Gender Roles In The Lost Girls

The evolution of gender roles allows for the perception of both male and female to be reevaluated throughout time, allowing for further understanding in the importance of equality. Gender roles socialize boys and girls to mimic the precedent of gender-specific functions deliberated by society. Yolen’s short story, “The Lost Girls”, critiques the socialization of children, to adapt to stereotyped gender-specific roles within society, forcing them to attune to the power struggle of the genders, which can either reflect the social hierarchy to encourage the benefactor of the gender pecking order, or overturn the social hierarchy, to one which maltreats the previous eminent gender. Yolen’s narrative displays the conflict between gender for predominant …show more content…
Through their perception of each other, displays gender assumptions that exist to divide them in constant struggle. The benefactor within the social hierarchy gains their stereotyped gender-specific role within society. While the oppressed revolts against the pecking order or overturn the social hierarchy, to one that maltreats the previous eminent gender. Through Yolen’s representation of gender power struggles and gender assumptions, the representation of equality between the genders, displays the natural struggle of socializing gender roles. Peter and Darla hold specific gender assumptions of each other to reflect contrasting options on the roles of the opposing gender within society. Peter Pan upholds a conservative, misogynistic view towards gender for he believes women should not take part in fighting and playing, rather they must work as domestic caretakers to the boys of Neverland. His attitude towards the opposing gender is represented through the metaphor of the thimble. When Peter Pan first meets Darla, he asks her, “Give us a thimble” (Yolen 135). In narrative exposition the narrator explains that within the story, ““Peter got kiss and thimble mixed up, and she guessed what it was he really meant” (Yolen 135). The thimble represents Peter’s lack of understanding and maturity towards the opposite gender. The character makes many assumptions about Darla in how he believes he can dictate what she …show more content…
Yolen’s representation of gender, through the conflict of authority, the gender assumptions nurtured through socialization and Yolen’s interpretation of equality between the genders, display the natural struggle of socialized gender roles, while displaying balance through co-operation and evolution negating from common gender-specific