To Kill a Mockingbird Thematic Essay on the Effect of Gender Norms
In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the author introduces the county of Maycomb in Alabama, in the 1950’s. Around this time, it was a norm in society to have specific expectations for both genders; some of those norms were that women are subordinate to men, men are leaders and more privileged, and women are caretakers of the home and children. These expectations probably manifested from accustomed parents (to the gender norms) forcing these expectations onto their children, in which they hope that their children will follow in that example and pass on those norms. Lee feels negatively towards this method of passing on gender norms, because she believes that everyone …show more content…
In the beginning of the story the author described Jem to be childish and carefree, through his way to cover his own fear of Boo Radley: “...he had thought [creating a game about the Radleys] up to make me understand he wasn’t afraid of the the Radleys in any shape or form” (51). Lee shows this about Jem to make it evident to the reader that Jem is trying to prove he isn’t scared of the Radleys, by making a game about them, to prove his “fearless heroism” (51) to Scout. This example shows the male gender norm of being courageous in the face of fear, and how Jem is slowly being affected by the influence of males in this society. However later on in the novel, the effect of expectations for gender seem to intensify. Jem is of the age to begin playing football however he was “too slender and too young” (324) to qualify for the team. As a result to this response, Jem was pressured by the societal gender norm of being strong and bigger compared to women, hence his reason to suddenly try to gain weight and strength by carrying buckets full of water around. Given that the author believes in free will away from gender norms, Lee feels negatively towards this response because Jem was forced under societal pressure from male figures in his life to become accustomed …show more content…
This manifests in everyday life, due to the passing of those accustomed norms from parent to child. The author expresses her negative emotions toward this action, because she feels that it is important for people to be themselves, despite the current gender norms. Additionally, Harper Lee shows that there shouldn’t be societal pressure for people to follow those norms, because it destroys unique personality and style. Overall, in Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird, she shows to the reader that we shouldn’t submit to social gender roles and be ourselves, against what society might think, by using her characters Jem, Scout, and the symbolism that is their
In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the author introduces the county of Maycomb in Alabama, in the 1950’s. Around this time, it was a norm in society to have specific expectations for both genders; some of those norms were that women are subordinate to men, men are leaders and more privileged, and women are caretakers of the home and children. These expectations probably manifested from accustomed parents (to the gender norms) forcing these expectations onto their children, in which they hope that their children will follow in that example and pass on those norms. Lee feels negatively towards this method of passing on gender norms, because she believes that everyone …show more content…
In the beginning of the story the author described Jem to be childish and carefree, through his way to cover his own fear of Boo Radley: “...he had thought [creating a game about the Radleys] up to make me understand he wasn’t afraid of the the Radleys in any shape or form” (51). Lee shows this about Jem to make it evident to the reader that Jem is trying to prove he isn’t scared of the Radleys, by making a game about them, to prove his “fearless heroism” (51) to Scout. This example shows the male gender norm of being courageous in the face of fear, and how Jem is slowly being affected by the influence of males in this society. However later on in the novel, the effect of expectations for gender seem to intensify. Jem is of the age to begin playing football however he was “too slender and too young” (324) to qualify for the team. As a result to this response, Jem was pressured by the societal gender norm of being strong and bigger compared to women, hence his reason to suddenly try to gain weight and strength by carrying buckets full of water around. Given that the author believes in free will away from gender norms, Lee feels negatively towards this response because Jem was forced under societal pressure from male figures in his life to become accustomed …show more content…
This manifests in everyday life, due to the passing of those accustomed norms from parent to child. The author expresses her negative emotions toward this action, because she feels that it is important for people to be themselves, despite the current gender norms. Additionally, Harper Lee shows that there shouldn’t be societal pressure for people to follow those norms, because it destroys unique personality and style. Overall, in Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird, she shows to the reader that we shouldn’t submit to social gender roles and be ourselves, against what society might think, by using her characters Jem, Scout, and the symbolism that is their