Discuss about the Gender Representation in English Literature for WW Norton.
Introduction: Gender has been depicted in the English literature over the years in different ways. Many great authors, playwrights had used gender as the background of their works. Over the ages femininity had been taken as the subject of great works. Whether in dramas, or in novels, portrayal of women played a major role in order to represent the position of women in the society. In respect to the discussion it must be mentioned the English literature has been enriched with the great works focusing on the portrayal of women of the society. Shedding the light on the gender, the essay therefore discusses how women have been portrayed in three great works of the English literature. The three literary works under discussion are namely, Look Back in Anger, Fight Club and Things Fall Apart. The essay will be separately elucidating and analyzing the authors’ portrayal of women in their works along with a close comparison among the three. The essay will be critically analyzing them in order to understand how these three novels had relevance with the then time of the society. Apart from that, the study will also be discussing the reasons for which the novel has been chosen in order to analyze the subject. While analyzing the three novels the argument will be stated before proceeding to the analysis. During the whole course of the discussion, several instances from the novels will be given in order to present a close connection as well as relevance with the argument of the study.
Discussion: The study will begin with John Osborne’s famous play Look Back in Anger. The story of the novel revolves around a young individual and his struggle. The protagonist of the novel, Jimmy Porter has been portrayed as a young youth who is dissatisfied with his life. Thus the play falls under the category of realist drama. Gender is one of the main themes of the play that Osborne has exclusively focused on (Osborne, Rose & Brooks, 1994). During the time of World War II, it was seen that most women of then society was stepped into new roles out of household works. As the war ends, most of them were assumed to return back taking the charge of household works. However, most of them continued to hold the means through which their financial independence will be retained. Therefore, conflicted view of gender was established in the whole course of the play which relates with the changing dimension of the position of the women in the society. While the protagonist of the play can be seen revealing his anger against the injustice to him. On the other hand, the female characters of the play were seen independent not dominated in that male dominated society. The aspect of femininity in this play was seen among the women of upper strata of the society (Meivizhi, 2017). Thus Osborne established a clash between the genders which were represented by Jimmy Porter and the female characters of the play Alison and Helena. Osborne’s portrayal of Jimmy Porter’s character depicts Jimmy as a typical male member of the society. Jimmy has been primarily shown as ill-natured, ill mannered and socially misfit person who bevies in dominating his wife. This revealed the societal structure during the time when Osborne penned down the novel. Illustration can be drawn with the excerpt from the play when Jimmy says, “knight in shining armor”, during marrying Alison against her family. Contradicting that, Alison stated, “His armor didn’t really shine much” (Osborne, Rose & Brooks, 1994). Undoubtedly, Alison’s this statement undermines the traditional notion of role of gender in the industry while reveals her pride of belonging from the higher class of the society. Jimmy’s character was more of a heroic nature, a character with the traits of lower class masculinity (Meivizhi, 2017). In respect to that it deserves mention that initially, Alison and Helena were attracted to Jimmy physically. This reveals that women of that time prioritized physical charm or attractiveness of the men rather than the intellects which finally results in Alison’s and Helena’s leaving Jimmy. Jimmy compares Alison’s sexual passion for sex with the traits of a python. Meanwhile the play also unfolds the destructive power of women over the men of the society. The shifting gender roles in the play give another dimension to the play unfolding the scenario of the society in line with the role of gender. Though in the place, it might seem that the dominance of masculinity to be prevailing in the play, however as the play progresses, equal importance is given to the female characters with Alison and Helena playing crucial role in the further development of the play.
The story of Things Fall Apart depicts the tragic fall of Okonkow who has been portrayed as the protagonist in the novel. The fall of the Igbo culture also occurred with the protagonist’s fall (Chinua, 1958). The narrative of Things Falls Apart begins with Okonkow’s being an influential leader within the community. He achieved personal fame as well as distinction in his life which leads him in being the most respected leader among his people. By achieving fame, he brought honor to the village. Thus Chinua Achebe in his novel gives a portrayal of an individual with great personality who at a very early age has been able to achieve the position of a best wrestler making the village proud. The starting of the novel includes general introduction of Okonkow’s character while the theme of gender has been incorporated right from the very beginning of the novel while introducing the character of Unoka, the father of the protagonist. As the story progress, it has been seen that Unoka was given the title of agabala for being inclined towards the women of the society. This reveals how the societal structure has a negative perception towards the women as they are compared as commodity rather than human being. Thus it is clearly understood that novel begins with highlighting the issue of gender biasness in the society (Wehrs, 2016). Further progression of the novel reveals that women of the Igbo culture do not get much exposer like the women of other culture as their rights are also limited. Along with that the second chapter of the novel witnesses violation against women. The dominance of the male members of the society has also been revealed through the characterization of Okonkwo. He made his wives living under a fear. The term ‘wives’ suggests that men of the Igbo society were allowed to marry more than one woman which reflects the dark side of Igbo culture. The Picture of the Igbo society as portrayed by the author depicts the social convention or culture was aggressive. The women in the society are considered as inferior while in the other hand; they men are considered as superior. The line “…women’s crops, like coco-yams, beans and cassava. Yam, the king of crops, was a man’s crop” implies that women of Igbo society mostly do household works and they are not welcomed to express their opinions. Rather their voice remains subdued before men (Wehrs, 2016). The people of the community consider crop as ‘King’ which implies male dominance within the society. Gender biasness is very common among the African culture and this clearly pictured by Achebe. As detailed by Achebe, the influence of gender stereotype is very significant as well as profound among the villagers. Thus it is said that gender played a very crucial role in the novel. Moreover, the novel sees a constant struggle over the aspect of gender and position of women within the Igbo community is undermined.
Like the above two literary works, Chuck Palahniuk’s also focuses on the theme of gender through shedding the light on masculinity. As per the details pictured by Palahniuk, the plot of the novel is designed in a way that women and men members of the society are looked differently (Palahniuk, 2005). Racism or discrimination has been brought during the course of the play again and gain. The novel exposes the dark side of the play through the degrading situation of the females within the society and the increasing male dominance. Gender conflict has been emerged as one of the crucial issue through the sections of the novel. As the novel progresses, it unfolds many dimensions of the gender biasness that were faced by the women characters of the novel. The plot of the novel depicts unveil how women within such a social convention, struggle for their existence. The harsh reality of the society has been well depicted through the novel. The unnamed protagonist and his struggle to win over insomnia have been established as the background of the novel. The theme of femininity has been well established by the women characters of the novel and thus it will be right to state that the contribution of the women characters like Marla singer depicts how the position of women in that time of the society was degraded (Jacobsen, 2013). While proceeding towards the conclusion, the theme of masculinity is redefined. The concept of masculinity gets complicated. The concluding part of the novel is of suggestion that raw masculinity is not more than harmful than such a society which is consumerist. In his regard, it must be noted that the fight club is exclusively for the men thus the novel mainly deals with the problems of men as well as it cannot be ignored that the character of the protagonist is also a male character through whom the theme of gender, especially the theme of masculinity has been portrayed. The line “Maybe another woman isn’t what I need right now” suggests that women have been portrayed as the destructive force over men. It also suggests that women are considered rather as a commodity and their position of within the society depends on the need of the men (Collado-Rodriguez, 2013). However, the novel ends with the notion of collaboration with the femininity in the scene where the unnamed narrator of the novel approaches to Marla seeking help to fight with Tyler and Project Mayhem.
To contrast, it will be right to apt that the three literary works secured the topic of sexual orientation from three alternate points of view. On one hand, Look Back in Anger is a novel that spins around a youthful individual and his battle as the hero of the novel, Jimmy Porter has been depicted as disappointed with his life. Hence the play falls under the classification of pragmatist dramatization. Sexuality is one of the principle topics of the play that Osborne has centered around. Amid the time of World War II, it was seen that most women of then society was ventured into new roles out of household works (Meivizhi, 2017). As the war closes, the majority of them were expected to return back taking the charge of household works. However, most of them continued to hold the means through which their financial independence would be retained. Along these lines, conflicted perspective of sexual orientation was set up in the entire course of the play which relates with the evolving dimension of the position of the women in the society. While the hero of the play can be seen uncovering his outrage against the unfairness to him, then again, the narrative of Things Fall Apart delineates the deplorable fall of Okonkwo who has been depicted as the hero in the novel (Jacobsen, 2013). The fall of the Igbo culture additionally happened with the hero’s fall. The narrative of Things Falls Apart starts with Okonkow’s being a powerful leader inside the group. He accomplished individual acclaim and in addition refinement in his life which leads him in being the most regarded leader among his kin. By accomplishing notoriety, he brought respect to his village. Hence Chinua Achebe in his novel gives a depiction of a person with extraordinary identity who at an exceptionally early age has possessed the capacity to accomplish the situation of a best wrestler making the village proud of him. The beginning of the novel incorporates general presentation of Okonkow’s character while the subject of sexuality has been fused appropriate from the earliest starting point of the novel while presenting the character of Unoka, the father of the hero. As the story advances, it has been seen that Unoka was given the title of agabala for being slanted towards the ladies of the general public. This uncovers how the societal structure has a negative observation towards the ladies as they are thought about as ware instead of person. Chuck Palahniuk’s likewise centers around the topic of sexuality through shedding the light on masculinity (Collado-Rodriguez, 2013). According to the points of interest imagined by Palahniuk, the plot of the novel is outlined in a way that ladies and men individuals from the society are looked in an unexpected way. Bigotry or separation has been brought over the span of the play again and pick up. The novel uncovered the dim side of the play through the debasing circumstance of the females inside the general public and the expanding male strength. Sexual orientation strife has been developed as one of the significant issue through the areas of the novel. As the novel advances, it unfurls numerous measurements of the sexual orientation biasness that were looked by the ladies characters of the novel. The plot of the novel portrays disclose how ladies inside such a social tradition, battle for their reality.
Conclude: To conclude it can be said that it can be said that the three literary works covered the theme of gender from three different perspectives. Many great authors, playwrights had been using gender as the background of their works. Over the ages femininity had been taken as the subject of great works. Whether in dramas, or in novels, portrayal of women had been playing a major role in order to represent the position of women in the society. In respect to the discussion it must be mentioned the English literature has been enriched with the great works with the portrayal of women of the society. Shedding the light on the gender, the essay therefore discusses how women have been portrayed in three great works of the English literature. The three literary works under discussion are namely, Look Back in Anger, Fight Club and Things Fall Apart. The essay will separately elucidate and analyze the authors’ portrayed women in their works along with a close comparison among the three. The essay will be critically analyzing them in order to understand how these three novels had relevance with the then time of the society. Apart from that, the study will also be discussing the reasons for which the novel has been chosen in order to analyze the subject. During the whole course of the discussion, several instances from the novels will be given in order to present a close connection as well as relevance with the argument of the study.
References
Chinua, A. (1958). Things fall apart. Ch. Achebe, 1-117.
Collado-Rodriguez, F. (Ed.). (2013). Chuck Palahniuk: Fight Club, Invisible Monsters, Choke. A&C Black.
Jacobsen, K. (2013). Chuck Palahniuk: Beyond the Body: A Representation of Gender in Fight Club, Invisible Monsters and Diary (Master’s thesis).
Meivizhi, M. (2017). Social Discrimination in John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger. Language in India, 17(12).
Osborne, J., Rose, M., & Brooks, B. (1994). Look back in anger. Cideb.
Palahniuk, C. (2005). Fight Club: a novel. WW Norton & Company.
Wehrs, D. R. (2016). Pre-Colonial Africa in Colonial African Narratives: From Ethiopia Unbound to Things Fall Apart, 1911–1958. Routledge.
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download