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).
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
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to analyze the portrayal of gender roles and stereotypes in Dorothy Allison's novel, "Bastard Out of Carolina." It examines how characters conform to or deviate from traditional gender expectations, exploring the societal implications of these roles.
- Gender roles and stereotypes in society
- The impact of gender on individual behavior
- The representation of "white trash" families in American literature
- The critique of societal norms and expectations through literary characters
- The exploration of gender identity and its relation to societal pressures
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces the pervasive nature of gender stereotypes and roles in daily life, emphasizing how these often-unconscious societal constructs influence individual behavior. It highlights the historical focus of women anthropologists on the domestic sphere as a traditionally female space, contrasting this with the often husband-centered nature of various societies. The chapter then introduces Dorothy Allison's "Bastard Out of Carolina" and its focus on challenging gender norms within the context of the "white trash" community. The main characters and their varied adherence to societal gender expectations are presented as the focus of the analysis that follows.
Gender Studies: This chapter delves into the theoretical perspectives on gender, contrasting maximalist and minimalist views on the extent of differences between men and women. It explores essentialist and social constructionist interpretations of gender, examining the role of biology versus social arrangements in shaping gender identity and behavior. The chapter also discusses the interactionist perspective which combines aspects of both essentialism and social constructionism, suggesting that gender is shaped by both biological factors and sociocultural expectations which individuals internalize and act upon. The chapter concludes by defining gender roles and stereotypes, providing frameworks for understanding the characters' actions in the subsequent analysis.
Gender Stereotypes in "Bastard Out of Carolina": This chapter serves as the core of the analysis, examining specific characters and their behavior in relation to established gender roles and stereotypes. The chapter will analyze the behaviors of Glen and the Boatwright uncles as representative of traditional masculine roles and how Anney Boatwright and the other female Boatwrights embody traditional feminine stereotypes. It then contrasts the behaviors of Bone and Aunt Raylene, highlighting how their actions challenge and subvert these prescribed roles.
Keywords
Gender roles, gender stereotypes, "Bastard Out of Carolina," Dorothy Allison, white trash, feminist theory, social constructionism, essentialism, gender identity, societal expectations, motherhood, family dynamics, Southern Gothic literature.
Frequently Asked Questions about "Bastard Out of Carolina" Gender Analysis
What is the main focus of this paper?
This paper analyzes the portrayal of gender roles and stereotypes in Dorothy Allison's novel, "Bastard Out of Carolina." It examines how characters in the novel conform to or deviate from traditional gender expectations and explores the societal implications of these roles.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
Key themes include gender roles and stereotypes in society, the impact of gender on individual behavior, the representation of "white trash" families in American literature, a critique of societal norms and expectations through literary characters, and the exploration of gender identity and its relation to societal pressures.
What theoretical perspectives on gender are discussed?
The analysis explores essentialist and social constructionist interpretations of gender, examining the role of biology versus social arrangements in shaping gender identity and behavior. It also discusses the interactionist perspective, which combines aspects of both.
Which characters are analyzed and how?
The core analysis examines specific characters and their behavior in relation to established gender roles and stereotypes. It analyzes Glen and the Boatwright uncles as representative of traditional masculine roles, Anney Boatwright and other female Boatwrights as embodying traditional feminine stereotypes, and contrasts these with Bone and Aunt Raylene, who challenge and subvert prescribed roles.
What is the structure of the paper?
The paper includes an introduction, a chapter on gender studies providing theoretical background, a chapter dedicated to analyzing gender stereotypes within "Bastard Out of Carolina," focusing on specific characters, and a conclusion. A table of contents and key words are also provided.
What is the significance of the "white trash" context?
The analysis considers the novel's portrayal of a "white trash" family and how gender roles and stereotypes are manifested within this specific social context, adding another layer to the exploration of gender dynamics.
What are the key takeaways from the chapter summaries?
The introduction establishes the prevalence of gender stereotypes and their influence. The gender studies chapter lays the theoretical groundwork. The core analysis chapter examines specific characters' behaviors in relation to gender roles and stereotypes. Overall, the paper aims to demonstrate how societal expectations impact individual behavior and gender identity within the novel's context.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
Keywords include gender roles, gender stereotypes, "Bastard Out of Carolina," Dorothy Allison, white trash, feminist theory, social constructionism, essentialism, gender identity, societal expectations, motherhood, family dynamics, and Southern Gothic literature.
- 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
