Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Reymundo Martinez
English 115
Professor Ditch
6 December 2017
environment, and can affect their ability to handle life-altering circumstances by becoming
radical in their gender performance. But when one breaks free of these gender norms to adapt to
their surroundings, it can make a difference in the lives and society around them. In The
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Elizabeth McKenna goes beyond the gender
norm by taking on a masculine role as a heroine by facing the German prison guards head on
oppressing the innocent, while Dawsey Adams follows a masculine sense of honor while taking
on a caretaker role in what would be considered feminine obligation. Its this behavior and the
way that Elizabeth and Dawsey act upon the circumstances they are presented with that
demonstrates how they are radical in their gender performance based on the responsibilities and
actions that each one of them takes on, regardless of the repercussions.
power, but it is another thing to go against ones gender normality in order to stand up to that
power, especially if youre a woman. Elizabeth McKenna is a prominent figure for the women
on the Island of Guernsey who view her as a symbol of hope and bravery against the face of
great struggle, and she maintains who she is despite the brutal horrors that she faces while
dominance by physically engaging in a fight against Binta, one of the prison guards, for
witnessing her attack another prisoner. Elizabeth broke out of her line fast- so fast, she grabbed
the rod from Bintas hand and turned it against her, hitting her over and overI will stop now
(Schafer 181, 182). Elizabeth breaks free from the prescribed gender roles of prison life where
women are to be seen as more submissive and goes beyond that by physically engaging in a fight
knowing that she would face severe repercussions for her actions. This masculine act of combat
that Elizabeth chose to take in order to protect the other prisoners is reiterated in Aaron Devors
Becoming Members of Society: The Social Meanings of Gender, where he states Such an
alternative conception of gender roles captures the hierarchical and competitive masculine thirst
for power, which can, but need not,, lead to aggression and the feminine quest for harmony and
incomparable to anything that many others in her position were ever willing to take, and she acts
opposite to her gender norms by showing a masculine demeanor of taking on trials that would
Elizabeths bravery is not limited to physical rebellion, but its also displayed in her
willingness to take on punishment for the sake of others survival. In the text, one of her fellow
prisoners Alina had accidently dropped a potato from her cart that she was transporting as part of
her duties within incarceration. Elizabeth knew that the punishment for this would be severe, and
that if it was discovered that Alina did it, they would kill her. Alina had ulcerated corneas, and
it was important that the overseers not notice thisElizabeth said quickly she had taken the
potato, and was sent to the punishment bunker for one week (GLPPS 181). Elizabeth takes on a
punishment that many people in her position probably wouldnt do, and her behavior was
something that very few people would do, which is why she was viewed so highly by her prison
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friend, Remy, the other prisoners, and the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie
Society. Devor also explains the significance of how actions similar to that of Elizabeth are
viewed highly by others when he states Persons who display success and high status in their
social group who exhibit a manly air of toughnessand the aura of aggression, violence, and
daring are seen as extruding masculinity (Devor 42). Elizabeths actions are far beyond that
of feminine normality, for rather than give in to her oppressors, she constantly rebels and
demonstrates that Anger is good because it expresses your deepest cares and concerns (Del
Gandio 26).
Cecile Touvier, who is Remys caregiver, helps Remy writes the letter about what
Elizabeth did in the prison camp and she describes the horrors of the prison and when Remy gets
to the part about Elizabeth being shot, she begins to conclude the letter there, not describing what
the Nazis did with Elizabeths remains. This shows the use of self-examination where Remy
wants Elizabeths friends on Guernsey to remember her for her heroic actions rather than her
gruesome death and to know that it wasnt meaningless (RFR Labors of the Multitude 81-89).
This heroic action of a woman who met a tragic death for not conforming to their gender
norms is also seen in history many centuries prior to the era of this novel. Joan of Arc was the
great heroin of the French Army towards the end of the Hundred Years War who believed that
she received a revelation from God to lead the French to victory against the British. She lead the
entire French Army composing entirely of men to victory, but died at the hand of others who
brought her to trial as a witch and was burned at the stake. The author of Gender Transgression
as Heresy: The Trial of Joan of Arc explains this by saying: It is the intention of this paper to
take the trial of Joan of Arc on charges of heresy seriously by arguing that Joan really was a
heretic by virtue of the fact that she was different: she diverged physically from the accepted
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norms of society and theologically from the teachings of the Church. Joan of Arcs actions
resonates with that of Elizabeth because both had become heroines in their own ways and
inspired others to take action against the cultural normality of gender and social class.
While Elizabeth went above and beyond the call of duty to defend her friends, you dont
have to risk your life in order to by radical in your gender performance. Dawsey, like Elizabeth,
went against the gender norms of masculine behavior in society as a way to honor Elizabeth for
always defending the helpless; and he demonstrates that you dont need to sacrifice your life in
order to be considered radical in your gender performance. Dawsey Adams was a fan of Juliets
writing and he became fascinated by Elizabeth for the brave woman everyone portrayed her as.
After Elizabeths tragic death, Dawsey had openly volunteered to look after Remy. Juliet wrote a
letter to her friend Sidney during the period of grief when news spread about Elizabeths death
saying Remy wants to come to Guernsey, after all. Dawsey has been writing to her, and I knew
goes beyond the gender normality of masculinity that seems very thoughtful to Juliet but may be
seen as week to other men. University of Maryland Professor Xipong Chen of Gender Studies in
his Article The sex of the Angels: caring for the Well-Being Dependent Elderly People as a
Mainly Feminine Role states As Professor and Director of the Center for Work Life Law Joan
Williams notesmen are considered primarily breadwinners and women are considered to be
primarily caretakers, and husbands could not perform as ideal workers without the flow of care
work from their wives. This statement supports the ideal behavior of gender within this society
during the era that this book is written and it illustrates how Dawsey breaks that these roles by
offering to look after Remy. Additionally, in Judith Lorbers Night to His Day: The Social
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Construction of Gender, she states a time where she witnessed a man with a baby in a carrier
while other passengers smiled approvingly at how the father had changed prescribed gender roles
to care for the child in a way that would normally be done by women, which resonates with
Dawseys offer to look after Remy, who defies gender roles of masculine performance by
choosing to look after Elizabeths dear friend and it is admired approvingly by Juliet (Lorber 19).
order to get Remy to come to live with him on Guernsey. In Rhetoric for Radicals we read Yes,
persuasionbased on respect, trust, openness, common agendas and a desire for communal
rather than individual outcomes. This is known as invitation Rhetoric (Del Gandio 87). Dawsey
uses these elements in order to persuade Remy to come to Guernsey, and it demonstrates how he
is willing to serve another life if it means the littlest thing to honor Elizabeths memory and
bravery. It is the tone and means of reaching consensus rather than a dominant demand for Remy
to come to Guernsey that makes Dawseys actions more feminine in his behavior, showing how
he goes beyond the gender norms of masculine dominance that others see and admire him for.
Both Elizabeth McKenna and Dawsey Adams rebel against the gender normality of their
society by taking on responsibilities that very few people in their position would for the benefit
of others around them. Elizabeth takes on the role of a radical and fierce heroin who stands up to
and even fights against her oppressors even if it means costing her own life, while Dawsey takes
on the responsibility of taking care of Remy despite what many might think of him taking on a
feminine, caregiving role. It is these actions and the commitment that each character takes to
stand up against to the challenges life throws at them that makes each of them radical in their
gender behavior; am dot sets the stage for what it means to be radical in ones gender behavior.
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Work Cited
Shaffer, Mary Ann, and Annie Barrows. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Gandio, Jason Del. Rhetoric for Radicals: A Handbook for 21st Century Activists. Gabriola
Lorber, Judith. Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender. (1994): n. pag. Print.
Devor, Aaron. Becoming Members of Society: The Social Meanings of Gender. (1989): n.
pag. Print
Pimentel, Luisa. "The Sex of the Angels: Caring for the Well-being Dependent Elderly People as
a Mainly Feminine Role." The Sex of the Angels: Caring for the Well-being Dependent Elderly
Grigat, Daniel, and Gregory Carrie. "Gender Transgression as Heresy: The Trial of Joan of Arc."