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Essay / The issue of gender distinction in boys and girls
For years, society had expectations of gender-appropriate tasks. The perception of the male and female genders as being different in terms of capabilities led to the idea that women could work at home while men went out in search of bread. Alice Munro captures this essence in her short story. In “Boys and Girls,” the author uses the experiences of an eleven-year-old girl who also plays the role of narrator to describe the distinction between boys and girls, men and women. The young girl helps her father because she does not like the domestic work that society reserves for women and girls. Although she tries hard, she doesn't get the approval she needs and the story ends with her giving up, accepting that she is just a girl. Through the treatment of the girl, Munro demonstrates how society has reinforced stereotypes that the masculine gender is superior to the feminine gender. Even though she does a good job as her father's assistant, people continue to say that Laird is a more capable assistant when he gets older. As a member of the female gender, Munro offers insightful first-hand commentary on how society expects women and men to be different. For this reason, she wants to highlight the injustice of these practices in a way that sparks the necessary change towards gender equality. In "Boys and Girls," Munro draws on the life of a narrator to demonstrate how society expects gender distinction while reinforcing associated stereotypes in its efforts to ensure the status quo of its members' place is maintained. male and female. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay By focusing on the narrator's experiences with her family and neighborhood, Munro is able to show how "Boys and Girls" attempts to highlight the different attributes that the two sexes possess. In her representation of the different characters, she shows how gender was a major concept within the framework of the story. First, the narrator describes her father's work. She notes that he raised foxes, which she seems to be proud of. Munro goes on to describe her enthusiasm for her father's work, stating that she enjoyed helping her father rather than being with her mother. In contrast, the narrator's mother seems to have remained accustomed to societal expectations. In a way that appears symbolic, the young girl affirms that her mother “did not leave the house often”. His job was domestic. For this reason, she stayed indoors most of the time. The author uses her situation as a representation of the entire female sisterhood within the community. Being born female meant that an individual had to avoid outside work and concentrate on household chores. However, the girl was of a different race. She loved participating in what other women abhorred. Although her mother never liked the “cutting” tasks within the company, she perceived them as “seasonal”. The aroma was normal to him, as someone else would perceive "the smell of oranges and pine needles." In a way, farm work suited him. However, society's demands meant that she would one day get the support she needed. After depicting different characters in the text, Munro goes on to show how the setting reinforced gender differences and stereotypes. Even though the young girl demonstrated her abilities to such an extent that her.