Elva Aquino
EN 102-H24A
Prof: Agieszka Tuszynska
Gender Roles In Society: Stereotypes and Prejudices
Literary Works Authors
1) "Trifles" Susan Glaspell
2) "I Stand Here Ironing" Tillie Olsen
3) "Brokeback Mountain" Annie Proulx
4) "Hanging In Solo" Susan Eisenberg
5)"Beneath The Shadow Of The Freeway" Lorna Dee Cervantes
Introduction
During the semester we have read poems, plays and short stories focusing on sexual
identity such as gender roles and sexual orientation. This essay will discuss all the literary works
focusing on these themes; and how gender and society has drilled into the minds of people of
how the role of each gender should be played out. There are two recognized types of gender, a
man and a woman; however there are many types of gender roles a man or a woman may
assume or be placed into by society. This paper will examine five literary works in which roles in
terms of society sees men and women stereotypically.
The image of American playwright Susan Glaspell (1...
Star-crossed lovers. The poster was fashioned afte...
Ennis 19Also, some of the literary works will be
about sexual identity and how today's society is based whether or not he or she fits into the
"norm" that has been created. The annotations will start with the plays and short stories that
focus on "Gender stereotype" and "Gender roles", followed by a short story about "Sexual
orientation". And the last two poems are about women which roles consist of being in both
sides the masculine side and the feminine side. By this order the anthology gets finally to the
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two strongest poems, where women are strong and willing to do "men's job", leaving behind
the "sterotypes".
Glaspell, Susan. "Trifles". Political Stages: Plays That Shaped A Century. Ed. Emily Mann
and David Roessel, New York: Applausse, 2002. 65-86. Susan Glaspell's Trifles explores the
classical male stereotype by declaring that...