and the exploitation of animals are linked by the same patriarchal “master model.” The research explores how narrative tools within the story depict the protagonist's transition from gender-neutral childhood to a realization of her marginalized position as a woman, paralleling the subjugation of the natural world.
- Application of ecofeminist literary theory to the short story “Boys and Girls.”
- Analysis of spatial symbolism—the kitchen, pens, and fences—in creating gendered and animal oppression.
- Examination of the "master model" as represented by male characters and its effect on gender socialisation.
- Investigation into the protagonist's development from a girl identifying with the male world to a woman rebelling for nature.
- Intertextual connection between the story and colonial narratives represented by the father’s interests.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Shared Seclusion: Pens, Fences, and the Kitchen Door
From the very beginning, the author sets the opposition between ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ which goes throughout the whole story and becomes the most potent tool to reflect the similar ‘imprisoned’ position for female and non-human characters of the story.
The first sentence introduces the narrator’s father — the head of the world depicted in the story, its main architect: “My father was a fox farmer.” (B.G. 361). The next sentence explains, “That is, he raised silver foxes, in pens… [italics mine]” (B.G. 361). Here, with the help of characteristic vocabulary Munro creates the sense of control: the verb ‘raised’ emphasises the father’s dominant, parental position towards the foxes, while the noun ‘pens’ refers to being inside — in captivity. A similar interpretation of this lexical choice can be found in Alice Goldman’s work “Penning in the Bodies: The Construction of Gendered Subjects in Alice Munro’s Boys and Girls” (Goldman 1990).
The seclusion of the foxes turns out to be multi-layered. Later in the text, the narrator mentions, “Alive, the foxes inhabited a world my father made for them. It was surrounded by a high guard fence,.. [italics mine]” (B.G. 363). This sentence directly points at father’s design of the closed space and his authority over it. Moreover, the word ‘fence’ is present in the story several times — it establishes connection between foxes and horses. The unfreedom of the former the narrator, as a child, takes for granted; Yet, with the captivity of the latter the girl, turning into a woman, cannot reconcile.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of ecofeminist literary criticism and outlines the research objective to explore the suppression of women and nature in Munro’s short story.
2 Ecofeminism: Shared Story of Oppression: Establishes the theoretical framework by discussing core ecofeminist principles, specifically focusing on the interconnectedness of human and non-human domination.
3 ‘Boys and Girls’ through the Ecofeminist Lens: Analyzes the story's setting, male characters, and the protagonist's growth to argue for the presence of an ecofeminist narrative strand.
3.1 Shared Seclusion: Pens, Fences, and the Kitchen Door: Examines how spatial boundaries reinforce the exclusion of women and animals from the male-controlled environment.
3.2 The Male World: Discusses how male characters embody the "master model" and use condescending attitudes to maintain hierarchical control over women and animals.
3.3 The Protagonist: The Story of Liberation: Investigates the protagonist's internal evolution and her final act of defiance as a subconscious attempt to liberate both herself and nature.
4 Conclusion: Synthesizes the analysis, confirming that Munro uses narrative and symbolic tools to depict the damaging effects of rigid gender roles and the exploitation of the natural world.
Keywords
Ecofeminism, Alice Munro, Boys and Girls, Gender Socialisation, Master Model, Literary Criticism, Nature vs Culture, Oppression, Patriarchy, Animal Studies, Spatial Symbolism, Narrative Tools, Colonialism, Liberation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this academic work?
This work aims to apply ecofeminist literary theory to Alice Munro’s “Boys and Girls” to demonstrate that the exclusion and subjugation of women in the story serve as part of a larger patriarchal "master model" that also exploits nature.
What are the core research themes?
The central themes include the gendered division of space, the intersection of feminist and environmental struggles, the process of gender socialisation, and the symbolic representation of liberation in nature.
Which theoretical framework informs this analysis?
The paper utilizes ecofeminist literature, specifically drawing upon the theoretical works of Carolyn Merchant, Val Plumwood, Ynestra King, and Greta Gaard.
What research methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative, analytical approach, conducting a close reading of the text and examining narratological tools, imagery, and symbolic language from an ecofeminist perspective.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main part analyzes the setting as a means of control, the system of male dominance across all ages, and the internal struggle of the adolescent protagonist as she matures.
Which keywords best characterize this scholarly article?
Key terms include Ecofeminism, Gender socialisation, Master model, Patriarchy, and Spatial symbolism.
How does the author interpret the significance of the "kitchen" in the story?
The kitchen is viewed as a site of confinement that emphasizes the traditional gender roles imposed on the female characters, mirroring the captivity of animals on the farm.
In what way does the protagonist's act of rebellion signify something beyond individual development?
Her decision to release Flora is interpreted as an intuitive, albeit informal, attempt at cross-species liberation and a break from the rigid patriarchal structures of her family.
How is the figure of Laird, the brother, addressed in the analysis?
He is depicted as undergoing his own gender socialisation; while he initially shares the narrator's sensitivity toward animals, he eventually adopts the dominant, "master-model" mentality of his father.
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- Aleksandra Dediukina (Autor:in), 2024, Nature and Gender in Alice Munro’s Short Story "Boys and Girls", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1502956
