Introduction
Social construction refers to the overall values, tenets, and norms that a community presumes. Generally accepted patterns are given priority which in turn leads to dominance by specific special groups that are favored by these patterns. Dominance may result from institutions like religion, the influence of media, education level, and economic status among others. The constructed social norms and beliefs then dictate upward mobility that characterizes gender roles, personality, and sexual identity, and orientations. Therefore, gender roles in a given society are dictated by the above-mentioned social construction, norms, and values as early as the time an infant is born. As growth takes place, both male and female children are conditioned in a way that their gender will conform to the values and tenets of society. The novel by Mary Maud Montgomery The Blue Castle covers this theme more elaborately. For instance, the story begins with the author stating that “One does not sleep well, sometimes, when one is twenty-nine on the morrow, and unmarried, in a community and connection where the unmarried are simply those who have failed to get a man,” (Montgomery and Tracey, p. 31).
This essay looks at the role of social construction in defining gender roles in society with specific reference to the novel, The Blue Castle.
Overview of The Blue Castle
The novel, The Blue Castle was written in 1926 by a famous Canadian writer; thus the stories contained in the book capture the social structures of Canada in the early 1920s. The setting of the novel is in Deerwood in the region of Ontario. Montgomery is said to have visited Bala, Ontario in 1922 and the thematic issues reflected in the book should therefore be interpreted as issues that affected the society at that time. The role of gender was earlier dominated by men and women had little influence in societal undertakings, unlike today. In the past decades, a female child in society had to be prepared for the roles of a mother and a wife to help her take care of the family when she gets married in the future. Therefore, she has to be prepared to be compassionate, fostering, considerate, and supportive. Females are also viewed as delicate and vulnerable and this is illustrated when Valancy is allowed to sleep extra minutes long after Cousin Stickles and Mrs. Frederick Stirling had already gotten up. “Valancy was allowed to lie abed half an hour longer because of a family tradition that she was delicate,” (Montgomery and Tracey, p. 42.). On the contrary, a male child is prepared to lead an independent life, be competitive, and be assertive enough to take a leadership role in the family later in life. Since novels and books can influence the perceived character of a female, Valancy is not allowed to read certain novels, only nature books like those written by John Foster. According to Montgomery and Tracey, (p. 38), “It was permissible to read, even laudable, to read to improve your mind and your religion, but a book that was enjoyable was dangerous.”
Culture seems to divide males and females into groups of gender stereotypes and social construction. For this reason, the interaction between men and women in society is influenced by the traits nurtured from social construction. Social construction and stereotypes influence external lifestyles as depicted in conversation patterns where males are expected to talk while females listen. Valancy is afraid of speaking her mind for several fear factors; one being, the fear of giving her opinion because she is supposed to only listen, (Montgomery and Tracey, p. 44). In addition to this, education among females is viewed as less important and a waste of time. Valancy is ‘advised’ to quit reading because it is unimportant when Valancy’s mother says, “I dislike contradiction. And I do not see what you want to get a book for, anyhow. You waste too much time reading,” (Montgomery and Tracey, p. 50).
Automotive Culture as a Social Construct of Gender
There are ways of showing that gender roles and stereotypes depend on cultural practices and social construction in society. Different cultures and social lives have different gender expectations. These differences result from time differences, space, and place. As a result, the roles of males and females are not static but overlap from one society to the other and from one generation to the next. In the case of Montgomery’s story, she uses automobiles as a social construct to bring gender issues to Deerwood. There are not many cars in Deerwood and Valancy and others in the area can know Barney Snaith’s car by just listening to its sound.
According to Mullally (p., 121), “Barney’s noisy car also signifies the jolt of modernity to the values and strictures of Victorian society. The main character Valancy, teetering on the edge of spinsterhood, chafes under the burden of Victorian ‘respectability’.” Montgomery uses motors and the thrill of speeding to bring out gender roles. Valancy leads a fearful life: fear of speaking her mind, fear of confronting her mother, fear that she is not a beau and fear of not getting a partner at the age of 29. However, her fears are conquered by the mobility and free will of Barney’s motor.
Automobiles stand as a symbol of psychological and social freedom. Valancy fears the shrieks of cars, and this she shares with her family members. Barney drives his car around the tiny area of Deerwood and the fact that he has a car gives him an avenue of illicit courtship and sexual advantage. Valancy overcomes her fear for cars and when she gets into Barney’s car, she discovers something. Valancy finds new meaning in an automobile and now to her, a car signifies freedom and privacy away from her devaluating family members. In the car, she discovers the pleasure and new meaning of courtship and sexuality. This is because it is while aboard Barney’s car for her first car drive that she falls in love with Barney. Her enthusiasm and new awakening represent her newfound repression and sexual autonomy. She is quick to confront Barney even though she has only seen him for a second time and submit to Barney’s marriage proposal. She does this despite Barney being considered a bank robber and a notorious murderer, (Montgomery and Tracey, pp. 62-63). Also, Mullally, (p., 122) notes that “…proposes marriage to Barney for the sole reason of pleasing herself and enjoying what she believes to be the last months of her life.”
Valancy finds out the thrill of speeding when being driven along with Port Lawrence, symbolizing a dissipation of her fears and a new exile to freedom and pleasure away from her family. Cultural constraints are not favoring the female gender and Valancy is caught in this social construct given that she is 29 years old no man chasing after her. Her family is unsupportive and speeding enables her to fantasize about possible pleasures of escaping the ties of her community. The significance of gender and its place in society is brought in Montgomery’s novel by the use of automobiles and their associated freedom. In a wider perspective, Montgomery brings out the emergence of automobile culture in Canada from a female’s perspective.
In Canada today, the role of gender stereotypes has been altered as perceived decades ago. Today the roles of women have changed in the religious, economic, and political fronts. Women were perceived to have a smaller brain capacity and more delicate as compared to males and this made them ‘difficult to educate’. It will be very wrong and abuse of human rights if a normal person would make the same observation today. Today there are many successful women all over the world in various disciplines and this has narrowed the gap of gender inequality. Marriage, childbearing, and motherhood are no longer viewed as must-have responsibilities for a complete modern woman. The war on gender inequality would not have borne fruit if the likes of Montgomery had not upped the fight for feminism. Helwig, (p. 16) conducted research in which the following observations were made;
The gender of children was not a factor in explaining the responses of these children regarding the traditionality of occupations of men or women or how they perceived the role of a married woman with or without young children. However, as the children matured from second to sixth grade, change was evident. Asked whether there were jobs only men or only women should do, about 50% of second graders said no. By sixth grade, approximately three-fourths of the children said no.
Conclusion
In a nutshell; therefore, it is right to note that the role of social construction and gender stereotypes is getting more accommodative with both sexes given equal opportunities. Montgomery’s novel The Blue Castle is an advocate for gender equality and her dreams have almost been realized in modern cultures of Canada.
Works Cited
Helwig, Andrew. Gender-Role Stereotyping: Testing Theory with a Longitudinal Sample. 38 (5/6) 403-423. 1998. Print.
Montgomery, Lucy Maud and Tracey, Collett. “The Blue Castle.” Voyageur Classics. Toronto: Dundurn Press Ltd. 2007. Print.
Mullally, Sasha. ‘Daisy,’ ‘Dodgie,’ and ‘Lady Jane Grey Dort’: L. M. Montgomery and the Automobile in L. M Montgomery and Canadian Culture. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 1999. Print.