Comparing Gender In Invisible Man And Scarlet Letter
Representation of Gender in Invisible Man and Scarlet Letter
Both Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man (1952) and Scarlet Letter (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne share some common themes. In Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne addresses the suffering that emerges from sin, especially the sin of adultery that leads to isolation of sinners. The plot revolves around two female characters Hester Prynne and her daughter, Pearl. Through the two women, Hawthorne reflects the women’s hardships in the 17th century. On the other hand, Invisible Man is a novel that not only critiques racism but one that makes women invisible. Ellison fails to develop the female characters in an equal manner to the male character to reinforce the idea of gender inequality. This essay seeks to evaluate the representation of gender in American literature in Invisible Man and Scarlett Letter.
Due to gender difference the society places men and women in unequal positions. Men are considered superior and capable of being leaders while women are considered inferior to their male counterparts. Traditionally, it was assumed that women were incapable of reasoning but were endowed with the capability of nurturing the society. It was also believed that the position of women …show more content…
Hester goes against the gender norms that were set in the Puritan society. For example, Hawthorne claims that “[she had acquired] passports for regions where other women daren’t not tread” (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 137). Hester demonstrates the greatness of her personal strength in raising her daughter all by herself, and to fight back when the authority attempts to take Pearl from her. The portrayal of Hester as adulterous supports patriarchy and masculine hegemony because the father of the child in question is not mentioned anywhere in the book. Hester’s success is similar to Sybil ability to demonstrate that women are free as
Both Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man (1952) and Scarlet Letter (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne share some common themes. In Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne addresses the suffering that emerges from sin, especially the sin of adultery that leads to isolation of sinners. The plot revolves around two female characters Hester Prynne and her daughter, Pearl. Through the two women, Hawthorne reflects the women’s hardships in the 17th century. On the other hand, Invisible Man is a novel that not only critiques racism but one that makes women invisible. Ellison fails to develop the female characters in an equal manner to the male character to reinforce the idea of gender inequality. This essay seeks to evaluate the representation of gender in American literature in Invisible Man and Scarlett Letter.
Due to gender difference the society places men and women in unequal positions. Men are considered superior and capable of being leaders while women are considered inferior to their male counterparts. Traditionally, it was assumed that women were incapable of reasoning but were endowed with the capability of nurturing the society. It was also believed that the position of women …show more content…
Hester goes against the gender norms that were set in the Puritan society. For example, Hawthorne claims that “[she had acquired] passports for regions where other women daren’t not tread” (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 137). Hester demonstrates the greatness of her personal strength in raising her daughter all by herself, and to fight back when the authority attempts to take Pearl from her. The portrayal of Hester as adulterous supports patriarchy and masculine hegemony because the father of the child in question is not mentioned anywhere in the book. Hester’s success is similar to Sybil ability to demonstrate that women are free as