Introduction to Feminism in “The Story of an Hour”
When the movement for women’s rights picked up momentum around a century ago with the short story by Kate Chopin, feminism in “The Story of an Hour” was never envisaged. It was also never envisaged that statistics in 2016 would defy the claims of feminists later. The natural inclination of Louise Mallard regarding feminism in “The Story of an Hour” would prove just an illusory mental urge – a point not considered by the later supporters of equal women’s rights. In fact, the controversy was there at that time, but the movement for the equality of women just rose and reached its peak during the next two decades in such a ferocious manner that unrestricted liberty and equality in everything became a much-touted slogan. The women hardly felt that they were naturally made different from men. Their mothers infuse in them an idea that they are different, as Sheryl Sandberg claims in her article, “Why I Want Women to Lean In” when she says, “Women internalize the negative message we get throughout our lives” (471). The message is that they are inferior to men in certain ways and that they should stay submissive before them. This becomes a permanent habit not only in educational careers but also in domestic and professional life. Sheryl Sandberg and Phyllis Schlafly both argue that women themselves are responsible for staying in the background in the professional and financial field on account of their natural, psychological, and professional differences from men, which could be removed only when women start demonstrating their abilities.
Differences Among Genders
As far as natural differences are concerned, they have existed since childhood and it is clear a cursory analysis of feminism in “The Story of an Hour”. Although Sheryl Sandberg does not mention any childhood teaching or learning experiences of how women internalize that they are not superior to men, she mentions that the moment a girl comes into this world, she faces a different treatment. This different treatment internalizes a negative attitude in her that she should not be “outspoken, aggressive and more powerful than men – and pull back when she should lean in”, which demonstrates that women have the feeling imbibed in them that they are not superior to men (Sandberg 471). This goes with them when they enter their professional life. Phyllis Schlafly also points out the same thing saying that when it comes to higher pay for men or better to say lower pay for women, the reason is “the choice women make in their personal lives, such as having children” or the preference to raise a family go with them in their paychecks, too (Schlafly 467). She, then, explains it by saying, “Women with children earn less, but childless women earn about the same as men” but, of course, the problem is that hardly any woman wants to lag behind in performing this natural responsibility of begetting children (467). Therefore, this is natural that they prefer their children and then family – the reason that they lag behind men in earning more. However, this is not the only difference, there is also a psychological difference that is also clear when reading feminism in “The Story of an Hour”.
Psychological Differences Among Genders
The psychological difference is that women like to work fewer hours than men, as they are physically weak, like to stay safe and neat, and favors a pleasant atmosphere when they start working. However, compared to them, men like to work more to earn more for their families. Phyllis Schlafly points it out in her article, “Facts and Fallacies about Paycheck Fairness” arguing while referring to the Bureau of Labor Statistics that “men are twice as likely as women to work more than 40 hours a week” which is a psychological issue, for she adds, a man often “works longer hours to maximize his earnings” if he is supporting his family at mid-career (467). This is a psychological reason for both. Another psychological reason she mentions is women’s preference for a partner earning higher than them. Sandberg points out the same issue by referring to a Princeton survey, which states that around “62% of women … anticipated work/family conflict”, while this ratio for men was just 33% (Sandberg 472). This means it is a psychological fact that women are ready to sacrifice their career for the family. One more reason is that as women are psychologically not ready to sacrifice family, or whenever they are going to have children, they do it much earlier than they are required. Sandberg accepts that these “sacrifices and hardship are not choice but a necessity”, saying they are psychologically accepting this, as it is due for them to render sacrifices (473). Yet, it is quite interesting to note that feminism in “The Story of an Hour” is perhaps the first streak of this feminism. However, there could also be professional differences.
Think of Men and Feminism in “The Story of an Hour”
It is because men think differently in the professional field, while women think differently. Although it has something to do with psychology, it, too, is a professional difference. For example, men mostly prefer working hard when they are supporting family, stay in dirty places, do not avoid meeting bad people, and take the courage to step where angels fear to tread as compared to women. The women, on the other hand, she says, “spend fewer years as full-time workers outside the home, avoid jobs that require overtime and choose jobs with flexibility to take time off for personal reasons”, which are hardly personal for they cannot become professional (Schlafly 467). Schlafly wants to say that these occasional breaks do not make a person professional, whether they are men or women. Another difference is pointed out by Sheryl Sandberg who states that “success and likeability are positively correlated for men” by which she means that if you put a professionally successful woman side by side a professionally successful man, the woman will feel the difference in attitude towards her (473). This is a professional difference that they can remove by, she suggests, “changing attitudes today” (473). One more difference Sandberg states is that although men work very hard, as Schlafly, too, points out, it is that women either do not do a task or do it perfectly. This is again against the professional norms, for a professional becomes a professional only with practice and commitment and then does perfectly by the end of his career or after some time, not from the very first day. However, there are several counterarguments both of them have presented.
Feminism in “The Story of an Hour”
The first one is that women are leading men in the educational field, which makes it clear that if women prefer to choose the professional field, they can make men follow them. Schlafly has stated it in the case of childless women who earn equal to their male counterparts (467). Secondly, women can also learn to balance their lives and careers as men do by removing occasional long breaks from their careers and by removing hesitation of doing perfect or not doing, or by keeping family and work life balanced Sandberg argues. She adds that it is proved now that moms of this time do spend the same amount of time with their children, as moms of the 80s (473). Sandberg also suggests to change the attitude to make men think about women differently. In the same way, Schlafly also argues that men’s pay has rather “stagnated”, which means that now women would not be marrying those men. Therefore, to keep marriages intact, this pay gap must remain the same that is men should have higher pay than women. This also means that they are defying their own arguments, which is not the case. In fact, they are vying for equality that does not seem to fill the natural and psychological gap, though both of these differences contribute to widening the professional difference.
Conclusion
In short, the argument that men are naturally built to work outside of the home, while women are naturally built to do domestic chores is valid but to some extent and not always. There are several women such as Sheryl Sandberg who have made phenomenal success in professional life, defying the law of gravity that women are not built for work outside of the home. However, this depends on how women are able to keep a balance between work and family which is a very difficult decision and women are not made to make such tough decisions, as she points out, too. However, when women are able to make such decisions, they succeed in life and overcome several obstacles. When this happens, it means that they are becoming equal to men – leaders in the commercial world and not just female leaders. Perhaps, Schlafly is also suggesting that the effort to make women and men at par in terms of financial earnings is the very reason that marriages are failing and becoming unstable. But then these prices are worth the pay if a woman has to achieve prominence.
Works Cited
- Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” AB Longman. n. d. Accessed Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
- Sandberg, Sheryl. “Why I Want Women to Lean In. “Breeze, William et al. The Engaged Reader. VAN-ORINER. 2015. pp. 471-474.
- Schlafly, Phyllis. “Faces and Fallacies about Paycheck Fairness.” Breeze, William et al. The Engaged Reader. VAN-ORINER. 2015. pp. 467-471.
Relevant Questions about Feminism in “The Story of an Hour”
- How does Kate Chopin’s portrayal of feminism in “The Story of an Hour” offer insights into the protagonist’s emotional journey and her response to the confines of a patriarchal society?
- In what ways does “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin exemplify feminist perspectives, particularly through its depiction of the protagonist’s awakening to her own desires and autonomy?
- How is the concept of feminism conveyed in “The Story of an Hour,” and how does the story’s narrative trajectory highlight the complexities of women’s roles and expectations in the late 19th century?
