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Gender Stereotypes In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

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To Kill a Mockingbird Gender Roles and Stereotypes
The Oxford English Dictionary defines gender roles as, “The role or behavior learned by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by prevailing cultural norms.” But what's the problem with that? Singling out one gender to carry responsibilities that the other gender should not. And during the time of poverty, unemployment and hardship known as The Great Depression, is when gender stereotyping established its place as a norm. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s ideas of gender stereotyping from the 30’s compels Scout to feel pressure from her town.
Women in earlier decades were obligated to follow domestic responsibilities such as, cleaning, cooking, and caring for the home and …show more content…

Throughout her life, Scout has questioned everything she is unfamiliar with. By questioning, Scout revealed the prejudice, barbarity, and hatred that is held secrecy from her. With Calpurnia as her only motherly figure, Scout has nothing to grasp for a taste of femininity. For generations upon generations, women were socialized with household responsibilities while men juggled keeping steady jobs in which they need to regulate a low income and care for their families. Masculinity was shown through how successful a man and his family were. Prevailing cultural norms have pictured men as the individual to be protectors, providers, make decisions, and to be in charge. Inheritance of masculine roles associated with strength, aggression, and dominance over women. Women are attendants and subordinates to men. Because Scout is raised by masculine figures, she is bound to develop certain qualities of a male figure. Scout is blamed for not being a proper girl but, her surroundings influence her to believe that she is doing wrong. Scout is of the age where she realizes she is different than most girls but, she is not to blame for her quirks of who she

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