One way the author marks a division of space, is the elaborate way the protagonist describes the fox pens, barn and white washed basement, the areas in which her father works which are carefully constructed over a few paragraphs (Munro 1-3), showing she favours male space. In comparison, the kitchen, her mother’s domain, is limited to one short sentence, “I hated the hot dark kitchen in the summer, the green blinds and flypapers, the same old oil tablecloth and the wavy mirror and bumpy linoleum” (Munro 4). The protagonist recognizes a difference between the space her mother and father both occupy, but does not understand that it is in the home, not outside that is the intended sphere of her future.
Munro uses a myriad of figurative language …show more content…
Women’s socially accepted ascribed roles are limited and while it is difficult to break through these social boundaries some are more easily broken than others. There is a cultural conditioning that men are superior at math and science while women excel at language and arts, however as children we are academically equal. For a time, girls actually surpass their male peers at mathematics (Hyde, Fenemma & Lamon 139-155), but as pre-teens can experience gender bias in the classroom, or in this case at home, so that they may choose activities based on how they receive attention (Sloan). Because of this they in turn strengthen typically “female” regarded subjects or activities, and thus the idea is supported that men are better at spacial awareness, math and science and women do not perform well in areas that are deemed as having high importance by society. At the turn of the 20th century a sociologist by the name of Charles Cooley argued our understanding of ourselves is based on how others perceive us, which he referred to as “Looking Glass Self” (171-185). With this in mind it is easy to see how a child can be affected to believe who they are able to be in life. As a child’s parents are their biggest influence on self-perception and gender socialization, a child’s position in the family helps determine what their gender identity is. Institutional stereotypes help support existing ideas on accepted gender roles within the farming community (Shucksmith & Luis 391-402) and parents pass on these values to their children through the generations. The well-known phrase “Farmers Wife” speaks for itself, it is not typical for a woman to be a farmer, but more-so as support to the farmer, working away in the background. In “Boys and Girls” the farm gender stereotyping can be observed through the tasks the children chose for themselves versus the ones that the adults encourage
Munro uses a myriad of figurative language …show more content…
Women’s socially accepted ascribed roles are limited and while it is difficult to break through these social boundaries some are more easily broken than others. There is a cultural conditioning that men are superior at math and science while women excel at language and arts, however as children we are academically equal. For a time, girls actually surpass their male peers at mathematics (Hyde, Fenemma & Lamon 139-155), but as pre-teens can experience gender bias in the classroom, or in this case at home, so that they may choose activities based on how they receive attention (Sloan). Because of this they in turn strengthen typically “female” regarded subjects or activities, and thus the idea is supported that men are better at spacial awareness, math and science and women do not perform well in areas that are deemed as having high importance by society. At the turn of the 20th century a sociologist by the name of Charles Cooley argued our understanding of ourselves is based on how others perceive us, which he referred to as “Looking Glass Self” (171-185). With this in mind it is easy to see how a child can be affected to believe who they are able to be in life. As a child’s parents are their biggest influence on self-perception and gender socialization, a child’s position in the family helps determine what their gender identity is. Institutional stereotypes help support existing ideas on accepted gender roles within the farming community (Shucksmith & Luis 391-402) and parents pass on these values to their children through the generations. The well-known phrase “Farmers Wife” speaks for itself, it is not typical for a woman to be a farmer, but more-so as support to the farmer, working away in the background. In “Boys and Girls” the farm gender stereotyping can be observed through the tasks the children chose for themselves versus the ones that the adults encourage