The Issue of Masculinity in Short Stories - Literature review Example

When we explore the three stories, Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta by Kate Braverman, The Life You Save May Be Your Own by Flannery O’Connor’s, and way of seeing by John Berger, it is evident that they contain themes that are reflected in our lives and affect people in their daily activities. The common themes in the three stories are uses and importance of colors, representation and depiction of masculinity and femininity, and applications of religions although the representation of the subjects may be unique basing on each writer’s viewpoints and the way they present their stories. The issue of masculinity is a major subject in the three short stories. John Berger’s story ways of seeing tries to explain how women and men are viewed and perceived differently by the society. During Berger’s time, the way women and men were represented culturally had extensive influence on their mutual perception, self and conduct. In my view, the way Berger portrays the men and women is a true reflection of how they are viewed in the contemporary society where there is widespread gender discrimination, oppression of women by dominant men and objectification of women. As Berger aptly puts it, "men act – women appear"(72), men are judged by what they do or their action while women are always judged by their appearance. However, in contrast to the common notion that women are mere objects, they can be a source of inspiration as portrayed in “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by Flannery O’Connor’s. Lucynell Crater Offers Tom Shiftlet a chance to attain Grace. He had no friends, had been wandering but in the long run Lucynell assists him to get a chance to work hard, get a household, live a quiet life and have an opportunity of watching beautiful sunset. Although O’Connor’s story shows that women can influence men’s life, it is evident that sometime men do not appreciate the assistance offered as proven by Shiftlet’s opinion on his marriage as he states, "that was just something a woman in an office did, nothing but paper work and blood tests”(28). Although he had negative views of the marriage presided by a woman, it can be concluded that he was ultimately married legally to Lucynell’s daughter. My analysis of Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta by Kate Braverman show that the society view women as people who can be influenced easily by men to engage in immorality. Braverman states, “The thrill of motorcycle rides and diamonds offered by Lenny had a great influence on her substance abuse”57. Although the story is symbolic, the use of a female protagonist as a drug addict who is influenced into the habit by a man called Lenny symbolizes a society that the male gender influences the behaviors and actions of the female gender. The depiction of color is an important theme in the three stories. Color may be used a symbol, to show events, moods or explain situations. In an episode where the boy leaps from Shiftlet’s car as presented by O’Connor, the grey color is used to depict a gloomy mood. O’Connor states, “A cloud, the exact color of the boy's hat and shaped like a turnip, had descended over the sun, and another, worse looking, crouched behind the car” 32.The cloud’s color is grey, and just like the boy’s hat is used to depict a somber mood that caused the boy to leap from the car. Similar to Grey color as depicted by O’Connor, blue color as depicted in Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta by Kate Braverman symbolizes destruction. Braverman states that blue represents an ever-present addiction and temptation to the protagonist’s life. The protagonist abuses substances and so blue represents the omnipresent temptations and destruction that keeps on trying to influence her into hazardous drug life of the protagonist. Braverman states "The blue that knows you and where you live and it's never going to forget" (107).In my view, blue which is usually beautiful symbolizes the good feelings that drug addict feels when she is under the control of drugs but the ultimate result is relapse of substance use after trying to desist from the behavior or total destruction. In my view, color can be used indirectly to represent images or symbols. John Berger’s in “ways of seeing” states that objectification of women sexuality has in many instances been represented in art especially painting. Painting uses aspects of color in portraying a specific image and so use of color may be used in portraying how men and women are viewed in the society. This fact may be presented by Berger’s assertion, “Painting and photographs which portray nudity appeal to the viewer's sexuality, the male viewer”68. The theme of religion is well presented in two stories; The Life You Save May Be Your Own by Flannery O’Connor’s and way of seeing by John Berger. According to O’Connor, she compares Shiftlet to the old car that had never been used for a period of fifteen years. The act of starting the car can be equated to Shiftlet’s changes in his life. O’Connor equates the miracle that changes Shiftlet’s life to that of Jesus raising the dead Lazarus in the bible. She states, “This little miracle, tied to the miracle of Jesus raising the dead Lazarus in the New Testament”72.However, use of religion to depict hope is different from how it is used by Berger. Religious context in which Berger discusses the first representation of a woman is that of Eve in the biblical Garden of Eden. Berger states, “Nakedness in the story of Adam and Eve was the result of different ways in which man and woman looked at each other following the eating of the fruit from the tree of knowledge”68. From Berger’s discussion, we can conclude that religion has played a key role in the objectification of women. This is further compounded by the fact held by religions that women are inferior to men thus giving men an opportunity of discriminating or objectifying women. In my opinion, although religion is not well depicted in Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta by Kate Braverman, its values or erosion of its moral ideals defines whether a person lives a good or destructive life. Most of the religious views promote morality and social well being but if these values are ignored, there are high chances that one will live a destructing life. The protagonist in Braverman’s story abuses drugs, a behavior that most religions prohibit. Braverman states, “she tried to set herself free from substance by engaging in rehabilitation activities but the temptation kept on creeping back”53.By trying to take a sabbatical from drug abuse show that some religious values influenced her. However, the influence of Lenny to drug relapse show that she is losing religious values that are essential in guiding one’s life. Works cited Braverman, Kate. Squandering the Blue: Stories. New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1990. Print. Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin, 2008. Print. O'Connor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories. San Diego, Calif: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983. Print. Read More