Petrified Woman in Welty’s Petrified Man
The Petrified Man takes place in the Deep South back in the 1930’s. Society at that time and place had very strong beliefs regarding the role of male and female and the institution of traditional marriage. I see Leota breaking the gender norm of the female by having feelings for another female and exhibiting tradition male "feelings" for a female. This story is interesting as the only mention of male characters during the whole story is the main character and beauty shop owner Leota’s unflattering description of her own husband and the other customer’s husbands. The characters that are interacting are two women in a beauty shop. Leota confides playing with her old, happily married customer Mrs. Fletcher …show more content…
Pike is apparent in the way she notices everything about her. From the rendezvous drinking beer in her car, she notes the make and year. “So we was settin in Mrs. Pike’s car, is a 1939 Dodge’’ - She drinks Mrs. Pike’s favorite beer. “that’s the beer that Mrs. Pike says is made right in N.O. so she won’t drink no other kind” (372). She knows exactly how old Mrs. Pike is, what her sign is. “Mrs. Pike’s thirty three, born in January, an Aquarian” (373). Clearly, there is something going on from today’s standpoint, what heterosexual female cares what sign another female is or what beer she drinks. Maybe back then it was less obvious. There were a few points that it seems Mrs. Fletcher was catching on. She does not really like Mrs. Pike to start with because of her telling everyone of the pregnancy, but she seems to get aggravated after the visit to the fortune teller when she proclaims: “Does Mrs. Pike know everything about you already?” “Mercy!” (374). Mrs. Fletcher’s frustration is clear when she says, "Well! How's Mrs. Pike, your at tractive new friend with the sharp eyes who spreads it around town that perfect strangers are pregnant?" Leota answers in a tired daze “Oh Mizziz Pike” (377) clearly not caring about her anger. She seems almost mesmerized by the other …show more content…
Pike gets the five hundred dollars Leota goes off the deep end. Maybe she thinks it will change their relationship. The Pikes were taking the five hundred and going to leave permanently as Leota states that they have to rent the room. Maybe Leota’s anger was not over the money at all, maybe not jealous that it wasn’t her money, she was losing control of her relationship with Mrs. Pike’s as the Pike’s were moving
The Petrified Man takes place in the Deep South back in the 1930’s. Society at that time and place had very strong beliefs regarding the role of male and female and the institution of traditional marriage. I see Leota breaking the gender norm of the female by having feelings for another female and exhibiting tradition male "feelings" for a female. This story is interesting as the only mention of male characters during the whole story is the main character and beauty shop owner Leota’s unflattering description of her own husband and the other customer’s husbands. The characters that are interacting are two women in a beauty shop. Leota confides playing with her old, happily married customer Mrs. Fletcher …show more content…
Pike is apparent in the way she notices everything about her. From the rendezvous drinking beer in her car, she notes the make and year. “So we was settin in Mrs. Pike’s car, is a 1939 Dodge’’ - She drinks Mrs. Pike’s favorite beer. “that’s the beer that Mrs. Pike says is made right in N.O. so she won’t drink no other kind” (372). She knows exactly how old Mrs. Pike is, what her sign is. “Mrs. Pike’s thirty three, born in January, an Aquarian” (373). Clearly, there is something going on from today’s standpoint, what heterosexual female cares what sign another female is or what beer she drinks. Maybe back then it was less obvious. There were a few points that it seems Mrs. Fletcher was catching on. She does not really like Mrs. Pike to start with because of her telling everyone of the pregnancy, but she seems to get aggravated after the visit to the fortune teller when she proclaims: “Does Mrs. Pike know everything about you already?” “Mercy!” (374). Mrs. Fletcher’s frustration is clear when she says, "Well! How's Mrs. Pike, your at tractive new friend with the sharp eyes who spreads it around town that perfect strangers are pregnant?" Leota answers in a tired daze “Oh Mizziz Pike” (377) clearly not caring about her anger. She seems almost mesmerized by the other …show more content…
Pike gets the five hundred dollars Leota goes off the deep end. Maybe she thinks it will change their relationship. The Pikes were taking the five hundred and going to leave permanently as Leota states that they have to rent the room. Maybe Leota’s anger was not over the money at all, maybe not jealous that it wasn’t her money, she was losing control of her relationship with Mrs. Pike’s as the Pike’s were moving