Gender Roles In Shiloh By Bobbie Ann Mason

A man’s masculinity is important to society. A man who loves to sew or do anything that isn’t physical is often viewed as week by others. Society is in love with hard working men that can maintain a good paying job along with providing for their family. A woman is expected to clean after a man and her children. Anything that makes a woman look masculine is frowned upon, because a man is viewed by society as the superior gender. Women are to be fragile and must never be above the man of the house. “Shiloh” by Bobbie Ann Mason highlights a couple who are placed in a situation where gender roles are switched. Leroy Moffitt fits the hardworking man stereotype he is a truck driver who is never home, and always provides for his wife. Norma Jean is the housewife who just takes care of the home that her. The theme of the story “Shiloh” is to show how gender …show more content…
This theme is revealed with the use of setting,symbols,characterization, and point of view. Throughout the story there is a strange feeling with Leroy and Norma’s marriage. Gender roles are different depending on what time period they are being viewed at. Gender roles today differ from the ones of the 1930’s or 1970’s. Today’s society has progressed and is much better than what previous decades have been. There is still much more to be done in order to remove the social stigma that surrounds gender role topics. Strict gender roles were more prevalent in older decades and are connected with conservative ideas. This is why setting is an important element to Shiloh. The time setting and physical setting is important when the message can be different when both are changed. Shiloh take place in a rural area and is located somewhere in the south. In the story it is mentioned that they live near Shiloh, Tennessee. Rural areas in the south praise hard working men with beautiful house wifes that look after everything