ipl-logo

When I Was The Greatest: Gender Theory

1188 Words5 Pages

Gender theory Applied to The Last Flight and When I Was the Greatest
Gender can have a huge impact on how the reader interprets and understands what they are reading. How genders are portrayed and stereotypes can make all the difference in literature. By applying Gender Theory to novels and texts, readers can better understand the importance of gender. The definition of Gender Theory is: “The portrayal of a particular gender in a literary piece and the effects of that portrayal” (Davidson). Gender Theory can be applied to the novels The Last Fight By Julie Clark and When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds to interpret and analyze the meaning of the novels to a deeper level. When Gender Theory is applied, several points can be supported, …show more content…

In the article “Gender stereotypes”: “Traditionally feminine traits include nurturing actions [...] and feminine manners, while male traits are regarded as strength, aggression, and an outgoing nature”. This links males and females with different types of emotions and composers based on those emotions. When Noodles and Ali get busted for going to the party by John, he tells them: “I ain't got enough mad for both of y'all, so since you my responsibility, I'm gonna save all the mad for you” (Reynolds 102). This shows that John is using his aggression to be a father figure and set an example for the boys. John cares for the boys and he portrays that through his aggression and strength as a role model to them. When Doris is talking to her Jazz and telling her that she has plenty of good qualities, Doris tells Jazz: “You love first, and that’s always a good thing” (Reynolds 48). Jazz is supporting the female stereotype because she is said that she will love first. It shows that she is more willing to show kindness and love compared to others. This outward compassion for the female stereotype separates it from the outward aggression of the male …show more content…

Many plot elements occur because of Noodles, who is very hot-headed and doesn’t have the best judgment. According to “Effects of Parental Absence on Male Adolesants” by Lee A. Beaty: “Deficits which can be linked to early father deprivation might be [...] susceptible to subsequent interventions. The connection between these dysfunctions and problems such as [...] socially maladaptive behaviors is rather easy to conceptualize”. This shows that the lack of a father figure has an effect on young males and Noodles is a great example of this. When Noodles tried to start a fight for a free haircut, Ali states: “I already knew what he was doing. He was pulling the same crab he always pulls. I stood up to make sure he didn’t do nothing crazy” (Reynolds 84). This shows that Noodles’ hot-headedness tends to get him into trouble and Ali is used to it. Noodles most likely acts this way because his father left and the effect it had on him. Noodles’ short-fuse is one of the main reasons why the characters get into many different predicaments. That is why it is a sensible choice for him to be an adolescent male due to what the research describes. Genders of characters are chosen for specific reasons and it can be backed with logical reasoning and

Show More
Related

  • Rsc 184 Final Paper

    691 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, one area that we did not have enough time to cover in depth would be the interaction of gender. This is a large topic, and though we were able to touch on it there was simply not enough time to give it a full analysis. Therefore, I will attempt

    Read More

  • Tyrannies Of Silence

    604 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gender is “a social construct that prescribes the roles, attitudes,

    Read More

  • Marilyn Frye's View Of Sexism

    1637 Words  | 7 Pages

    The musical Gypsy (1962) plays with many ideas concerning gender, individualism, and sex roles. These themes contribute to the question of whether or not Gypsy is sexist. For the purpose of this essay, sexism will be defined as any action that consciously contributes to a gender stereotyping society. In her essay, Marilyn Frye notes this definition of sexism stating that “making decisions on the basis of sex reinforces the patterns that make it relevant” (846). Therefore, any decision that contributes to the gender binary and its framework can be considered sexist.

    Read More

  • Our Concepts Of Gender In 'Glamour Babies, Little Toughies'

    969 Words  | 4 Pages

    Synthesis #1 Our concepts of gender are constructed by our biological characteristics and societal factors. In many societies, these concepts of gender, and the differences in men and women are rooted in tradition. The moment a child is born a kind of social construction begins. A child whether girl or boy will most likely be shown some behaviors on how they should behave according to their biological characteristics. Throughout history, we have seen the same stereotypes placed on gender, men should be strong and brave.

    Read More

  • The Crucible Gender Analysis

    1121 Words  | 5 Pages

    Gender roles are present everywhere and are more and more prevalent the further back you go. They define relationships and heavily influence people's actions. Gender roles can hurt those that are trapped in them because they are not allowed the freedom of living like they want. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, one key relationship in the story is wrecked by gender roles.

    Read More

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston

    789 Words  | 4 Pages

    Society has progressed a lot with gender roles since the early-mid 1900s. Being a pretty mixed-race woman, Janie Crawford was seen as all beauty, no brains, and she was thought to be incapable of many things by her first and second husbands, Logan Killicks and Joe Starks. While telling the story of a woman trying to find love, Zora Neale Hurston goes into depth about the gender roles in that society. Although much has changed in society since she wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God, those gender roles are still prevalent in society today. Women have always been seen as being less knowledgeable than men.

    Read More

  • How Boys Become Men Essay

    450 Words  | 2 Pages

    While he analyzes how rough the boys are playing, he began to realize this is the start of how boys become men. For example, the boy’s friend hits him to the ground and instead of him crying, he gets up and vocalizes that he’s no chicken. Today, boys are taught to be strong and handle themselves accordingly. When we think of the way boys play, we think of aggression and competitiveness while girls play in a gentle, nurturance way. Katz argues against the fact that men should show their feelings, yet they are expected to hide their weaknesses because they are men.

    Read More

  • Literature Review Of Orange Is The New Black

    1525 Words  | 7 Pages

    With most literature researches; assumptions are being made that both genders perspectives are the same even though most geographical knowledge is based more towards the male

    Read More

  • Women In Patricia Mccormick's Sold

    908 Words  | 4 Pages

    More specifically, gender’s role on women and their positions in the world. Being a young woman, I fall into the intended audience of the book. The rhetoric in the book appeals to the young girls around the same age of the main character

    Read More

  • Gender Stereotypes: Masculinity And Femininity

    772 Words  | 4 Pages

    2.2 Theoretical Framework 2.2.1 Gender Stereotypes: Masculinity and Femininity Brannon (2004), defines gender stereotype as beliefs about the psychological traits and characteristics of, as well as the activities appropriate to, men or women. Gender roles are interpreted by behaviours, but gender stereotypes are about the beliefs, views and attitudes towards masculinity and femininity. Therefore, gender stereotypes are very influential; they impact conceptualizations of women and men and establish social categories for each gender. These categories represent what people think, and even when beliefs vary from reality, the beliefs can be very powerful forces in judgments of self and others.

    Read More

  • A Thousand Splendid Suns Gender Analysis

    752 Words  | 4 Pages

    A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini follows the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, and the novel portrays the dichotomy of gender in the Afghanistan culture. Gender plays a large role in all of Afghanistan’s social institutions, and we can observe this even at the very start of the novel. For example, Mariam’s mother, Nana, is shunned and placed in a recluse area by Mariam’s father Jalil since Mariam is a harami, or in other words, a bastard. Nana was a maid for Jalil when they had an affair, and when he found out that she was pregnant, he sent her away to small house in a seemingly hidden and isolated village. Only on Thursdays is when Jalil visits Mariam, showing that she is not worth any more attention than that.

    Read More

  • Tannen Gender Role Theory

    1148 Words  | 5 Pages

    This chapter begins with the definition of gender role theory, that is a philosophy based on the assumption that males and females in society have an inclination to live up to approved roles based on anticipations on how males and females ought to act in society, and that they will be judged differently for the same actions. This has created stereotypes on both men and women, not only based on their behaviors, but appearance, personalities, skills, and characteristics. Many research stated that due to the expected role of behaviorism, many communication between relationship between both sexes had taken to a huge fall, because of the difference between reality and the constant changes of attitudes with the developments.(Henley and Kramara,1991;

    Read More

  • Difference Theory Of Gender Differences

    1156 Words  | 5 Pages

    4.3 Theory of difference The difference theory assumes that well prevails a fundamental difference between the sexes being husband and wife. The focus of difference theory therefore is not the abolition of these differences, but rather whose recognition (Heintz, B., 1993, p 21). Wesely (2000) is highlighting that the basis of the difference theory assumes that gender is not only occupied biologically, but also a strong social category belongs (Wesely, 2000, p.21).

    Read More

  • Literature Review: Hostile Sexism Against Women

    748 Words  | 3 Pages

    LITERATURE VIEW In today’s world, it cannot be denied that patriarchy, political, social and traditional power of male over other genders, is faced inevitably (Goldberg, 1993) Sexism is one of the most common problematic issues in today’s society that shapes people behavior on gender and usually it is seen as hostile behavior against women. However, its one side of which people are unaware is missed: positive-thought part of sexism (Glick and Fiske, 1996). Benevolent sexism and hostile sexism are subdivisions of ambivalent sexism.

    Read More

  • Gender Identities Between Women And Women

    1458 Words  | 6 Pages

    It is gender that influences more than sex in behavior, gender differences take many different forms in different setting, there is large evidence in the gender of power inequality in relationships, is sometimes the cause of intimate partner violence which places women at enhanced risk of HIV

    Read More

More about When I Was The Greatest: Gender Theory

Open Document