Here we go. Becoming an English literature student isn't as easy as people think. This time I've posted my first essay for the "Introduction to Prose" as final assignment. Enjoy (?)
Women’s conviction and loyalty side from Mason’s
Short Stories
“Residents and Transients”, a short
story written by Bobbie Ann Mason, point out Mary Sue, as the spotlight of the
genuine character within the story. Usually the main character which focused on
woman’s role indicated the real side of woman’s independence only. However in
his story, Mason tries to make the women character showing the independence and
also respect to her couple at the same time, running balanced out. The simple
one is from what Mary said “But now I do not want to go to Louisville. I do not
want to go anywhere” (Mason 118). It can be concluded that Marry has her own
preference on the strength of her self-pride. “I quake at the thought of a rec
room”. I
tell Stephen, "I know this is
crazy, but I think
we'll have to
set up a kennel
in back for the cats,
to keep them out of traffic" (Mason 121-122). On
this part Mary is showing her intransigence about the opinion of buying new
house which Stephen really wanted for. Mary made the cats case as the reason of
her refusal. As a sync, Mason then expresses Mary’s mind through “Stephen travels
to cities throughout the
South, demonstrating
word-processing machines,
fancy typewriters that cost thousands of dollars and can remember what you
type. It doesn’t take a brain like that to remember eight cats” (Mason
119), in this sentence she indirectly acknowledges that Stephen is generally
smart. Thus she still put trust on him.
In other Mason’s short story
“Shiloh” the woman character on the story, Norma Jean also takes the strong
woman’s role. It’s showing on the way she exercised her arm’s muscle using the
three pounds barbell. She somehow feels safe if she could take care of her own
self. In this case Norma Jean makes her recent activities as the treatments for
the pain that she got surroundings. Other than that her husband, Leroy Moffitt
is struggling with his injured legs. And Norma Jean secretly feels somehow
unhappy that Leroy stays along day at home, without working or doing something
profitable. It’s also caused her flashback moment. When she reminded of her
died son, Randy, in such a way it makes her mind a bit uncomfortable and fidgety.
The feeling of suffer from a loss of her precious, sink down on her
remembrance. But she keeps quiet. She still respects her husband for a while. Fortunately
she can tolerate the grief from her couple, and tries to leave it by doing
something which leads her to the more positive ways. However as a deviation, Norma
Jean’s addiction to the cigarette during that era and culture, which mostly
noted that women should not to smoke, successfully showing the negativity
effects of her excessive stress. Somehow leaves the impression of depression
woman’s case.
And we could find on “Shiloh”--“I don’t want
to live in any log cabin” (Mason) Norma Jean expressing her refusal about his
couple’s decision. Even when Leroy tried to assure her by saying “It’s not a
cabin. It’s a house” (Mason). Norma Jean replied with “I don’t care it looks
like a cabin” (Mason). Means she’s really considered on her thought and
figuring things out. In other way it can be concluded that she doesn’t want to
live with Leroy anymore. So she just wants to end her live without him, not
depend on her couple again, nor be mixed up with his life.
The vacillation which happened on
these two women involved both emotion and feeling that still outlined blurry by
Mason. It May be possible if this is also specifically technique which Mason
rely on. The fervency of “love” that is commonly property by women on that era
takes a big constellation. A good woman believes on pure love, which stands and
trusts for only one man. Notably for married woman, she must take her husband’s
orders dutifully. When Mary said "I can’t imagine living on a street
again," I said to my husband. I complained for weeks about living with
houses within view. Indeed cornfields” (Mason 119). This illustrated how much Mary having
desirability which is adversative from Stephen’s.
The dominance of women’s rising on
that era also influences Mason’s story line. On the early 20th
century the gender equivalence as well as womanhood issues was loudly
excavated. The culture which fetter women’s right became descend step by step
with the furtherance of gender equivalence. Rigidity, feminism, affectation,
both illustrated on the women figure’s character. Strong character mostly
expressed through the women’s casually thought. The way that the women
character thought about facing the situation, solving the problems, or thinking
the man’s role of her life, pointed out in the deep feeling expression inside
that Mary and Norma Jean felt.
Somehow both Mary’s and Norma Jean’s
ending are trapped with the ambiguity choice. This could be the result of the
balance between the vacillation and loyalty within themselves which on the
other side conduces obscurity. “I can't remember what signals passed between us,
but it was suddenly appropriate that he drop by” (Mason 120). It seems like
Mason tried to depict Mary’s interest to Larry as a diversionary from her
ambiguity feeling for Stephen. Because then she said “His voice is
so familiar I can almost see
him, and I
realize that I miss
him” (Mason 121). This can be considered that even she has the old love story
feeling blowing again, yet she still wants to keep her relationship outlasting
with Stephen. Also on this part “I would not have called Stephen a Yankee. I'm
very much an outsider
myself, though I've tried
to fit in
since 've been back. I only say
this because I
overhear the skeptical and desperate remarks,
as though the town were being
invaded” (Mason 118-119). It’s also mean that even she feels somehow
frustrated with the current condition but then she still values Stephen’s
presence as her only husband. And rethink about agree her husband’s decision.
Several example things which illustrated how
the woman character tried to choose a decision or infer her true feeling are,
first when once Norma Jean asserted through her statement, that some of other
women may like a man who keeps wandering. This is honestly her feeling about
Leroy existence in their house that makes her doubt and getting startled. The
reasons could possibly because she wanted to feel safe from the afflictions
that caused by Leroy, or she just want to be alone because she likes the
previously condition, feeling at peace, freedom without any disturbance from
her husband. Norma Jean also said that she wants to leave her husband, Leroy.
It’s her final decision however this statement is still ambiguous because of
the “leaves” meaning of her words still could not define that she just want to
live separate from Leroy or divorce with him, but also she tried to leave this
world “forever” known as commit suicide. This thing could be happened because
of her sturdy pretension to quickly get rid of her worldly problems. Also it might
be a certain kind of frustration which is become bigger, or the loneliness
sense that covered unto herself.
Other
example is on “Residents and Transients” when Mary spent her time with Larry
then suddenly Stephen called her that he already found his “ideal house” but
Mary replied with "I don't care what it looks like" (Mason 121). On
that situation Mary once again expresses her indirect protest, but still even
she feels like don’t care yet she cares about the house investment. No other
than because it’s also affect her life, her marriage life with her husband. After
the “on phone contradiction” about the house investment, Stephen tries to make
concessions and assures Mary to give her agreement. Mary constantly could not
agree, even she makes the comparison of the house investment by her father’s
opinion. The seeking of agreement failed. This condition described her
discomfort that Stephen won’t believe what she already believes. “Mary’s
increasing anxiety about her own identity and her sense of paralysis before the
choices confronting her become apparent” (Price 22).
Otherwise
Mason depicts Mary’s final decision by her luck depend on her cats. The cat’s
eyes involved as her last consideration. Mary feels she could make it. As Mason
writes on “He makes me think of liquidity, investment postures. I see him
floppy as a Raggedy Andy, loose as a goose.
I see what I am
shredding in- my hand
as I listen. It is Monopoly money” (Mason 127). That sentence tells that
Mary standing still for her opinion but it could be changed anytime based on
her “luck”. As in line with Price’s statement which is explained “the final
image of the story is typical of Mason’s concluding images in its ambiguity. It
evokes Mary’s new receptiveness to change, but she is still watching herself
waiting, rather than acting” (Price 23).
WORKS
CITED
Mason, Bobbie
Ann. “Residents and Transients.” Shiloh
and Other Stories. 1982.
New York: Modern Library, 2001. 118-127.
Print.
Mason, Bobbie
Ann. “Shiloh.” New York: Harper, 1982. <http://www.stjoe.k12.in.
Price, Joanna. Understanding Bobbie Ann
Mason. South Carolina: University of
South Carolina Press, 2000.
