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The Oppression Of Women In The Shining Houses By Alice Munro

1227 Words5 Pages

In Alice Munro's 'The Shining Houses', the themes of women's oppression and resistance are prominently depicted as female characters challenge patriarchal norms and fight for their rights and dignity. Women are often expected to conform to certain gender norms, and those who deviate from them face harsh consequences. Through a feminist lens, the story highlights how women are consistently perceived as inferior to men. This essay argues that Munro's portrayal of the treatment of women in the story serves to challenge traditional notions of gender roles and expectations. The essay will examine how men treat Mrs. Fullerton for her non-conformity and how Mary is treated when she does not adhere to the norms. Ultimately, the essay will demonstrate …show more content…

" ‘This is it,’ Carl said. ‘There's an allowance for a lane, there always has been, the idea being if the area ever got built up they would put a lane through. But they never thought that would happen, people just built where they liked. She's got part of her house and half a dozen shacks sitting right where the lane has to go through. So what we do now, we get the municipality to put through a lane. We need a lane anyway. Then she has to get out. It's the law.’ " (Munro,70)
Men want to destroy Mrs.Fullerton’s house and build a lane through it, which can be seen as taming Mrs.Fullerton
All of these fall under the “Women as Nature” category from the feminist lens as it can be seen how Mrs.Fullerton’s house is a representation of her.

Mrs.Fullerton is seen as grumpy and repulsive because she refuses to look after children
" ‘Don't worry, Mary, she's got money in the bank,’ Janie said. ‘She must have. I asked her to baby-sit for me once and she practically spit in my face. She isn't exactly a charming old lady, you know.’ " (Munro,

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