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Sexism In Ernest J. Gaines Gathering Of Old Men

616 Words3 Pages

Although Ernest J. Gaines shows some women as men's satellites, it depicts sexism in a negative way. Gathering of old men is a novel set in Louisiana in the 1970s. It is about a black farmer killing a white plantation owner.
Many women in gathering are shown being forced into their stereotypical roles as wives, however, Gaines does not promote this in his writing. After Chimley gets home from a fishing trip, he has this conversation with his wife “Now, I ain't even stepped in the house good 'fore that old woman started fussing at me. What 'I'm doing home so early for? She don't like cleaning fishes this time of day. She don't like cleaning fishes till evening when it's cool.”...But, see, if I come back from Marshall and them fishes ain't done and ready for me to eat, I'm go'n do me some more shooting around this house.” Chimley is forcing his wife to conform to her stereotype, and if she does not, he threatened to shoot her. However, Gaines is portraying Chimley in a negative light, by making Chimley incredibly malicious or cruel towards his wife. Another instance of a woman being oppressed is on page 36, when Mat’s wife asks Mat what he is doing a shotgun, he reacts by saying, "Go somewhere and sit down, woman, This men business." This shows that men think that women belong out of the way of men and should not interfere. …show more content…

When Mapes threatens to take Mathu to jail, Beulah says "I ain't no stranger to buckets and mops," Beulah said. "Hoes, shovels, axes, cane knives, scythe blades, pickets, plows—I can handle a gun, too, if I have too. I been in the pen before." Although Beulah is a woman, and is perceived to be less than a man, she had the courage to stand up to Mapes. Beulah is one of the bravest characters in the book even though men try to oppress her by forcing her into her gender box. Gaines is showing how powerful women can be and that people should not predict their experiences based on their

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