He is the Man…Analysis of The Colour of Milk Nell Leyshon’s The Colour of Milk is a novel about the occurrences that lead to the death of a young girl named Mary. Mary lives on a farm with her mother, father, and three other sisters: Hope, Violet and Beatrice. Established in England in 1830, Mary inscribes in first person narrative about her experiences from 1830 to 1831. Early in the book Mary tells of her daily life on the farm dealing with her father and how he mishandles his own father, her sisters and quite possibly her mother. Mary informs of various occasions where her father abuses her family either physically or verbally, but not one person does a thing to halt him. Mary’s mother does not stand up for her daughters or Mary’s grandfather.
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He was the protector and the lord. He was strong, brave, and hard working. Women were shy, weak, and emotional compared to men. She was supposed to be pure and quiet…Women had no legal say. The property of a married woman went to her husband (“Gender Roles of Victorian Era for Men and Women”).
Mary’s father had to uphold to these ideals during this time in history of being the strong, hard-working individual. His family was expected to surrender to his authority.
Clarice Swisher, author of Victorian England, writes that during the 1800s “lower classes were locked into a way of life and had few opportunities to improve their status…change their lives or the lives of their children” (30). Mary’s family, resigned to this type of lifestyle, had to cope with Mary’s father as the moral authority. He was the one guiding them through this daily way of life. He along with his family had to awaken every day at the crack of dawn to work on the farmhouse. Whenever someone in his household did not do what they were expected to do, he would castigate them how he thought appropriate. On most occasions throughout the novel, Mary’s father hit his daughters because they were not keeping themselves occupied with …show more content…
Mary’s grandfather appears to be the only individual in the family who appreciates her company and listens to her. Conceivably because they are both belittled and mistreated because of their shortcomings. It is presumed that at one point in time Mary’s grandfather was the man of the house, but is not anymore ever since he fell off the hayrack and paralyzed his legs (Leyshon 9). He can no longer do work around the farm. He is just another mouth to feed, leading to much resentment and anger from Mary’s father. Mary’s mother even proclaims that her grandfather is a “lazy sod” and “might as well be dead for the use he is” (Leyshon 22). Mary is a witness to the physical abuse her father inflicts on her grandfather. When Mary’s father hauls her grandfather by the arms into another room to abuse him, Mary inquires her mother to halt him but her mother declares: “no…who’s the man? [sic]” (Leyshon 22). Mary’s grandfather recognizes that he is depending on his son’s labor and family to keep him alive since he cannot do anything for himself. His son is now the head of the household and it is his farm that he is living on; therefore, he does not speak out against Mary’s
He was the protector and the lord. He was strong, brave, and hard working. Women were shy, weak, and emotional compared to men. She was supposed to be pure and quiet…Women had no legal say. The property of a married woman went to her husband (“Gender Roles of Victorian Era for Men and Women”).
Mary’s father had to uphold to these ideals during this time in history of being the strong, hard-working individual. His family was expected to surrender to his authority.
Clarice Swisher, author of Victorian England, writes that during the 1800s “lower classes were locked into a way of life and had few opportunities to improve their status…change their lives or the lives of their children” (30). Mary’s family, resigned to this type of lifestyle, had to cope with Mary’s father as the moral authority. He was the one guiding them through this daily way of life. He along with his family had to awaken every day at the crack of dawn to work on the farmhouse. Whenever someone in his household did not do what they were expected to do, he would castigate them how he thought appropriate. On most occasions throughout the novel, Mary’s father hit his daughters because they were not keeping themselves occupied with …show more content…
Mary’s grandfather appears to be the only individual in the family who appreciates her company and listens to her. Conceivably because they are both belittled and mistreated because of their shortcomings. It is presumed that at one point in time Mary’s grandfather was the man of the house, but is not anymore ever since he fell off the hayrack and paralyzed his legs (Leyshon 9). He can no longer do work around the farm. He is just another mouth to feed, leading to much resentment and anger from Mary’s father. Mary’s mother even proclaims that her grandfather is a “lazy sod” and “might as well be dead for the use he is” (Leyshon 22). Mary is a witness to the physical abuse her father inflicts on her grandfather. When Mary’s father hauls her grandfather by the arms into another room to abuse him, Mary inquires her mother to halt him but her mother declares: “no…who’s the man? [sic]” (Leyshon 22). Mary’s grandfather recognizes that he is depending on his son’s labor and family to keep him alive since he cannot do anything for himself. His son is now the head of the household and it is his farm that he is living on; therefore, he does not speak out against Mary’s