Representations Of Masculinity And Femininity In M

Essay, Research Paper

Representations of Masculinity and Femininity in Miguel StreetIt has been said about V.S. Naipaul’s novel Miguel Street that “One of therecurrent themes… is the ideal of manliness” (Kelly 19). To help put into focus whatmanliness is, it is important to establish a definition for masculinity as well as itsopposite, femininity. Masculinity is defined as “Having qualities regarded ascharacteristic of men and boys, as strength, vigor, boldness, etc” while femininity isdefined as “Having qualities regarded as characteristic of women and girls, as gentleness,weakness, delicacy, modesty, etc” (Webster). The charcters in Miguel Street have beeningrained with the pre- conceived notions of the roles that Trinidadian society dictates formen and women. Naipaul not only uses these notions to show the differences of thesexes, but takes another step in telling anecdotes of characters showing their anti-masculine and anti- feminine features. This will lead to the discovery that our definitionsof masculinity and femininity prove that those characteristics apply to the opposite sex inwhich the women often act like men, and the men often act like women. All of this willbe discussed through looking at both male and female characters in the book as well asthe boy narrator of the book. Finding examples of manliness are found with great ease considering that 12 ofthe 17 stories in some way deal with the theme of manliness (Thieme 24). It doesnt takelong before the first example, a carpenter named Popo, is introduced. In the chapter titled”The Thing Without A Name” we are told that “Popo never made any money. His wifeused to go out and work and this was easy , because they had no children. Popo said ‘Women and them like work. Man not made for work” ( Naipaul 17). This attitudeimmediately makes Popo stand out from the rest of the men of Miguel Street. Hat (acharacter that will be discussed later) deems Popo as a “man- woman. Not a proper man”(Naipaul 17) because Popo’s wife makes all the money. From this brief description ofPopo, the reader quickly learns as to what makes a man manly on Miguel Street. Popohas no children which questions his virility. It is also important to notice that Popo’s wifehas no identity except that of being Popo’s wife. We only first learn of her name,Emelda, through a calypso. An illusion is created that Popo’s wife is just another one ofPopo’s possesions. “Popo’s Wife” sounds no different than Popo’s tools or Popo’s car. Popo’s wife leaves him, and this change affects him as well as how the other menlook at him. Now “He smelled of rum, and he used to cry and then grow angry and wantto beat up everybody. That made him an accepted member of the gang” (Naipaul 18). This even forces Hat to admit that Popo “is a man, like any of we” (Naipaul 18). Thischange makes him closer to the others, merely because he drinks and desires to beat uppeople. Later in the chapter he is sent to jail for stealing furniture, which upon his return,”He came back a hero. He was one of the boys” (Naipaul 21). Jail is yet another form ofwhat makes a man more popular and more manly. Morgan, the pyrotechist, differs from Popo in that he has 10 children. Morganalso beats his children regularly. But yet he is not well liked on Miguel Street. He is atiny man, who tries very hard to be funny, but is only laughed at not laughed with. He ismarried to a Mrs. Morgan, a big spanish woman, who like Popo’s wife is only identifiedas being someone’s wife. One night, Morgan is caught by his wife sleeping with anotherwoman. The fighting is heard by most on Miguel Street and they can see that Mrs. Morgan is doing the beating this time. She is heard saying, “Leave the light on. Come, letwe show the big hero to the people in the street. Come, let we show them what manreally make like. You is not a anti- man , you is real man. You ain’t only make tenchildren with me, you going to make more with somebody else” (Naipaul 70). As thenarrator says , “For the first time since he came to Miguel Street, Morgan was reallybeing laughed at by the people” (Naipaul 71). The sarcasm in Mrs. Morgan’s ‘real man’statement, shows an example of how Morgan is seen by even his own wife as an exampleof anti- masculinity in his weakness, while Mrs. Morgan shows her anti- feminism in herstrength. The chapter about Hat, is the second last one in the book, which makes thischaracter unique. He is the only one to who we have already gained a character sketchof. Just like the narrator, Hat has been involved in most of the chapters. Hat’s characterprovides us with a kind of spokesperson for all the people on Miguel Street. It’s hiscomments that stay ingrained in the reader’s mind when thinking of other characters. Such an example of this is the already discussed character, Popo, being called by Hat a”man woman”. To the narrator, whom is fatherless, Hat is “very much a surrogate fatherfigure” (Thieme 28). It would appear that Hat is the ideal man. He is not married, doesnot condone hitting, and appears to be self sufficient. As the narrator says, “He was selfsufficient, and didn’t believe he even needed women. I knew of course that he visitedcertain places in the city from time to time, but I thought he did this more for the viciousthrill than for the women” (Naipaul 160). He is also a smart man. When he takes 12 ofthe kids from Miguel Street to a cricket match, he made people believe that they were allhis. Becuase of this he recieves admi