Moliesa Yashin Reading Response #2

So far I have stories from a man’s perspective with the exception of two (The story of an hour by Kate Chopin and How by Lorrie Moore). When comparing then I think that each writer focused more on their gender in the stories they wrote. A clearer view of these characters is given. In Kate’s, The Story of an hour the main character is the wife. In fact the husband was mentioned in the beginning then the ending of the story then in Lorrie’s “How” the story from beginning to end was focused on the emotional well being of the wife and how much she tried to break free. In Raymond’s, ”Cathedral” even though the wife is mentioned quite often she is constantly left in the shadow and her husband and best friend (a man) becomes the readers major characters to follow. Since it was the husband that was trying to adjust and accept his wife “male” blind friend. Then James, Dubliners started off with a lonely man and how he found someone to take away that loneliness. Even though she was mentioned and some parts focused on her it all came back to Mr. Duffy and how he felt and the things that were happening and the choices she made.  In “Hills like white elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, the “American” the male character was the focus in trying to encourage the girl to have an abortion. Finally in The Sun, the moon and the stars by Junot Diaz, it was the male character that made a mistake by cheating on his girlfriend and then tries to make things better.

I think the favoured gender or the one that more emphasis is on would either make you dislike or like the characters. I think they tried to show the readers in their own ways that both genders can feel hurt of pain. Since the readings are about relationships whether it be friendships or romance. Love is a topic that everyone feels differently about and no one is scared to shout out their opinions.  For me I think that for the male writers more of the inner feelings should have been focused on, more of how they felt emotionally and vice versa. In Cathedral, Dubliners and The sun, the moon and the stars, I felt that the main characters, the men were heartless and mean at some times. I think if more focus were on the female characters and mistakes they made I wouldn’t have felt so much hatred towards the male characters. Women are perceived as the needy more dependent type as they were years back not realizing things have changed.  In “How” and “The story of an hour”, the female writers showed how much these women wanted to break free. They wanted freedom but being “women” they chose to be loving and caring and put their husbands well being first. However, one can only take so much. They dealt with so much until they finally break free. They were never given that feeling of independence until they broke free. I think they tried to show readers that women are getting there. They are becoming independent and the stereotype of a stayed home housewife would be soon over.