Theories are common in the modern day and are a critique of common sense, of concepts that are as natural could assist in the task of making sense of things in discursive practices (Anitha, 1). Perhaps this is why theories are very common in many modern-day literary debates. Feminism, feminine, masculine, female, feminist are terms that are all synonymous with the debate of gender today. Feminism is the range of activities that women engage in that go against the traditional role that women play in the society. Feminine is the natural and traditional definition of women in the society. Masculine is the quality of being male and having the traditional male concept of having patriarchal power. Female is the biological fact of being a woman whereas being a feminist is the act of support feminism.
Literature has a role in the establishment, definition, interpretation, and promotion of gender in different cultures. Gender theory aims at looking at masculinity and femininity as mutually related characteristics that determine the lives of men and women. This theory challenges the traditional role of man and women in the society as working or behaving in a fixed manner. The literary works of Joe Hessert and John Cheever capture and represent the gender theory in a very vivid manner. The short stories Swinging lambs and reunion by Hessert and Cheever respectively redefine the role of men and women in the society and empower their new roles.
The Reunion
First, the reunion by John Cheever begins with Charlie meeting his father. Charlie’s parents have been and divorced and it is three years since Charlie met his father. The moment is full of excitement for Charlie. When Charlie meets his father, he hugs him. He describes the smell, “It was a rich compound of whiskey and aftershave lotion, shoe polish, woolens, and the rankness of a mature male.” This description of Charlie’s father emphasizes on the traditional outlook of men where they are to be rugged. Men in the traditional society were rough and had the use of the word rankness puts a position to the whole nature of Charlie’s father. Rank is often associated with the army or police offices that were traditionally male-dominated. The positioning is applicable in this analysis where Charlie’s father is ranking as being more of a mature man in comparison to Charlie or other men because of his strong smell of a concoction of smells that he carried along with him. This traditional outlook supports the traditional masculine outlook of men. However, this is as much as the short story supports that view.
Charlie’s father invites him to a restaurant for lunch. When they enter the restaurant, they meet a bartender, a delivery boy, and an old waiter. Waiter then made his way to the table. The position of a waiter has long been a position for women in the patriarchal society with about 59% of the hotel industry employees being women (Cross 3). The society sees the position as one that belongs to women because it involves much serving and cleaning. However, Cheever introduces a male waiter. This is a fresh idea that illuminates light on the thought of modern man. As much as feminism is the engagement of women in roles that are not traditionally theirs, the same definition can apply to men to show that men are taking roles that are traditionally not masculine. In this light, Charlie’s father goes on to boss around the waiter in a way to prove his authority. He shouts at the waiter and claps his hands almost as if to hurry him up like a small child. When the waiter says that he does not like the action of being clapping at him, Charlie’s father says that he should have brought a whistle. Charlie’s father then proceeds to tell him to bring two Beefeater Gibsons and asks the waiter to repeat after him. The waiter refuses to be subject to such humiliation. He asks the duo to leave. This strong statement goes to support the dignity of the position of the waiter. Since the waiter is in a position that is traditionally feminine this also supports the idea that the role is gender inclusive and there is no need to downgrade it by serving rude and impolite people. The waiter although standing up to his own dignity also upholds the dignity of the position.
Traditionally, boys are to be tough and are not to show any signs of weakness or emotional turmoil or desperation. Boys are to be tough. This is a notion that has led to many psychosocial problems in many men especially alcoholism, violence and drug abuse. Cheever, however, introduces a new modern perspective where boys express their feelings and love. When Charlie meets his father, he was "terribly happy to see him again” (Cheever). When his father puts his hand around him, he smells him just like his mother would. He then had hoped "that someone would see us together. I wished that we could be photographed. I wanted some record of our having been together” (Cheever). Cheever compares how Charlie smells his father to the similar manner in which his mother would smell him. This is emotive process represents a feminine behavior but Charlie, a male, is the one performing it has not seen his father in three years. This supports the theory of modern day gender equality where male show emotion to their fellow men.
Charlie also exhibits some very feminine display of affection where he wishes that someone could photograph them so that he can have a record of that moment for the rest of his life. Charlie's father also extends his hand to hug Charlie, a picture that is not common in the traditional patriarchal society. This exchange of affection is part of modern gender theory that supports gender equality where men can express affection between each other, especially between father and son.
The Reunion by John Cheever downplays the idea that men should be rowdy, rough and rude as they are in the olden society. The short story depicts that the ideal modern man should be gentle and polite with a firm awareness of self. Charlie’s father is rude and rowdy throughout the short story and finally, Charlie leaves and never sees him again. The short story shows how Charlie and his father are kicked out of every club or restaurant they get into because of his father's constant rudeness and rowdiness. They do not have a peaceful stay at any of the four restaurants that they visit. Even at the newsstand, the clerk refuses to sell him a newspaper due to his rudeness. The rudeness and rowdiness of Charlie's father is perhaps an admirable character in the olden days. However, in the modern day, man is to be gentle and polite just as a woman. If Charlie’s father were polite and gentle they would have been welcome to the restaurants and had a good conversation. Their relationship could be better and Charlie would have come to visit him again. This end of affairs goes to urge men to behave in a better way that is polite and gentle.
Swinging Lambs
In the short story swinging lambs by Joe Hessert, he depicts the maternal role of women in society in a way that is inclusive of both genders. The short story begins with the description of a lamb being born. The process is a slow and delicate one that requires lots of attention. The narrator explains how to handle the process and what to take care of. The process is involuntary but requires direction. This short story extenuates the matriarchal role of women in the story. First, women give birth to human beings. The narrator describes the process as one that “a sudden jerk at the end of each swing that can mean the difference between life and death” (Hessert). This paints the picture of how fragile a young one is and the role and cares that a mother plays in taking care of a child cannot be underestimated. However, the author does not reveal the gender of the narrator, which leads to the more general outlook. The role is therefore for both man and woman. The care of the mother and father is crucial for the survival of any being. This goes to enforce the idea that gender roles in the society are not exclusive but rather joint and there should be no isolation.
Women are who teach children key skills and aspects that later help them in life. The narrator says, “The woman who showed me how to swing lambs is older than I am” (Hessert). The narrator is talking about his mother. The narrator also exhibits great mastery when delivering the lamb. This skill he/she attributes to the woman, who plays the role of a mother. Women teach children many skills that enable them to maneuver through life and be successful. These lessons stick with the child ever since they are a child and they live to emulate and do it as expertly as they see. This feminine role in the society is one, which requires preservation.
The author also demonstrates the pain of a parent to lose their child. The narrator explains, “But as I swing the lamb I am in the hospital remembering my son, Willy, and the nurse who took his body to the morgue. I hold on tight” (Hessert). The narrator has no gender. However, from taking a view of both father and mother, the ordeal is still painful. The pain of losing a child is therefore not just a mother but of parents. This reinforces the idea that man and woman in the modern society have new roles that are inclusive and do not lean on gender and that their loss is unbearable for both parties.
The short story talks about the birth process. Traditionally, midwives are the ones who aid in the process of giving birth. The midwives were experienced and had an understanding of how best to do it. A midwife was traditionally a woman (Kantrowitz). In the modern day, men have taken up the role of midwife. Men are in hospitals and homes helping in the process of the childbirth. The narrator of the short story does not identify as either male or female, which makes the process gender-neutral. This is important as it enforces the notion that the work of nursing and midwifery is for either gender.
Conclusion
Literature plays an important role in promoting gender equality in the modern day. Gender equality is the case where both men and women should have equal access to resources and have the freedom to engage in the activities that they wish regardless of any discrimination. Women in the society have largely been discriminated including the roles that they play in the society. Traditionally feminine roles are inferior and the woman is the weaker being (Asberg and Lykke). However, these roles are changing and women are being empowered. The roles that traditionally were for women in the society are now acceptable to men and they are actively engaging in them. Jobs such as being a waiter were traditionally women roles, nursing and assisting in childbirth as well. John Cheever in the reunion shows how an old waiter who is a man stands up to a rude man, Charlie's father which comes across as not only standing up for his dignity but also for the dignity of a waiter generally. Joe Hessert uses a narrator who is neither woman nor man and performs the task of nursing. This use of a gender-neutral character works well to emphasize the roles and their importance without looking at gender.
Work Cited
Anitha, Ramesh. “Gender and power: A critique of D.H.Lawrwnce and doris Lessing” Thesis. Department of English, University of Calicut, 2006
Hessert, Joe. The Swinging Lamps.
John, Cheever. Reunion.
Cross, S. ‘Girls’ Jobs for the Boys: Men in Non-traditional Occupations’, Gender, Work and Organization, Vol. 9(2), pp. 204-226. 2002 http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/861/1/196622_648%20Cross%20Postprint.pdf
Kantrowitz, Gordon. Men in Midwifery: A National Survey. 2014 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jmwh.12191.
Asberg, Cecilia and Lykke, Nina. "Feminist technoscience studies". European Journal of Women's Studies. 17 (4), 2010. 299–305. doi:10.1177/1350506810377692
