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The role of women has been one of the most commonly discussed topics in literature during the last centuries. Despite a mutual desire to promote equality and remove unnecessary gender biases, the impact of a male-dominated society cannot be ignored. Such works as “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid and “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin reveal the theme of gross mistreatment of women in several ways. First, the authors focus on the existing restrictions that affect their self-perception. Second, they mention high social expectations through the prism of individual knowledge. Finally, the stories underline the power of men even if they are not directly involved in a situation. Although Kincaid’s and Chopin’s writings have different structures and contents, their indictments of male-female relationships in such themes as family roles, social experiences, and personal decisions remain significant.
Gender inequality continues to provoke multiple debates, and Kincaid and Chopin offer their specific contributions to understanding the existing restrictions. According to Rabea and Almahameed, Kincaid’s story perfectly reflects a “traditional gender role of women and demanding society they are obligated to adhere to,” so they become independent and respected with time (162). On the contrary, Chopin does not find it necessary to “distinguish between the roles” but prefers “a subversive manner” to hint “at discrepancies in the formulation of gender roles” based on social experiences (Sharma 86). Thus, the chosen stories create a solid background for recognizing the major problem and the obligation to find a solution.
Kincaid introduces the monologue of the mother to her daughter through a list of instructions to follow. Many repetitions, pieces of advice, and directions prove that girls are prisoners in the patriarchal society (Patel 67). For example, Kincaid underlines the importance of serving a table for various purposes: “for tea,” “for dinner with an important guest,” or “for breakfast” (321). There are also distinctions between how “to love a man” or “how to bully a man” (Kincaid 321). Still, all these recommendations prove that women are never free but depend on men and their expectations.
The extent to which Chopin’s story represents a gender-based indictment is also great. Distel says that Chopin uses shame as “a form of discipline” to monitor the woman’s behavior and restrain “her speech and bodily movements” (71). From the story’s first lines, it becomes clear that women must be caretakers and obedient housewives. Mrs. Mallard was “young, with a fair, calm face” and had to wait for “something coming to her, and she was waiting for it, fearfully” (Chopin 177). At the same time, Chopin described her as “a child who has cried itself to sleep,” proving the despair of female life (177). The inequality and the inevitability of living in a patriarchal society tortured her, so the news about her husband’s death was the only breath of fresh air. The character’s life was miserable because of male control, and Chopin was not afraid to offer death as the only way out of this situation.
In conclusion, both stories, “Girl” by Kincaid and “The Story of an Hour” by Chopin, strongly indict the gross mistreatment of women in a patriarchal society. Although the authors use different methods and circumstances, the same idea of female obedience to the male order is developed. It seems that Kincaid and Chopin do not want to help their characters and change their future. Their message to the reader is hopelessness, which becomes a personal burden. Being aware of their dependence, women can do nothing but accept the years of oppression and boredom as the only social requirement and prepare their generations for similar conditions and the absence of liberating solutions.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” The Norton introduction to literature, edited by Kelly J. Mays, 12th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2017, pp. 176-178.
Distel, Kristin M. “Free! Body and Soul Free!: The Docile Female Body in Kate Chopn’s “The Story of an Hour”.” New Women’s Writing: Contextualising Fiction, Poetry and Philosophy, edited by Subashish Bhattacharjee and Girindra Narayan Ray, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 65-78.
Kincaid, Jamaica. “Girl.” The Story and its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction, edited by Ann Charters, 6th ed., Bedford, 2003, pp. 320-321.
Patel, Urja. “Women” Powerfully Submissive.” Celebrating Writers and Writing in Our Communication, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 67-71.
Rabea, Reem Ahmad, and Nusaiba Adel Almahameed. “Genre Crossing in Jamaica Kincaid’s ‘Girl’: From Short Fiction to Poetry.” Advances in Language and Literary Studies, vol. 9, no. 3, 2018, pp. 157-165.
Sharma, Bandana. “In Annihilation Lies Liberation: Discovering Another Madwoman in the Attic in Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”.” Dogo Rangsang Research Journal, vol. 12, no. 3, 2022, pp. 84-94.
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