Is Evil Gendered - Assignment Example

Is Evil Gendered? Introduction: The terms good and evil are the essential part of Abrahamic theology, and the Holy Scriptures of all the three Abrahamic religions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam vehemently lay stress upon the observing of goodness and compassion and avoiding the evil and wickedness time and again to the readers and followers. It is therefore, the preaching of goodness and condemnation of evil has been in vogue in the works and writings of the followers of these religions for centuries. Since literature for children is produced for quenching their thirst of reading as well as for their recreation on the one hand, and for the character building and moral uplift of the innocent minds on the other, the writers take it as their moral obligation and professional duty to create such theme which portrays dutiful, honest and chaste as the follower of good, while liars, dishonest and trouble-creating characters as the representatives of evil. The writers also cite the fate of the transgressors and disobedient to the ways of the Creator, by which they look after keeping the children far away from the wrong-doing and evil. The same can be witnessed by going through the novel under analysis. Renowned fantasy writer Nancy Veglahn in her work has posed the question ‘who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Women know – and likewise men know what evil lurks in the hearts of women’ (2003, p.114). By her proposition, she simply views that both male and female are can assess and comprehend with the negative and evil thoughts growing in the hearts of the members of their opposite gender; it is therefore, they portray each other as monsters and evils in their works because of the very reality that they are actually fearful of the hidden emotions prevailing in the breast of each other. Hence, the writers of both the sexes are psychologically aware of the flaws and faults of the individuals belonging to opposite gender; consequently, they project, promote and highlight these negative traits and characteristics in such an astounding way that it creates the same image in the innocent minds of children while their reading the fantasy, so that they could imagine the evils in the same lines on which they have studied them. Here arises the question whether there exists or not any need for the specification of gender identity in the literature meant for children. The theorists are of the opinion that since children have to take various responsibilities on the foundation of their gender in future, so there must be established the images of the particular roles in stories and fiction which the young boys and girls are to perform as adults in their real life. “The manner in which”, Fox submits, “genders are represented in children’s literature impacts children’s attitudes and perceptions of gender-appropriate behavior in society. Sexism in literature can be so insidious that it quietly conditions boys and girls to accept the way they see and read the world, thus reinforcing gender images. (1993, p. 85) Though sexism is somewhat inappropriate for children at such a young age, yet separation of roles and obligations prepare young minds to act according to their gender and innate qualities and physical characteristics as well. In the same way, they get acquainted with the tasks they should perform in one way or the other. Somehow, it is not an apposite thing that the concept of evil could be affiliated or confined to one gender keeping the other free from all treachery or ill will. On the contrary, being the writers and creators of the pieces of art and literature, the authors are supposed to estimate and present virtue and vice in broader context. Thus, the authors must be above all prejudiced approach and bias while creating literature for the innocent children. The authors should keep in mind that their writings must be helpful in the character building of the innocent stratum of a social set up, where the hatred and prejudice should be discouraged and condemned with an iron hand. Thus, the presentation of reality is highly recommended while creating the stories and plays for children. The culture reveals the very fact that crimes, offences and malpractices are committed by the individuals belonging to both the sexes and every age group and community. It is therefore, being the mirror to the prevailing norms and cultural values, the literary piece should be representative of the facts. But it is not the case in reality, as the writers have neglected their moral obligations towards the young generation. They should not produce such material that could create harm and hatred in the young minds. Rather, they should always look for morality, virtue, chastity, kindness and tolerance towards other fellow beings and even towards animals too. But it does not mean that the writers should strictly adhere to the teachings of Puritan ethics, where morality is the main objective of life. “The Stoics regarded virtue as the sole aim and end of life, and virtue is, in their philosophy, the conformity of the will and conduct to universal nature, — intrinsic fitness thus being the law and the criterion of the right. Complete conformity, or perfect virtue, is, according to this school, attainable only by the truly wise.” (Peabody, 2010, p. 3) Since making distinction between the genders by declaring one gender as cruel, aggressor, fiend and wrong-doer and the other as free from every fault and flaw in the literature meant for children, is strictly against the realities on the one hand, and violation of the principles of morality and ethical values on the other. It has aptly been observed that the writers have affiliated some explicit evils and vice to one gender or the other; as conspiracies, backbiting, jealousy, greed and temptation are regarded as female traits, while violence, torture, cruelty, wickedness and murder are taken as masculine evils. It is not only in this that authors present the opposite genders in different ways, but also they have established stereotypic characterizations while depicting the roles and characters of both the genders. For instance, females are considered to be the symbol of love, tenderness, shyness and compassion, while males represent vigor, aggression, valor and gallantry in art, literature and films. “Girls are”, Ernst argues, “represented as sweet, naive, conforming, and dependent in fantasy stories, while boys are typically described as strong, adventurous, independent, and capable.” (1995, p. 68) Though the literature produced in ancient, medieval and classical eras does not see eye to eye with Ernst’s supposition, as Sophocles, Homer, Chaucer, Shakespeare and other greatest writers never confined the evil to one gender or the other. For instance, all the intriguers and conspirators, which drafted and crafted conspiracy of assassinating Julius Caesar, were presented as males. Similarly, the goddess Demeter and Queen Hecuba displayed mercilessness and brutality towards their enemies; and both these characters were feminine ones. Moreover, it is Portia that rose to the occasion to show wisdom and courage to save the skin of her lover Antonio at the hands of Shylock in Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice.” In addition, both males and females get involved into various types of crimes, without taking into account that this offence is considered to be masculine or feminine in nature. Thus, no specific evil traits and characteristics could be associated with one gender; nor the evil can be gendered in a piece of literature. Since Veglahn strongly believes in the psychoanalytic theoretical framework articulated by distinguished theorist Sigmund Freud, she has also elaborated her views in the light of Freudian psychological theory. Sigmund Freud argues that sexual desires are an essential part of human nature, because it is one of the most fundamental human instincts that exists in the human subconscious. “According to Freud”, Boeree observes, “the unconscious is the source of our motivations, whether they be simple desires for food or sex, neurotic compulsions, or the motives of an artist or scientist. And yet, we are often driven to deny or resist becoming conscious of these motives, and they are often available to us only in disguised form. (2000, p. 9) Freud always attempts, therefore, to interpret human dreams and psychological collapse in the light of human sexual desires, longings and propensities, which are evident even in the trivial actions performed by the young children. Being the follower of Freudian theory, Veglahn also makes distinction between male and female characters while depicting the stories. She is of the opinion that since males and females are naturally attracted to one another, as they maintain innate characteristic of appeal for the opposite gender, they are also familiar with the unfavorable aspects present in the opposite sex. Such feelings of fear, trepidation and anxiety convert into disliking and abhorrence for the opposite sex, and feelings of superiority for one’s own gender tempt them to create monstrous characters depicting the members of opposite sex as fiendish, brutish and monstrous. Hence, identical to the portraying of images of men as evil and cruel by female writers and vice versa by men can also be witnessed in fantasy and magic stories along with social novels, short stories and fiction. Children learn”, Bastian submits, “from an early age that boys and girls are different. The first clue is the physical differences that are indisputable. Layered upon those differences are the differences that are accepted as truth by society. Whether or not you agree with these norms and morals is irrelevant. These are an inherent part of our society that our children must learn to navigate, if not adhere to and accept.” (2009, p.2) The same can be witnessed by going through the fantasy “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” by Mildred D. Taylor in 1976. Written by a woman, almost all the aggressive and violent characters of the fantasy, including David Logan, Hammer Logan, L. T. Morrison and Kaleb Wallace, are males, who display their aggressive attitude in one way or the other. Though they belong to divergent racial groups, yet violent behavior is common among them. Hence, the males are depicted as violent in children’s literature by the authoress, which is almost stereotype in adult fiction even. The fight took place between the black Stacey Logan and white T. J depicts the same that boys display their anger and wrath through violence. It also shows that people habitually mock others, and fighting between black and white children may invite mockery of the public on the one hand, and commencement of racial uproar on the other. Therefore, Mr. Morrison broke the fight between the two boys: “Sometimes a person’s gotta fight,” he said slowly. “But that store ain’t the place to be doing it. From what I hear, folks like them Wallaces got no respect at all for colored folks and they just think it’s funny when we fight each other”’ (Taylor, 2003, p. 87). Hence, she draws out men as violent in her fantasy. She also portrays women as compromising and kind while depicting the character of Mary Logan, as the fiction states: ‘“Biting the hand that feeds you. That’s what you’re doing, Mary Logan, biting the hand that feeds you.” Again Mama laughed. “If that’s the case, Daisy, I don’t think I need that little bit of food”’ (2003: p. 30). Similarly, the authoress presents both black and white adults as furious, where they invite fighting and antagonism time and again throughout the story. Mr. Logan’s setting the field on fire also affirms that men are portrayed as aggressors by females. The novel also portrays Mr. Simms as the narrow-sighted man, who considered his white community to be superior to the blacks in all regards. Mama tries to console Cassie by providing justification of Mr. Simms’s claim of being superior in these words: “So now, even though seventy years have passed since slavery, most white people still think of us as they did back then-that we’re not as good as they are-and people like Mr. Simms hold on to that belief harder than some other folks because they have little else to hold on to. For him to believe that he is better than we are makes him think that he’s important simply because he’s white.” (2003, p. 129) Renowned feminist writer Dorothy Allison has also pointed out the same state of violence in her “Skin: Talking about Sex, Class & Literature”, where she has elaborated her miseries as a child, where she was badly tortured both physically and sexually by her step father. Allison, has very courageously submitted the sensitive case before the world and brought to the limelight how the small children of both sexes, especially the girls from the lower stratum of society, are deflowered by family members, teachers, neighbors and other community members since their childhood when they are not even familiar with the words and concepts like sex, rape, exploitation and abuse. Child abuse or ill-treatment of children includes all curses imposed on children, such as physical torture, sexual abuse, psychological affliction, as well as common medical and educational neglect. Allison was an illegitimate child of an unwed mother and was raped by her stepfather for the six long years from the very young age of five. She was molested, battered and abused continuously and became so disgusted with the male gender that the feelings of liking and love for the individuals of the same sex were created in her mind and heart at the time she was entering her adolescence. But she least cares about her own misfortune, and is ambitious enough to rescue the whole society from the cruelty and ruthlessness by what means? “There was no meaning”, she (2005, p. 218) declares, “in what my stepfather did to me; but the stories I have made out of it do have meaning.” In later years, she found herself an entirely homosexual woman, which she saw as the reaction against the violence and atrocities exercised by the male stratum on the females. The prejudice on the basis of gender can also be viewed in other literary works produced by the children. For instance, Berlie Doherty draws out the female character as responsible and catious, while male charater is comparatively less caring and thoughtful, as the hero called Chris deserts the heroine Helen after getting involved into romance and sexual relationship with Helen. Somehow, Helen displays prudence at first by attempting to get her illegitimate child aborted, and then giving extreme care to the unborn child. Thus, the female writer shows female character as more prudent and rational than the male characters in her novel. Anyway, it is not actually the case; nor should it be promoted in the innocent minds of the children. Evil prevails everywhere, and the individuals belonging to every racial, ethnic, regional, religious, social, economic, political group and gender commit divergent crimes and offences without any discrimination. By observing our society and environment, it becomes evident that people coming from divergent background get involved into evil doing and malpractices in society. Hence, the evil cannot be gendered altogether, and the writers should also observe impartiality while producing literature for the children. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Allison, D. (2005). Skin: Talking About Sex, Class & Literature. Place of publication: Firebrand Books. Ernst, S. B.  (1995). Gender issues in books for children and young adults. In S. Lehr (Ed.), Battling dragons: Issues and controversy in children’s literature. (pp. 66-78). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. [ED379657] Fox, M. (1993). Men who weep, boys who dance: The gender agenda between the lines in children’s literature. Language Arts, 70(2), 84-88.  [EJ457107] Taylor, M. D. (2003). Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Place of publication: Puffin Modern Classics. Cicero on Moral Duties: The Forum at the Online Library of Liberty. (Year). Retrieved from http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php?Itemid=286&id=687&option=com_content&task=view) Bastian, E. (Year). Gender Equity in Children's Stories. Retrieved from: http://www.helium.com/items/628217-gender-equity-in-childrens-stories Read More