Gender Criticism In Katherine Porter's The Grave

Gender Criticism “The Grave”

Katherine Porter’s “The Grave” takes place in the year 1903. During this time, all women were expected to fit the typical stereotype roles, which are shown throughout this short story. Using a feminist gender approach to look at this story, we can see how key symbols are used to show the roles of the main character Miranda as compared to her older brother Paul. In Porter’s story, “The Grave”, Miranda, at first goes against the social norm of how the typical women is but then eventually she accepts her role and become the ideal young woman of this time.

In the early 1900’s, around the time the story takes place; women were expected to be care takers of the home, to be clean, well dressed and mannered. All of these

In the first passage on 978 it says ‘the family was running down with the Grandmother no longer there to hold it together.” This sentence indicates that at one time before the Grandmother died, she did have an influence on Miranda; and now, even though her grandmother is dead she still is influencing her. The ring she found has left a huge impact on Miranda. The ring brought out a more feminine side of Miranda that she had never felt before, and initiated a change in her. The ring symbolizes beauty and women. This ring fit so perfectly and beautifully on her thumb Miranda suddenly became ashamed of how she dressed in overalls and her beat up shoes. She no longer wanted to go hunting and digging through the graves. In that moment she left her childhood behind and wanted to fit in with other

Porter was also raised by her father and her grandmother played in important role in her life. In a way so did Miranda’s grandmother. As discussed in class the grave of her grandparents could represent the loss of Miranda’s innocence. Going into their grave and coming out is a major turn for her. She goes to the cemetery as a young innocent tom-boy, not caring how she appears and acts. In that moment, after digging through the grave, Miranda grew up a lot, she is no longer this tom-boy wanting to follow around her older brother. One page 978 Miranda rationalizes that “ she wanted to go back to the farm house, take a good cold bath, dust herself with… talcum powder...put on the thinnest most becoming dress she owned, with a big sash and sit in a wicker chair under the trees.” Even though her grandmother is deceased, the influence of her beautiful gold ring made Miranda want to change, to fit this ideal image of a how a women should appear to be. She no longer denies her role as a woman but accepts