Topic > The issue of gender in boys and girls

For years, society has expected tasks to be appropriate for different genders. The perception of the male and female genders as different in terms of ability led to the idea that women would be suited to working in the home while men went out in search of bread. Alice Munro captures this essence in her story. In “Boys and Girls,” the author uses the experiences of an eleven-year-old girl who also serves as a narrator to describe the distinctions between boys and girls, men and women. The young woman helps her father because she doesn't like the domestic work that society has reserved for women and girls. Even though she tries, she doesn't get the approval she needs with the story ending after she gives up, accepting that she's just a girl. Through his treatment of the girl, Munro demonstrates how society has reinforced stereotypes that the male gender is superior to his female counterpart. Even though he does his job well as his father's aide, people still say that Laird will be a more capable assistant when he grows up. As a member of the female gender, Munro offers informed, first-hand commentary on how society expects women and men to be different. For this reason, she wishes to highlight the injustice of these practices in order to stimulate the necessary change towards gender equality. In “Boys and Girls,” Munro draws on the life of a narrator to demonstrate how society expects gender distinction while reinforcing related stereotypes in its effort to ensure the status quo is maintained regarding the place of its members males and females. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay By focusing on the narrator's experiences with his family and neighborhood, Munro is able to show how "Boys and Girls" tries to highlight the different attributes that both genders possess. In her portrayal of the different characters, she captures how gender was an important concept in the setting of the narrative. Initially, the narrator describes his father's work. She notes that she raised foxes, something she seems to be proud of. Munro goes on to describe her enthusiasm for her father's work, stating that she enjoyed helping her father rather than being with her mother. On the other hand, the narrator's mother seemed to have remained accustomed to society's expectations. In what appears to be a symbolic way, the girl states that her mother “didn't leave the house often.” His work was domestic. For this reason he spent most of his time at home. The author uses her situation as a representation of the entire female fraternity within the community. Being born female implied that an individual had to avoid outside work and concentrate on household chores. However, the girl was of a different race. She liked to take part in what other women hated. Even though her mother never liked the “slamming” tasks at the company, she perceived them as “seasonal”. The aroma was normal to her, as someone else would perceive “the smell of oranges and pine needles.” In a way, agricultural work suited her. However, the demands of society meant that he would never receive the support he needed. After depicting several characters within the text, Munro goes on to show how the setting reinforced gender differences and stereotypes. Even though the young woman has proven her abilities to the point that her father admires her work, society struggles to paint her in a negative light, calling her inferior. Her father describes her as “one.