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How Writing is Affected by Gender "The average man is a rectangular, square-cut, matter of fact, sober minded animal who does not receive impressions easily, who is not troubled with emotions and has no overmastering desire to communicate his sensations to anybody. But the average woman is just the reverse of all these. She is impressionable, emotional, and communicative. And impressionableness, emotionality, and communicativeness are three very important qualities of mind that make for novel writing." Frank Norris is certainly right in his assumption, and it is evident when we look through the literary heritage of the women writers. In The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the main characters oppression represents the effect of the oppression of women in society during the nineteenth century.
It is though she not only identified with other women but also to those groups whom were subject to domination. This effect is created by the use of intricate symbols such as the window of the house and the wallpaper, both of which facilitate her oppression, as well as her self-expression. The story is symbolic of feminine oppression during the nineteenth century. In order for the reader of The Yellow Wallpaper to understand the perspective for which the story was written, he / she needs to understand the feminist movement that Gilman was trying to achieve through her writing. Through her writing Gilman had begun to explore the issue of gender discrepancy within society in the nineteenth century. Her most notable piece The Yellow Wallpaper is a small literary masterpiece that portrays Gilman's own life.
During the nineteenth century it was rare to see a woman write about oppression, and the resentment they felt toward the society they lived in. Many believed that The Yellow Wallpaper was a feminist document, dealing with sexual politics during a time when few writers felt free to do so, at least so candidly. It was her role as a woman in her marriage with Charles Walter Stetson that made her realize the situation of women in society. Although Gilman suffered from depressions she is one of the most notable feminist writers of all time. Now that we have some understanding of gender bias during the nineteenth century it is fair to show how The Yellow Wallpaper portrayed such bias. One specific characteristic of the house that symbolizes not only her potential but also her trapped feeling is the window.
By tradition a window represents a view possibility; when we look out it we can see others doing the things that are possible for us. It is though a window is a porthole to everything that is going on in the world. However, in this story the window becomes a view that Jane does not want to see more than her view of possibilities. Her possibilities are to express her feelings and equality to the men that influence her.
At first she looks out the window and sees her potential and hope. Gilman illustrates this when Jane explains that she can see the women out of every one of her windows. Jane gets this amazing feeling of hope inside her because the woman is out in the daylight and most women do not creep by daylight. Although the woman is creeping, she is out in the daylight not hiding behind the darkness.
Willa Cather tends to portray static characters with little depth, yet she seems to approach her female characters with an air of liberalism that allows for a more well-rounded exploration of society than is found in the works of other contemporary authors. Cather depicts women as both the classic mother woman and the independent individual. Allowing her to free the female character from heir reliance on men. Her women are not just mothers, daughters, or wives; they are characters of their own able to grow and explore. A flare is given to Cather's pioneer stories by the dynamics of some of her female characters. The independent women in Cather's tales expand the window through which their society is judged, while the mother-woman frame of that window is solidified through the traditional values that they represent.
Cather, like several female writers of her era, approaches female characters by addressing the differences between women. Cather develops dynamic characters that relate the struggles of womanhood. The feminist tendencies of Cather allow her to create outcomes for her characters that dont have to involve love stories and births; her stories can end in business adventures and self-discovery. Although Cather explores modern ideals for women, she does not abandon the traditional values of husband and family. Cather portrays women young and old, rich and poor, and develops them into well rounded citizens. She allows her characters to free themselves from the social restraint of society and live the lives of their dreams.
In Souls Belated by Edith Wharton Lidia just got out of a terrible divorce and is out exploring the world and trying to figure out what to do with her life now. She doesnt travel alone; she travels with Gannett, who is her partner in crime. Lidia is scarred from her last marriage and views the whole idea of marriage as a burden or an escape for the weak. Lidia knows the customs of her culture and lives a sham of a marriage with Gannett. She views Marriage as such an evil thing that she is willing to lie to her peers for the sake of avoiding it and to save face. In Souls Belated Mrs.
Cope, the American disrupts the quiet atmosphere with her loud and public ways that is frowned on by all of the residents of Monte Rosa. In Souls Belated, the author tries to show what is going on in womans mind and heart, to explore feelings and emotions. Words Count: 954. Bibliography: Cather, Willa. (1992). O Pioneer. Michigan: Zondervan Publishers.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. (1987). Yellow Wallpaper. New York: Harper Collins. Wharton, Edith. (1998). Souls Belated. New York: Random House.
Free research essays on topics related to: nineteenth century, female characters, yellow wallpaper, charlotte perkins, women in society
Research essay sample on Women In Society Nineteenth Century
