In
Their Eyes Were Watching God and/or
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, how does gender (society’s vision of what it means to be male and female) affect characters’ identities, decisions, and/or lives? In the society presented in the novel, what does it mean to be a man? a woman? Do the society's expectations of masculinity and femininity affect Janie's and Maya's life in any significant ways? Are there any other characters that seem driven by societal expectations of gender (say, Joe Starks, for instance)? How has society's concept of gender roles changed over time? How has it not changed?
I am reading Their Eyes Were Watching God. Gender roles play a large part in the book from what I have read so far. In the new town that Janie and Joe Starks live in, their lives are different. Men are expected to work outside the home while women tend to work within the home. This definitely changes Janie's life. She stated in the novel that "She felt far away from things and lonely." She wants to be involved but she can't because of the way society is molded. Joe Starks is definitely driven by social expectations. He is the post master, the landlord, and the store keeper. To top it all off, he is also the Mayor of the town as voted on by the community. In comparison to how things are now, women's roles have changed drastically. In order to maintain a comfortable lifestyle, both men and women need to work outside the home to provide financial support for their families. Women still need to keep the house tidy, but now they need to contribute to other aspects as well.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that roles for women have changed drastically since the time period in the novel. In that particular era women are basically treated like trash. At least I think Janie is. For example when Jody finally lets her help him she is forced to work in the store. While she is their he insists that she keeps her head covered to show everyone that she belongs to him. He scolds her for every mistake that she makes, and allows literally no room for error. Nowadays women can work outside of their homes and work alongside with men besides their husbands and receive no punishment for it. I believe that the novel relies heavily on this aspect of culture to prove the main points.
DeleteAfter finishing "Their Eyes Were Watching God", I would defiantly say that gender roles play a large part in the book. Even from the first chapter we start to learn that every female must revolve their entire world around marrying and listening to a man or men for the rest of their lives. In the beginning of the book we see how Janie's grandmother forces her into an unwanted marriage, because her grandmother feels that it will "protect" her granddaughter. Then comes along this romantic man the begins to promise and buy Janie the world, Joe Starks. Joe begins to change his tune, he bosses Janie around and no longer care for her feelings but instead is worried about what everyone else thinks, and Janie puts up with it because she has to do what her "husband" wants. Even after Joe dies Janie still must do what the others expect of her, she puts on black and white dresses because everyone else expects her to be mourning her lost husband. Then comes along a young man named Tea Cake, and he does not care what others think. He does not believe in gender roles and soon Janie begins to care less and less what others think, and falls slowly in love with Tea Cake. In this book men are expected to work hard, weather it be in a factory or field, so he man provide and take care of his family. Women on the other hand are expected to do what they are told, not to think for themselves, and to always take care of their husbands no matter how he may treat her.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting to see that Tea Cake is used as an example of someone defying a gender role, as in today's society the expected role of men can be ignored. It is easy to see the obvious expectations of Janie to fill to role of the doting wife and then the mourning widow, but the expectation that a man needs to be a manly man who supports his family with his difficult job is forgotten. Today, women are very aware and concerned about what others expect of them, and are working to change those expectations. However, I think because of the struggle of women to do this, people can forget that men have the same issue. I like that Diana brought up the gender role of a man during this time period as well.
DeleteI think its interesting to see that Tea Cake is used as an example of someone defying a gender role, as in today's society the expected role of men can be ignored. It is easy to see the obvious expectations of Janie to fill to role of the doting wife and then the mourning widow, but the expectation that a man needs to be a manly man who supports his family with his difficult job is forgotten. Today, women are very aware and concerned about what others expect of them, and are working to change those expectations. However, I think because of the struggle of women to do this, people can forget that men have the same issue. I like that Diana brought up the gender role of a man during this time period as well.
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DeleteI also read "Their Eyes Were Watching God", and I agree with what Lexi and Diana said. But there are some things I disagree with in Lexi's comment she says that to maintain a comfortable lifestyle both the men and women must work, I don't believe that is true there are many women who are stay at home moms and some men are stay at home dads. It is more common in today's society that both men and women work but it is not a required aspect in our world. Diana said that Tea Cake didn't believe in gender roles, I feel that Tea Cake just didn't pressure Janie into the roles of a wife as forcibly as Joe Starks did. When Janie and Tea Cake come to the 'Glades Janie stays at the house to take care of cleaning and the meals. So in a smaller way Tea Cake is still a believer in gender roles but he isn't a forceful pusher and supporter of them.
ReplyDeleteI think that in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" Maya's life in Stamps, Arkansas is so much different than when she moves to St Louis with her mother. In Stamps she is around her protective and "head of the house" grandmother who is in no way "girly". When she gets to St Louis everything is so up-to-date. Men dress in matching suits which Maya thinks "make the men look more like women" and the women wear lipstick which in her grandmother's eye's is a sin. The men in St. Louis, especially her uncle's, are very tough whether they are black or white and that is very different for her.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Amanda, when Maya moves away from Stamps, Arkansas life for her does become so much more different. But even though she moves to a city where everything is so update I feel like the gender roles did not change much. Such as when Maya was trying to find a job when she turned sixteen years old her options were very limited to what she could do because she was a women because most women did not work. They stayed at home and took care of the household while their husband went to work.
DeleteI read " Their Eyes Were Watching God" and I agree with Kyla that there are many men/ women that are stay at home parents. I think it's kind of strange though that when we think of a stay at home parent we assume it's a mother. While reading this, even from the beginning you could tell that men and women were treated very differently. Men were supposed to work out in the field or at a store and women were supposed to get married and do whatever they needed to make their husbands happy under any circumstances. I think that now people are treated very different, women can do jobs that used to be thought of as only male jobs such as firefighters , and men can do female jobs such as nursing. Women do not have to marry, and if they do and are unhappy they don't have to stay married and miserable.
ReplyDeleteUsing the novel "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" I would like to focus this question on Maya's troubles with Mr. Freeman. In Stamps, a small and religious town, Maya was raised to believe that sex was bad and after her encounter with Mr. Freeman she was scared to tell what had happened because she didn't want people to think she was acting womanly, seeing she was only a child. This concept would go along with the thoughts of today that woman who have been raped were "asking for it", therefore they think it is their fault and do not want to tell anyone. I do not believe that had Bailey experienced this traumatic event he would have worried so much about it being his fault; however, men face the fears of being seen as not masculine if they were to report such an issue.
ReplyDeleteWith the idea of women who are raped are just "asking for it", in Maya's case she knew that what was happening with Mr. Freeman was terrible and with her religious upbringings thought it was a sin. Bringing up gender roles into the problem they show that Mr. Freeman was just showing his masculinity and being strong, even though he was just being a creep. Maya was seen as young and vulnerable and since she was a girl she should have been more submissive. But, Maya does show that she grew from the situation after not talking. Not just men in books are strong.
DeleteIn "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," Maya Angelou explains her journey of understanding gender roles as a teen and how they made her define herself in different ways. Maya lived in San Francisco with her mother during her teens. Female gender roles and basic femininity defined what Maya thought of herself. Maya did not match the societal expectations for femininity, and it at one point made her think that she could be a lesbian. Maya's brother, Bailey, also struggled with societal expectations for who he was meant to be. Bailey strived to become like the men with whom his mother spent her time with, mostly because they were who he saw as role models and as his examples for masculinity. Gender roles have changed quite a bit from the time Maya Angelou was a teen. There are so many different molds for what it means to be feminine or masculine, although not all of them are accepted in all circles. There's even new molds that make it so someone doesn't have to live within the confines of his or her assigned gender, or even describe themselves using a gender. With the acceptance of these new molds by the newer generations, gender roles could soon be obsolete.
ReplyDeleteI read "Their eyes were watching god". In Janie's first two marriages the men gender roles are having the power. Joe and Logan always have power and seem to be telling Janie what to do without giving her any input or freedom. The women role is Janie doing everything for the husband. The women stay around the house and care for the man when they do all the working. In today's society things and even through the book things start to change. Tea cake and Janie do all the working together. In real life women and men both go to work now and even some men do all the cooking.
ReplyDeleteIn "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" I noticed that Maya's perspective on femininity and womanhood was altered after she was raped and possibly while she was growing up. The way Momma expressed love wasn't all kisses and hugs, which could have been why she felt comfort around Mr. Freeman, despite what he was doing to her. She wasn't used to the physical contact. Also, that's why she craved a boyfriend towards the end of the book and decided to have sex. Maybe she thought that since she felt loved around Mr. Freeman, someone else could make her feel the same kind of love if they did what he did.
ReplyDeleteI think that in the novel, being submissive, making yourself almost seen but not really heard, and just going along with things whether you agree with them or not is what society tried to make the female out to be. It's obvious that women were viewed objectively and needed to rely on a man to take care of things. Nowadays, society has completely changed that. Some women work outside the home, which was rarer during the novel's setting. Some women also work in "masculine" career fields, like jobs that require lots of physical activity.
Being a provider and a protector, and controlling things was deemed a man's place in society during the era of the novel. Although men had lots of responsibility to financially support the family, for some it got to their heads that since they did that, they could do whatever they wanted, judge and oppress people as they pleased, and forcibly take what they wanted. They thought that since women and children were the "weaker" elements of society, it didn't matter what the men did to them, because at that time period as mentioned earlier, women were expected to keep their thoughts to themselves. Now, that has also drastically changed in society today. Not all men go to a workplace everyday, some are stay at home fathers. Like Noah mentioned, some men work more "feminine" jobs. Today in society, everyone voices their opinions, and they can't expect a woman to keep quiet just because they're not as powerful or as bold as the man.
The characters in the novel "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" were affected by both society and family. In the south, African-Americans were defined as housemaids/servants, unintelligent, and barbaric. Maya Angelou stepped outside of the negative stereotype by using her intelligence and persevering through tough times. While Maya lacked the physical appearance of her family, she excelled at school and in her studies. During the novel, Maya realized that she did not need to conform to society’s ideals to be successful. Bailey Johnson Jr. faced pressure from society to be a supportive brother even though he really wanted to be more like his masculine father. The society’s concept of women and men have slowly changed over the years. Both genders have an equal chance in the workforce and at home. Males and females sometimes face sexism, stereotypes, and unfair expectations due to society.
ReplyDeleteDoes the media (social and entertainment) affect “Society’s ideals” and the way people view genders? I believe the media nowadays plays the biggest influence on society.
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DeleteI strongly agree that in today's society, media plays one of the largest roles in affecting the way people view genders and ideals. However, I believe that media has done more good than bad when it comes to gender biases and "society's ideals". For example, in the times that the novel "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" took place, there were lots of gender biases and racial tensions. There was also a much smaller presence of media and advanced technologies at that time. Comparatively, in today's time, few gender biases and racial tensions exist partially due to media and advanced technologies that have a large presence.
DeleteIn my opinion, the use of technology and media expedited the controversy of gender roles. The Internet consists of controversy of all different kinds- racism and sexism being very controversial topics. Much of modern-day feminism has resulted in voiced opinions via the Internet, rather than to an audience who can actually do something about gender discrimination. At the time of the novel, media was not big at all, and social media did not exist. Nowadays, if a black man is shot by a white police officer for whatever reason, people virtually riot over the Internet and the whole nation is sent into chaos. Media has become unnecessarily bias towards many things, and has caused people to blindly build an opinion on something with little to no actual knowledge.
DeleteGender roles? That always sounds like more of a job then a definition of a gender to me. Women should stay home and raise the kids while men go to work to support the family. People who still have that as their belief of the ideal gender roles are to stubborn to embrace the change that a new generation brings along. Yes, I know change is scary for most people, but that shouldn't be a reason to stick with the same old stuff as always. Maya's grandmother had a job and personal duty to run the store while also taking care of Maya and her brother Bailey. Mr. Freeman used his intimidating looks and attitude to give off a more "manly" vibe because that's what men were perceived as back then. With every generation comes a new look of how genders roles should be.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Brianna gender roles does sound like definitions. Women being told they have to act a certain way and do certain things, while men just get to do pretty much whatever they want with no question. Although I do believe that new generations such as ours has brought many changes. Women are leading and becoming bosses over men; some are even looking to lead the country. Yes there are some people out there that are not willing to change, but that's their own fault and if they want to be mean well they can live that way. We can't change everyone's point of view.
DeleteI definitely agree that a gender role sounds like a job; however, I do think your comment shows a strong bias towards women. I can agree that in today's society, women's roles are highlighted much more than those of men, but I do not think that the roles of men should be completely ignored. To say that men can do whatever they want with no question is simply untrue. Other than that, I completely agree with the steps that are being taken as the years go on to reach an equilibrium with the gender roles of women, and those of men.
DeleteI agree with Brianna that that gender roles sounds like the expectations of a gender than a definition of a gender itself.I found it amusing that at the summer fish fry it was the men's task to catch the fish and the women's job to prepare and cook it. The expectations for men and women were very different back then then how they are now. Momma broke those standards and made herself a respected woman. She manages to raise two kids, run a shop, and take care of uncle Willie on her own.
DeleteWhile reading "Their Eyes Were Watching God" I learned that Janie had been pushed around by the man most of her life. She was always having to what her husband had told her. Never being able to stand up for herself. From the beginning of this book you could tell that women were defiantly treated differently. The roles have changed a lot since the time the book was written many women work side by side men, not just in the kitchen or around the house. I think it's great that the world is changing for the better and more people are understanding.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading " Their Eyes Were Watching God", I came to conclusion that Janie was almost programmed to do whatever the man she was with at that time being wanted her to do. When she was with Joe Starks, Jaine let him push her around and did everything he wanted her to do. I also realize that when Jaine was first with Tea Cake, she still did what he wanted her to do, but as time went on she started talking back and explaining her feelings more. Gender roles are one of the many things that society takes to heart. I do not think that the roles are a big part of life, but some people still live and breath by these roles. I almost feel as a society, we cannot go by gender roles because of how strong women are becoming these days. By having books written and movies made from the perspective of a woman, women in the government and what not, I think people are starting to realize that women are no longer the damsel in distress anymore, but people who can take on anything and anyone.
ReplyDeleteWhen finished with "Their Eyes Were Watching God", I found that gender basically defined how you acted in the novel. Women were basically treated like slaves, forced to do anything and everything men would ask. Men, in opposition, controlled the women's lives. For example, when Janie had left Logan because he was too controlling she was then forced to work in the store in the new town. The power Joe had over Janie became overboard, such as when Janie would disobey she was slapped by him. Janie would have no response to this as she knew that she was not in control of this relationship, but Joe was. Compared to the time period of this novel, times have changed greatly. Women are now able to work the same jobs as men and relationships are treated much more equally between the two people. Women are growing to become stronger and more independent, thus reducing reason for men to control them.
ReplyDeleteI personally feel that Maya Angelou would not have turned into the woman everyone recognizes her as without the guidance of her grandmother, Momma. It astounded me when I first read that a woman of that time period, an African-American woman no less, had not only ran her own store but also raised two children and was not controlled by a man along the way. Until very recently in history women were expected to settle down with a "good man" and, in a rather crude phrase I would say, just be the one to push out babies and keep the home clean and food cooking. Yet, Marguerite Johnson was not a woman who let gender expectations and society's idea of what a woman ought to be define who she was. She did whatever she felt was necessary to her well-being and those around her that she loved and that is one of the most courageous things someone can do. Without the instruction and encouragement from Momma, I do not believe Maya Angelou would have lived her life as she did and grew into the person that many people idolize and respect.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie’s gender role is defined by each man she is with. When she is married to Logan Killicks he treats her just fine but, she eventually just becomes another helper around the house and on the farm. Then, Joe Starks comes around and makes Janie feel like she has worth again, but soon enough he towers over her with all of the power in their relationship. After Joe’s death Janie meets Tea Cake, a man who treats her as an equal. Tea Cake still wants to provide for Janie and work to make a living for them, but he doesn’t put her down when she decides to work in the fields with him. I think that gender roles have evolved the same way that Janie’s relationships have changed. First, men treated women as property and like slaves, then men treated women as feminine and only had worth in the home, and now men treat women as equals.
ReplyDeleteI agree with how Janie's relationships relate to how gender roles have changed over time. I feel like through out the book she learns more about herself as a woman and how to express herself. At the beginning she marries Killicks and stays quiet for most of the time, just doing what she is told. But when she is with Joe, she opens up some and starts to stand up for herself. Finally when she meets Tea Cake, all of her personality shows and she is proud of what she has become, and all of her own accomplishments she did as a woman. Not only did her relationships show change in gender roles, but Janie shows that gender roles are not rules to live by and that you can go against what others think of "typical" people.
DeleteI agree with how Janie's relationships relate to how gender roles have changed over time. I feel like through out the book she learns more about herself as a woman and how to express herself. At the beginning she marries Killicks and stays quiet for most of the time, just doing what she is told. But when she is with Joe, she opens up some and starts to stand up for herself. Finally when she meets Tea Cake, all of her personality shows and she is proud of what she has become, and all of her own accomplishments she did as a woman. Not only did her relationships show change in gender roles, but Janie shows that gender roles are not rules to live by and that you can go against what others think of "typical" people.
DeleteWhen reading "Their Eyes Were Watching God", I saw many ways that gender role came into action. In addition, I also saw the ways that Janie stood up for herself and was courageous for what she believed in. While being controlled by Logan, gender roles ruled society and women were meant to be devoted to their husbands in the good and bad times. Janie broke loose from this role and left Logan and stood up for herself about how she wanted more out of life than to be controlled for the rest of her life. When Joe and Janie were married, he wanted her to stay in the house and the store all day and not have her voice heard. Even though she had lots of power because she was the mayors wife, I felt like Joe did not want Janie to take advantage of the power that she had and just have the spotlight be on him at all times. Instead of following her husbands rules until he died, Janie stood up for herself and shocked everyone in the store, including Joe. While she was married to Tea Cake, he did not control her as much as Joe did, but she still stayed in the house and cooked all of the meals for the two of them while Tea Cake worked in the fields. Janie had enough of staying inside and worrying, so she broke the traditional gender role of being the stay at home wife and worked with Tea Cake out in the fields. Gender roles were a huge part of this novel, but I also feel that the courage that Janie had on the female role dominated the novel.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading "Their Eyes Were Watching God", I saw many ways that gender role came into action. In addition, I also saw the ways that Janie stood up for herself and was courageous for what she believed in. While being controlled by Logan, gender roles ruled society and women were meant to be devoted to their husbands in the good and bad times. Janie broke loose from this role and left Logan and stood up for herself about how she wanted more out of life than to be controlled for the rest of her life. When Joe and Janie were married, he wanted her to stay in the house and the store all day and not have her voice heard. Even though she had lots of power because she was the mayors wife, I felt like Joe did not want Janie to take advantage of the power that she had and just have the spotlight be on him at all times. Instead of following her husbands rules until he died, Janie stood up for herself and shocked everyone in the store, including Joe. While she was married to Tea Cake, he did not control her as much as Joe did, but she still stayed in the house and cooked all of the meals for the two of them while Tea Cake worked in the fields. Janie had enough of staying inside and worrying, so she broke the traditional gender role of being the stay at home wife and worked with Tea Cake out in the fields. Gender roles were a huge part of this novel, but I also feel that the courage that Janie had on the female role dominated the novel.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading "Their Eyes Were Watching God", gender was the difference between freedom and service. Janie being a female left her no choice but to surrender to her husband(s) throughout the book. If Logan wanted her to do something she must do it, if Joe told her not to talk to those men outside she wouldn't. Her first marriages at first seemed alright but quickly turned to a male dominant relationship. Janie's decisions were mostly based off of her current husband, with little freedom or decision making for the fact "Shes just a woman". Most her years decisions were made off of what society says is right. During this time many female lives were overran with the idea of living under a male to serve, tend, and stay obedient. Over time this concept has changed vastly, partly due to a worldwide connection to news and media. Many groups, organizations, and other ways of communication are over the internet spreading a known concept of "co-dominance" to allow women to make their own life path. In some ways things have not changed due to the fact that 29% of woman in 2012 are still stay-at-home mothers according to the Pew Research Center. Also many men are still expected to "bring home the dough" to today's standards, as Joe Starks had by becoming mayor and working very hard to make a income. Most today would consider it socially unacceptable for a male in a relationship not to take care of his family.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God", gender roles play a huge role that is obvious in the way Janie's first two husbands treat her. While Janie is with Logan, he at first allows her to stay away from the fields and stay inside the house, taking care of things inside. This entire situation shows the separate roles that men and women have, with women as housewives and men working outside. Logan is never afraid to belittle her and make her feel bad for being a woman. This continues until Janie meets Joe, who wants to pamper her and treat her as well as she deserves. She's more than thrilled at the possibility of love and a new start, yet when Janie leaves Logan to live with Joe, she realizes she's stuck in the same position of being forced to be something she isn't. Joe constantly pushes Janie aside, once even telling her that wives can't make speeches when she's given the chance for one. He forces her to tie up her hair when everyone in the town knows how beautiful it is and how much better Janie would look with her hair down. Joe constantly tries to shape Janie into the woman that he wants her to be: the perfect housewife. This is showing the roles of a husband and wife, illustrating how the husband is believed to be able to force the wife into doing anything he sees best so that he is happy. Once Janie meets Tea Cake, the roles are slightly less defined, however, it is obvious that there still are gender roles taking place. Janie works inside the house still, making food for her husband, as well as worrying about him all day. Tea Cake works in the fields all day, similarly to how Janie lived with Logan. As time progressed, Janie began working in the fields with Tea Cake. Yet, when Tea Cake slaps Janie to show his authority, the roles between husband and wife become pronounced once again. It is shown that a husband can do anything he'd like to his wife, including hurt her, just to get her to listen to him and do what he wants. As Janie grew even older, Tea Cake passes, and Janie breaks the traditional role of needing a husband and lives on her own. While Janie does follow the role of a traditional female throughout most of the novel, there are specific times when she breaks it, thus causing society to be appalled as Janie follows her own will, rather than that of a man.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, "Their Eyes were Watching God," Gender roles are clearly portrayed throughout Janie's life. First seen when she is only 16 years old, Nanny begins urging Janie to join womanhood and get married and have children. Janie eventually agrees to marry Logan, thinking she would fall in love, only to find out that he is not treating her like a gentleman should. Women of this time are believed to stay in the kitchen and not have to perform hard labor in the fields, which should be done by men. After being constantly pushed aside and with the first encounter of Joe, Joe promises a respectful marriage if only Janie will agree to follow him, Janie realizes what she truely deserves, which is not the type of treatment she goets from Logan. At first, Joseph seems like the ideal husband but, after time pass, he turns into the stereotypical man by imagining himself as the dominant figure in the relationship. Janie eventually realizes her position and strays away from the image of how a woman should act which isn't normal for most people of this time. Even today men are generally seen as the providers, protectors, and leaders of society.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading “Their Eyes Were Watching God” it’s obvious that gender roles are a decent part of the book. While being married Janie’s first two husbands have this power over Janie. They tell her what she’s to do and how she’s to do it. Janie is meant to please them to the best she can. She as a woman is lower than both men. Comparing this to now yes women and men are not equally treated in the work force, but a woman’s sole purpose is no longer to please her husband. Sure in some countries this is still a thing, but it’s not as strict anymore. Women are beginning to become equal with men.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings", I noticed how everyone in the town really puts respect over gender. When people greet each-other in Stamps, Arkansas, they usually put Mr., Miss., Mrs., etc. before their names. I don't think that the people in Stamps necessarily overly concern over gender roles like 'house-keeper' and 'business man' because we get to see that Maya's grandmother Momma owns and keeps a store. I think that applies to the world right now because in some places around the world women can not own anything, let alone a store, that's not their husbands.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there are gender roles in "I know Why the Caged Bird Sings", however there are exceptions. Maya's grandmother is a strong, independent, African American women who is the owner of the store in Stamps, Arkansas. Maya Angelou does a good job depicting set gender roles in many points in the novel. The men were always masculine and carried jobs or were aggressive and protective.(Referring to the Baxter uncles who killed Mr. Freeman) Women on the other hand were raised to be knowledgeable in the household arts and of being a wife. "It went without saying that all girls could iron and wash, but finer touches around the home, like setting a table with real silver, baking roasts and cooking vegitables without meat, had to be learned. During my tenth year, a white woman's kitchen became my finishing school." I believe that there are still gender roles in our current culture (but not NEARLY as extreme as in the past.) I also believe that there is a big push towards complete equality and no gender roles, and that there are many causes that are willing to sacrifice a lot to make that happen, even though we are closer than we ever gave been in the past to a gender role-less society.
ReplyDeleteI think that "I know Why the Caged Bird Sings" does an excellent job of showing gender roles of the time period but also the message that people are not necessarily defined by their gender. there are many key examples of this throughout the novel. The most obvious case of this is Maya and Bailey's grandmother and her son Willie. While woman were often viewed as submissive during the time, Annie ran a store and barely showed emotion, while Willie, a man, was nearly a polar opposite due to his disability. Momma's independence and Willies dependence were quite unorthodox for the time. While gender plays a huge role in the novel, it does not define the characters entirely. Overall, I think an overlying message is that a person's gender is often overshadowed by their character and accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteI think that "I know Why the Caged Bird Sings" does an excellent job of showing gender roles of the time period but also the message that people are not necessarily defined by their gender. there are many key examples of this throughout the novel. The most obvious case of this is Maya and Bailey's grandmother and her son Willie. While woman were often viewed as submissive during the time, Annie ran a store and barely showed emotion, while Willie, a man, was nearly a polar opposite due to his disability. Momma's independence and Willies dependence were quite unorthodox for the time. While gender plays a huge role in the novel, it does not define the characters entirely. Overall, I think an overlying message is that a person's gender is often overshadowed by their character and accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this. At the time period of "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", women were expected to be submissive and obedient. Maya faced a large number of hardships, not only because of her race, but because of her gender, also. Maya viewed her life as being very limited because she was female, whereas she thought males had more opportunities in their life. Maya is also raped in the novel, making these hardships in concern with her gender even tougher. Luckily, she grew up to be a very strong and emotionally stable individual and learned to overcome the discrimination she faced for both her gender and her race.
Delete"There Eyes Were Watching God" does an excellent job of showing the gender roles during that time, and it also shows the beginning of women rebelling against their role of being a woman during that time. There are many examples that Hurston shows through out the book that deals with gender roles. One of these examples is Janie's first marriage. During her marriage to Logan, Janie is forced to do whatever Logan wants and whenever he wants. She is basically forced to stay inside and serve Logan until both of them die of old age, while he goes outside and works. Logan also isn't afraid of making Janie feel bad for being a woman This situation shows both the roles that men and women have, with women as staying inside and serving and men working outside. When Janie first meets Joe, she's excited at the possibility of love that Nanny couldn't describe. Like her relationship with Logan, Janie encounters another problem with her next husband. He forces her to tie up her hair when everyone in the town knows how beautiful it is and Joe doesn't want anyone to look at it. Joe constantly tries to shape Janie into the perfect housewife. Another example is when Joe hits Janie in an act of showing everyone in the town that Joe controls Janie's actions. This is showing the roles of a husband and wife, showing the reader how the husband is believed to be able to force the wife into doing anything he wants that is best for his future. Throughout the novel, Janie objects to these rules and later moves on to Tea Cake who is a better than both husbands Janie had been with. Just as everything was getting better, Tea Cake begins to try to control Janie from talking to other men such as Mrs. Turner's brother, while he could do whatever he wants. All of these examples show that a man at that time could do what ever he pleases and a woman had to listen and serve her husband.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings", gender defines many aspects of a person's life. A man is suppose to be the bread winner of the family, while the woman is intended to be a homebody. I personally do not agree with this at all, and I know I am not alone in my opinion. The idea of someone's "gender" is a very disputed topic nowadays. Some believe gender makes you male or female, while some believe gender means nothing at all. But either way, majority of people do not view gender the way it was in Maya Angelou's novel. She describes the culture norms, such as the way women must speak and present themselves. Most importantly, she talks deeply about her grandmother. In Maya's life, Momma was her guide. Momma stood against the cultural norms; owning a store, raising children, and being viewed as a respected figure in the Stamps community. Owning a store back then was a task even considered difficult for a man. Though it was not easy for her, Maya's grandmother kept it going. Even when the economy was rough, Momma accepted trades to keep her customers. While managing all of that, she raised two children. Maya and her brother were raised with respect, intelligence, and stern love. For these reasons, she defied traditional gender roles and made herself an admirable figure to Stamps and her granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteFemale and Male roles today have changed so much from then. In "Their Eyes Were Watching God", Janie has the life of a black women and has many restrictions. Today females are more equal with men and can have the same jobs and can fight back for themselves. When Janie was with Joe Starks she had to hide her hair and has to be conservative with her clothing and must work in the store at all times and never talk to men or join conversations. Nowadays females have a bigger role in society and have a say in what is going on and males are less dominate and can no longer decide everything and are no longer able to hurt women. Society has changed so much and there are benefits and downfalls to that. Janie's life represents the struggle of women back then.
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ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" Janie, a African American women is expected to do the least out of anyone in society. In todays world women have more of an oppurtunity to make a move upward in there roles, but in the novel, Janie like all other women had no chance to gain a higher ranking among there peers, they could barely get any respectable jobs and even if they could they would get payed way less than the men so it was not worth it. Every once in a while we all look back and say "how could we have been like that" but in another 100 years or so the mindsets we have today will seem like we were evil self centered idiots. The society that Janie was living in had stacked the odds against her but she had been too brainwashed to see it. Sure the rights women in the early 1900s were terrible but they had been 10 times better than the womens a hundred years before that. The main idea that should be seen here is that Janie way of had it rough, but no matter what society always seems to evolve into what is best for all. That is why women have gone from helpless beings to almost equivelent to a man and in another hundred yearswomen will no longer be judged by their femininityand the issue at hand will be completely solved and forgotten
ReplyDeleteIn the book "Their eyes were watching God," gender controls their life. Janie ,a African american woman, shows what society says is okay for woman. She is suppose to be in kitchen always making food and cleaning up. Woman are also treated like property and are beat if they do something wrong, and are suppose to keep their mouth shut. The men of the society are suppose to be very manly by working hard coming home and eating food while their wife cleans. They also are praised for beating their wife and it can me shown as a masculinity in that society at that time. Janie follows her role on society until Joe dies, and she meets Tea Cake. Tea Cake treats her more then property and Janie changes her role and becomes a helper in the field and more then a house maid. Tea Cake still beat Janie but treats her well and loves her more then just her money. This is another thing women are used for in that society. Our society today has changed with gender. Men aren't suppose to beat their wife and marriage is based on love not just the pressure of getting married. Women are job holders and not just home bound and aren't kept quiet in the kitchen.
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ReplyDeleteAfter reading "Their Eyes Were Watching God" It became clear that gender roles played a big part in the book. Janie's first two husbands took control of her life and she couldn't do anything to stop it. It was a normal thing for that period of time but it wasn't a kind thing to do to the woman. She is told what to do and how to do it. When it wasn't how they wanted it she would get hit or yelled at. Janie was there to please the man in the best way she could because she is there to only make him happy. The husband goes out to do work while the woman stays inside and does the work there. Joe Starks knew how beautiful Janie was and got jealous very easily. So when he didn't want her talking to other people it destroyed the young Janie who belived in love. Joe was allowed to do this because he wasnt there to please her, she was there to please him no matter what the cost was. Joe wanted her to think he was the most amazing man on the planet and she had everything because of him. But Janie knew she had nothing without happiness and love. If you look at the current time period, woman are gaining more rights and aren't just here to please the husband. Woman can do more things and get the jobs they want without being threatened by men.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, gender is a major factor in the story. Not only is Maya black, she is also a woman. Her race is discriminated whether your male or female, but adding on her gender sometimes makes the discrimination worse. In the book, white folks tell the black community, successfully a black man or woman will only become an athlete or a servant. Now in this day and age, we have many female athletes, some that even dominate over men. But back in Angelou's time, it was very hard or almost impossible for a woman to be that high up in the community as to be a pro athlete. So Maya's chances of being anything other than a servant or a maid was very slim. That plays significantly on her gender. If she was a black male, then the chances would be slightly higher. From Maya's day and age to now, women have gained the right to do anything they please, reguarding their gender or race. They can choose whatever career they want without being discriminated by man.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, gender is a major factor in the story. Not only is Maya black, she is also a woman. Her race is discriminated whether your male or female, but adding on her gender sometimes makes the discrimination worse. In the book, white folks tell the black community, successfully a black man or woman will only become an athlete or a servant. Now in this day and age, we have many female athletes, some that even dominate over men. But back in Angelou's time, it was very hard or almost impossible for a woman to be that high up in the community as to be a pro athlete. So Maya's chances of being anything other than a servant or a maid was very slim. That plays significantly on her gender. If she was a black male, then the chances would be slightly higher. From Maya's day and age to now, women have gained the right to do anything they please, reguarding their gender or race. They can choose whatever career they want without being discriminated by man.
ReplyDeleteIn “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” by Zora Neale Hurston, gender roles play a huge part in the story. This is apparent in Janie’s first marriage to Logan. At first, Logan follows the old gender roles of the man provides for the family and does all the hard work while the women of the family care for household duties and children. This is apparent in the way that Logan does not force Janie to do any work. Over time however, Logan begins to use the new gender roles of the era where the woman does whatever the man tells her to do. The implication of these new gender roles cause distress in Janie’s life and marriage with Logan thus causing her to run away with Joe Starks who promises to provide her with some of the most extravagant of luxuries. This decision changed Janie’s life as she entered a marriage with Joe Starks who worked so hard to fulfill society’s views on masculinity so that everyone would follow his plans in Eatonville. In this marriage, the gender roles of man provides and woman obeys once again come up as Janie is forced to work in the new store while Joe goes about taking care of other matters in the town. In “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” both Joe Starks and Tea Cake are driven by societal expectations. Joe Starks is driven by the societal expectation that a man must be a strong leader and provider while Tea Cake is driven by the societal expectation that the man should provide and take care of the women without forcing her to work. Over time gender roles, such as the ones shown in “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” have changed. In the 1800’s, it was expected that the man did all the work and provided for the entire family. The woman was in charge of taking care of the house while he was away along with raising and educating the children. As time progressed, it was demonstrated that women could do more and more of the man’s work and achieve similar results. This pattern has led to the current gender roles where both the man and women work to provide for the family and raise the children. There was a short relapse back to the old men provide for the family gender roles after World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars as the soldiers who returned home were eager to get back to their normal lives and provide for their families.
ReplyDeleteI read "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston. Gender roles played a big part in the story. The men are supposed to work hard in their jobs while the women are supposed to stay at home and cook and clean and do what their husbands want them to do. I was actually a bit shocked when reading some parts of this book when the men talk about the women. They think that the women aren't really good for much and they shouldn't speak their mind. While she was married to Joe, it was unusual for Janie to join in on conversation. Nowadays men and women are more equal. Most of the time in marriages now both husband and wife have jobs and they both cook and clean. There is also times were just the wife has a job or just the husband has a job, Also, today women can join in the conversation and say what they want to say just like the men. Women are educated and have jobs equal to men; like politicians, lawyers, and doctors.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" Janie was judged harshly even from the beginning of the book when you read the dialogue of her neighbors discussing why she was wearing the clothes that she was, why she didn't have respect to say "hello" and other completely ridiculous comments to even make about someone. In society within this novel you can see that men were still looked at as the bread winners, and women were looked at to stay at home and tend to the house and children to suit the husbands needs and standards. These ideas of society affected Janie because it showed her what she wanted in a man and showed her she doesn't have to be the stereotypical women of this time she can demand respect too. Societies ideas of gender roles has changed almost fully to the point that women are given the same jobs in the same environments as men almost in every fashion, construction and labor jobs, the police force, fire and rescue jobs, high business management. Still now when you see a woman in these kind of "manly" jobs some people take a second look and say what are they doing here they're just a woman, which isn't right as to the fact that women and men can do a lot of the same jobs but expectations are different for both genders.
ReplyDeleteIn "Their Eyes Were Watching God" Janie was judged harshly even from the beginning of the book when you read the dialogue of her neighbors discussing why she was wearing the clothes that she was, why she didn't have respect to say "hello" and other completely ridiculous comments to even make about someone. In society within this novel you can see that men were still looked at as the bread winners, and women were looked at to stay at home and tend to the house and children to suit the husbands needs and standards. These ideas of society affected Janie because it showed her what she wanted in a man and showed her she doesn't have to be the stereotypical women of this time she can demand respect too. Societies ideas of gender roles has changed almost fully to the point that women are given the same jobs in the same environments as men almost in every fashion, construction and labor jobs, the police force, fire and rescue jobs, high business management. Still now when you see a woman in these kind of "manly" jobs some people take a second look and say what are they doing here they're just a woman, which isn't right as to the fact that women and men can do a lot of the same jobs but expectations are different for both genders.
ReplyDeleteJanie spends the beginning of her life bending to the traditional gender rolls of society. Janie followed this role to an extreme point, she even covered her hair to appease Joe. As a "good" woman of society she allowed her husband to tell her what to do and obeyed his every wish. Though she ventured away from these gender roles when she married a younger Tea Cake. Over all gender roles effected Janie's life and option of herself greatly.
ReplyDeleteIn 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' Maya Angelou does a great job at showing the different gender roles the south had in the past. While Maya was living with her grandmother and uncle in a small town she is shown very different things than she is when she goes to live with her mother. Her grandmother is less of a traditional 'lady-like' women. She takes on the role as man of the house and doesn't act what was considered to be very feminine. When Maya is with her mother she sees how differently women around her act. Women wore lipstick and dresses and mostly took care of the family while men worked and dressed in matching suits. The different places had slightly different gender roles.
ReplyDeleteIn "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, society's expectations of femininity seems to significantly shape Maya's perspective on practically everything in the book. Even from a very young age, Maya's identity was insecure, constantly overwhelmed with the desire to be society's view of beautiful. Throughout the book, Angelou is seen to be constantly convincing herself that she truly is a pretty white girl, with blonde hair and blue eyes, horrifically trapped in an ugly black dream. She sees her flaws clearly and shamefully, as she degrades herself for her "nappy black hair", "broad feet", and her "space between her teeth that would hold a number-two pencil". Not to mention she sees her own skin-color and height to be a series of faults in her features. Angelou shows how her insecurities define her decision-making, and doubts in her story. For example on Valentines day, when Maya was so astounded to have a boy actually admire her despite her "horrid" features. Not to mention, after the entire Mr.Freeman incident, Maya felt more corrupted and insecure than ever, this time with God himself. She was also quite insecure with her own body, being a bit on the undeveloped side in comparison to her peers. Angelou's life was made up of uncertainty about her own self-image, consistently battling society's harsh image on anyone being "different". Different in the terms that women should be pretty, slender, short, submissive, and not to mention, white. Her entire life was planned out for her, due to the era's strong viewpoint of female subjugation. Black girls in small Southern towns were given extensive preparations at a young age for adulthood. Maya experienced these preparations at a white woman's kitchen, as she learned how to set a table properly,bake roasts, and to cook other befitting meals. Angelou emphasizes that blacks were to be maids and farmers, handyman and washerwoman, and nothing more. Maya is discouraged by this, as she felt her hope to be anything great go down the drain. The men are expected to be hardworking, strong, and to provide for their families in society's view of the black Southern life. Maya's brother, Bailey, seems to be pressured by the expectations of gender roles. It is seen that he is quite driven to be as strong, tall and charming as his "perfect" father. Although, Bailey is seen to be quite short for his age. Over time, society's concept of gender roles has changed significantly. Women are now allowed to have equal rights as men. Women can vote, run for president, have freedom of speech, and wish to pursue any job they truly desire. Men, for the most part in this era, are still expected to be strong and to provide for their families. Women are still discriminated against today for little reasons, and are still expected to go "cook in the kitchen". However, society has come a long way from the era at which it had very strong expectations for the common man and woman.
ReplyDeleteIn 'I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings' Maya does an amazing job showing the different gender roles. But obviously in her time males dominated over the females, and whites dominated over the blacks. Back then women took in the traditional roles such as cooking and cleaning, while the men went to work. Women still cook and clean but they can always go to work to support the family. As well as men, they can still go to work but they take can take on womens' traditional roles. Society's expectations of masculinity and femininity defiantly took apart of Maya's life since she was a woman and black.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou depicts how gender roles during that time are portrayed differently depending on location and age as well as just the typical views of everyday society. In the beginning of the novel, Maya is taught to be respectful of her elders, help out in Momma's store, and to be a typical child. However, she also develops insecurities about herself due to the ill words of the women in town. This is the first societal pressure about gender that she experiences for her entire family is rather handsome and she feels that she falls flat in comparison. The role Momma plays in the novel is another stereotypical gender role. She is the constant, caring, and respected elder in the town and her actions portray it. However, she does challenge one part of society in that she runs a successful store in Stamps. These two roles are representative of small southern towns’ societal expectations. When Maya goes to her mothers, we see a different society viewpoint of women. Vivian holds a nursing degree, but she makes her money more through gambling. She is more lavish and extravagant than the ladies in Stamps, and this contrast shows how society viewpoints change with location as well. Society's outward vision of women changes with location, for Vivian and Momma do not resemble each other in style. However, one thing society cannot change is the caring and protective streak that runs through family, and in this, Vivian, Maya, and Momma are all very alike.
ReplyDeleteThroughout 'I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings', Maya Angelou proves the idea that men are dominant over female during the era. One of the biggest times she shows this is in her graduation scene in Stamps, when a white male comes to speak about the opportunities offered, and he stated that "The white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Guaguins, and our boys (the girls weren't even in on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises." Here she demonstrates not only the gender dominance, but also the race dominance. She later in the novel aspires to be a streetcar conductor, and manages as the first of her race and certainly her gender. She defies the expected roles at every turn, which impacts her life in all aspects.
ReplyDeleteThere are many gender stereotypes, and a huge difference in gender identity in the book "Their Eyes were Watching God." These differences affect many characters in many different ways; especially prominent characters such as Jody and Janie. For Jody, the impact of these identities actually dictated his entire reality, and made that reality extremely narrow; in other words, these identities and stereotypes makes Jody envision a reality where men dominated the most influential fields in society whereas women occupy, well... almost nothing. As for Janie, these stereotypes don't actually affect her views that much, if at all, but rather, it narrows down the number of avenues she can take, and drastically limits her experiences of the world. She is basically forced to just overlook how the world interacts with one another, as her gender makes most other people feel like she can't really interact in the world, like she isn't worthy to interact with the world. Most of all though, this affects the whole world of "Their Eyes were Watching God." Throughout the book, you can see indications of the terrible image men have upon women, and there are certain moments throughout the townspeople dialogue that this image becomes apparent. Those are my thoughts on how gender affects the world of "Their Eyes were Watching God."
ReplyDeleteI feel like gender had a huge roll in Janie’s life. When she married Joe he hardly let her leave the house and when she did she could only go to the store. I think she had more freedom when she married Tea Cake because he gave her more freedom and I feel that she respected that. The expectations of women back then was to stay home and maintain the house hold. The Men would go out and work and support the families the best they could. The expectations of gender have changed immensely over the years. With the way it is now a days most of the time both parents work. Also women do many and the things that only men would have done years ago.
ReplyDeleteI believe that in the society Janie lives in, many people see the woman's job is to do everything her husband says and that its ok for a man to beat his wife. In the society the man is a much higher place than the woman and seems to be almost in control. Many people were surprised when Tea Cake treated Janie equally and with respect because of this old tradition of how a marriage went. Today's society women and men are much more equal to each other and women are expected to do things a man says all the time.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the book Their Eyes Were Watching God, I felt that traditional gender roles greatly influenced the way the characters behaved and their decisions. Janie was always told by her grandmother to follow traditional gender roles of an average white woman of the time and marry into a stable environment with Logan. However, she challenged this gender role by leaving him for Judy. While she was married to Judy, she conformed more to gender roles than with her first husband. She allowed herself to be bossed around and beaten by her husband and followed his rules about wearing her hair down and not attending social events. However, since the time period of this book, many of the traditional gender roles have changed drastically. Women today can have their own land, houses, and even careers. Women today have just about every right men have.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the book Their Eyes Were Watching God, I felt that traditional gender roles greatly influenced the way the characters behaved and their decisions. Janie was always told by her grandmother to follow traditional gender roles of an average white woman of the time and marry into a stable environment with Logan. However, she challenged this gender role by leaving him for Judy. While she was married to Judy, she conformed more to gender roles than with her first husband. She allowed herself to be bossed around and beaten by her husband and followed his rules about wearing her hair down and not attending social events. However, since the time period of this book, many of the traditional gender roles have changed drastically. Women today can have their own land, houses, and even careers. Women today have just about every right men have.
ReplyDeleteIn Their Eyes Were Watching God, traditional gender roles definitely influence the thoughts and actions of the characters. Some characters, such as Joe Starks, are not willing to bend to accept new gender roles. They let their thoughts get in the way, and then they are not willing to associate with those who aren't willing to follow traditional roles. They force those nearest to them into roles they don't want to fill. When Joe and Janie got married, he made it sound like life was going to be great - much better than it was during her previous marriage. However, as soon as Janie committed to life with Joe, he forced her to become a trophy wife. She never really did that much; she just sat there and looked pretty.
ReplyDeleteAfter Joe's death, Janie jumped at the opportunity to fill a new role, but struggled to fully enter the life she wanted. After so many years of being under Joe's control, she didn't really know how to live the life she wanted. She couldn't figure out how to get into a different role.
Then came Vergible Woods, also known as Tea Cake. He was much younger than Janie, which she found attractive. After being forced to live an old woman's life for so long, she was ready to live like a young girl. Tea Cake takes her to the Everglades after they are married, where they farm. Before long, Janie is working alongside the men in the muck, and is a better shot with a rifle than Tea Cake. This was odd to many at first; here came this fair-skinned woman who was working like the colored. However, people soon learned to accept her for who she was, and she fit right into her new life.
I think this also describes gender roles in real life. People are learning that roles are changing, and the new generation is slowly convincing the old that it's time for change. Someday, traditional gender roles may be demolished, and people will be allowed to do what makes them happy.
In 'I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings', Maya grows up as a black woman in the South. Usually in this era, the women who grow up there with that race turn out to be the help to rich white people in a different part of town. Maya manages to defy this conformity by earning her higher education. Although at one point she is considered the help, along with another black woman named Glory, she manages to come up with a plan to get herself fired. Later in the novel, she moves to California with her mom, and becomes the first negro streetcar conductor, all while continuing her education. Maya manages to defy what it means to be a black woman during the time period throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteIn 'I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings', Maya grows up as a black woman in the South. Usually in this era, the women who grow up there with that race turn out to be the help to rich white people in a different part of town. Maya manages to defy this conformity by earning her higher education. Although at one point she is considered the help, along with another black woman named Glory, she manages to come up with a plan to get herself fired. Later in the novel, she moves to California with her mom, and becomes the first negro streetcar conductor, all while continuing her education. Maya manages to defy what it means to be a black woman during the time period throughout the book.
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ReplyDeleteIn the novel "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings", Maya is a young black girl growing up in the segreagated American south. Maya had recognized that being a girl is kind of a disadvantage because when she started reading story's men were always the hero or the person people looked up to. Having a brother that always got compliaments on his looks unlike maya. She refers to wanting to wake up out of her "Black ugly dream" and wished when she woke up to be white and have long blonde hair. Even when she would go to school she got bullied on her appearance and the fact that she was black. Maya feels pressured by society and her family to be polite, pretty, and smart that men have to worry about is being strong and have a good work ethic. I feel like gender roles have changed a lot specially drums WW1 WW2. When women had to take on many roles that men had to do.
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