A select few of people in life tend to rebel or challenge the perceived normality in their society during a certain age or time. In the novel Winter’s Bone, author Daniel Woodrell visualizes and expresses a character that would be considered part of this select few through the characterization and outlook of Ree Dolly. This young girl is presented as a character that both defies and at the same time accepts the society accepted stereotypical and strict gender roles of her world that strongly believes women should be submissive to men. Ree Dolly embodies and displays this combination of gender roles through teachings to her brothers and when taking actions to find her father be a symbol of her inner personality, which is a combined embodiment
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This combination is at times forced upon her to, but much of the time it aids in her journey. As the narrator explains the conversation between Ree and Teardop, he exclaims “Ree broke and looked down, scared and slumping” (Woodrell 24). In the beginning of the conversation between Ree and Teardrop, she is portrayed as confident and independent. However, as the conversation dwells on, the reader sees how Ree is forcefully drenched in a moment of expected womanly traits. Through the quote, the young woman is stripped down to society’s expectations of how a woman is expected to behave in front of a man in the novel’s world. In this single instance, the protagonist is not seen as independent and tough anymore which are characteristics of a man in this world. She is brought back to the expected traits of a woman, which are shown as being obeying and submissive. Although the protagonist is portrayed as encompassing her womanly gender role of being submissive, she quickly takes on the opposite of these traits. For example, Ree chooses to go up to Thump Milton’s home in a chance to speak with him (Woodrell 61-63). The protagonist makes a bold choice and continues to Thump Milton’s home despite the fact that most of everyone that she has come into contact with has advised her not to and told her that it was a man’s job or duty. Ree feels she has no other choice but to take on this duty for the sake of protecting and providing for her family which is a characteristic that is expected of men within the novel’s fictional world. Therefore, she pushes past society’s expectations and accepted gender roles to pursue her
This combination is at times forced upon her to, but much of the time it aids in her journey. As the narrator explains the conversation between Ree and Teardop, he exclaims “Ree broke and looked down, scared and slumping” (Woodrell 24). In the beginning of the conversation between Ree and Teardrop, she is portrayed as confident and independent. However, as the conversation dwells on, the reader sees how Ree is forcefully drenched in a moment of expected womanly traits. Through the quote, the young woman is stripped down to society’s expectations of how a woman is expected to behave in front of a man in the novel’s world. In this single instance, the protagonist is not seen as independent and tough anymore which are characteristics of a man in this world. She is brought back to the expected traits of a woman, which are shown as being obeying and submissive. Although the protagonist is portrayed as encompassing her womanly gender role of being submissive, she quickly takes on the opposite of these traits. For example, Ree chooses to go up to Thump Milton’s home in a chance to speak with him (Woodrell 61-63). The protagonist makes a bold choice and continues to Thump Milton’s home despite the fact that most of everyone that she has come into contact with has advised her not to and told her that it was a man’s job or duty. Ree feels she has no other choice but to take on this duty for the sake of protecting and providing for her family which is a characteristic that is expected of men within the novel’s fictional world. Therefore, she pushes past society’s expectations and accepted gender roles to pursue her