¶ … Mason/Allende Thomas King's 'stories': A Comparison of Shiloh and an Act of Vengeance

Our first analysis starts with the novel "Shiloh," written by Bobbie Ann Mason. The main binding story in Shiloh would certainly be the gender inequality featured right from the start -- Norma Jean is presented as being a reserved woman who highly depends on her husband, as such was the case during the 60's and 70's. The truth is otherwise; Norma Jean is working hard to become a strong woman, taking adult education courses at the community college and working at Rexall Drugstore to help out with the finances. This clearly shows us a stereotype from the era, the softspoken and uneducated woman of the 1960's. This gender inequality binds Norma Jean in a way that the perception of an outsider will always define who she is. No one will ever see her for the hardworking, independent woman that she is, thus she is bound to a major stereotype of the years she lived in.

This gender inequality can also be observed during the specific scene where Norma Jean decides to leave her husband: "Without looking at Leroy, she says, 'I want to leave you'…finally he says, 'No you don't'" (p. 280). This passage shows that while she decides to stand up for herself and become a person of her own away from Leroy, the man is still having the last word of the conversation.

It was mentioned before that Norma Jean had decided to get an education for herself in order to become a stronger woman; in those past years, this was an odd thing to do. Women did not need to get an education as they would be married...

"Something is happening. Norma Jean is going to night school. She has graduated from her six-week body-building course and now she is taking an adult-education course in composition at Paducah Community College" (p.277). Again, Norma Jean is being perceived as an odd number due to her gender and situation.
Her desire to gain more education can also demonstrates her willingness to make a place for herself in the society, a place other than the one she has at home as a wife. This could lead us on thinking that not only is society binding her to gender inequality but that she does feel the same way; she feels that the only way she can be a person and not simply a 'woman' is by engaging in activities that men do, such as getting an education.

Another example that would clearly demonstrate that Norma Jean herself feels bound to gender inequality is her interest in weightlifting. This type of activity is now popular amongst both men and women but, at the time, it was rather rare for a woman to engage in weightlifting and bodybuilding. Her interest in a 'manly' activity could suggest that she is trying to gain power, to inverse the roles in the relationship, as she knows deep down that a woman is only a woman in this society -- similarly to the education she is trying to get at the community college.

Finally but not least, it is important to mention the relationship that Norma Jean has with her mother, Mabel. The trip to Shiloh was Mabel's idea -- an idea that was supposed to help the couple reconnect and reunite with each other.…