Consider the Ways in Which Is There Nowhere Else We Can Meet?' Explores the Issue of Sexual Difference.
Nadine Gordimer's short story of a young white girls encounter with a black boy has themes of controversial sexual difference. The story begins with a clever prophetic metaphor, reversal of elements' where the white sky is blackened by smoke. This speaks of the role reversal that is about to take place between the races of the boy and the girl. It warns us that there is going to be meeting and it won't be a particularly pleasant one. The title itself incurs thoughts of a romantic meeting, similar to the title of a Hollywood film. This gives the reader a clue that there is a sexual theme in this story.
Bennett and Royle's chapter Sexual Difference' in Literature, Criticism and Theory discusses gender stereotype. Usually there is the use of binary oppositions for e.g. dominant/passive, strong/weak etc. In Is There Nowhere Else We Can Meet' the definitions are not absolute. Usually the male is dominant, and to a certain degree he is with his body language, there he was in front of her' [ ] panting right into her face.' But in the scuffle as he grabs her shoulder and pulls her coat she is stronger as she breaks away and in this way she is demonstrating a stronger and more dominant sex. The gender stereotype is challenged and reversed. The girl wins the fight' and escapes.
The boy is more visually dangerous as Gordimer describes his appearance, a figure with something red on its head', red being the colour related to danger and passion. In the sixth paragraph, He had only a filthy rag part of an old shirt?' he looks dirty and wild like an animal, he is even referred to as an it' for the most part of the story. The odour from his unwashed body adds to the untamed and dangerous appearance.
The story is packed with sexual references and phallic symbols. The first being the pine needles the girl carries as she walks. This shows her lust towards the black boy as she rubs them up and down with her thumb, Down; smooth and stiff. Up;
Bennett and Royle's chapter Sexual Difference' in Literature, Criticism and Theory discusses gender stereotype. Usually there is the use of binary oppositions for e.g. dominant/passive, strong/weak etc. In Is There Nowhere Else We Can Meet' the definitions are not absolute. Usually the male is dominant, and to a certain degree he is with his body language, there he was in front of her' [ ] panting right into her face.' But in the scuffle as he grabs her shoulder and pulls her coat she is stronger as she breaks away and in this way she is demonstrating a stronger and more dominant sex. The gender stereotype is challenged and reversed. The girl wins the fight' and escapes.
The boy is more visually dangerous as Gordimer describes his appearance, a figure with something red on its head', red being the colour related to danger and passion. In the sixth paragraph, He had only a filthy rag part of an old shirt?' he looks dirty and wild like an animal, he is even referred to as an it' for the most part of the story. The odour from his unwashed body adds to the untamed and dangerous appearance.
The story is packed with sexual references and phallic symbols. The first being the pine needles the girl carries as she walks. This shows her lust towards the black boy as she rubs them up and down with her thumb, Down; smooth and stiff. Up;