Gender Roles of the 1930s

 

While getting through whatever life throws at her, Janie has it especially hard not only because of her race, but her gender as well. Janie is now in her second marriage, however, it does not go as planned, because she is verbally abused and seen as an object. On page 71, Janie’s husband, Jody says, “Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. They sho don’t think none for themselves.” Janie tries to stick up for herself by saying, “Ah knows uh few things, and womenfolks thinks sometimes too!” Jody, however, believes that women are at the same level as that of dirty animals, and they “see ten things and don’t understand one” (Hurston 71). Janie has tried to fight back for herself, but it never seems to do her any good, because she will just end up getting abused more in the end.

During the 1930s, this gender dynamic was very common, where men believed they had some type of superiority over women. While men went off to work every morning, women were expected to cook, clean, and watch over the children. Women who did work had pretty sucky jobs, such as factory workers and other dangerous, low-paying jobs. They also had to have twice the education and experience, but still was paid only half of what men earned. Women were expected to work a nine-to-five, come home to put dinner on the table, clean the house, tend the children, and at the same time, look pretty and submit to our husbands. Yet, on top of that, we “females” (as some incels like to call women) were still not getting paid or acknowledged enough.