Gender stereotypes and roles are present in the people’s mind and can be found almost everywhere in daily life. Children and adults are confronted and influenced by those stereotypes, most of the time internalize them and behave according to their gender roles. Men and women perform different roles which are based on nothing more than their biological gender. Although these roles cannot be referred to each individual, the majority of people live out their lives in accordance to these pervasive roles.
To sum it up, gender is a central and “organizing category in social life” (Warren 7).
Women anthropologists from the 1920s up to the present time focused their research on Western women’s issues and examined women’s settings. Their result is that mainly the domestic sphere, child rearing, health and nutrition are the settings or the tasks ascribed to women. In part, this is - according to the anthropologists - a consequence of expectations associated with the society’s home territory and with Western anthropologist’s cultural assumptions. Additionally, the societies which were studied by these anthropologists were often highly gender-segregated and numerous roles and activities could be taken by one gender and were banned to the other (Warren 16).
To put in other words, most societies are “husband-centered” (Warren 14) and some of the societies studied “to a degree even greater than is customary in Western Europe and America”. (ibid.)
The novel “Bastard Out of Carolina” written by Dorothy Allison deals with gender stereotypes and tells the story of the so called ‘white trash’-girl Ruth ‘Bone’ Boatwright and her family. Allison critiques in the novel not only two of the most damaging bourgeois myths about “white trash” - illegitimacy and incest – but also the ideology of motherhood emphasizing a socially constructed gender system that cuts across social classes (Baker).
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Gender Studies
- Gender Stereotypes in "Bastard Out of Carolina"
- Glen and the Boatwright Uncles
- Anney and the Boatwright Aunts
- Ruth Anne "Bone" Boatwright and Aunt Raylene
- Conclusion
- Works Cited
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to analyze gender roles and stereotypes present in Dorothy Allison's novel "Bastard Out of Carolina" through the lens of Gender Studies. The paper explores how the characters, specifically the Boatwright family, embody and deviate from conventional gender expectations. It focuses on the portrayal of male and female characters within the context of "white trash" culture and its associated stereotypes.
- Gender roles and stereotypes in "Bastard Out of Carolina"
- The portrayal of "white trash" culture and its impact on gender dynamics
- The influence of socialization and cultural expectations on gender identity
- The subversion of gender stereotypes by certain characters, particularly Bone and Aunt Raylene
- The role of gender in shaping individual behavior and social interactions
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction establishes the prevalence of gender stereotypes in daily life and their impact on individuals. It also provides background on the historical study of women's roles and their perceived limitations. This section introduces the focus of the paper: the exploration of gender stereotypes within Dorothy Allison's "Bastard Out of Carolina" and the novel's critique of "white trash" culture.
The chapter on Gender Studies delves into various theoretical perspectives on gender. It discusses the debate surrounding inherent differences between men and women and the role of biology versus social construction in shaping gender roles. The chapter explores prominent theories by sociologists Nancy Chodorow and Alice Eagly, highlighting the influence of socialization and cultural expectations in shaping gender identity and behavior. The chapter concludes with a definition of stereotypes and their impact on perceptions of men and women.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary keywords and focuses of the paper are: gender roles, gender stereotypes, "Bastard Out of Carolina", Dorothy Allison, "white trash", socialization, cultural expectations, social construction, gender identity, and the subversion of stereotypes.
- Quote paper
- Anna Wertenbruch (Author), 2009, Gender Roles and Stereotypes in Dorothy Allison's "Bastard Out of Carolina", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/180012
