Jaimes 1

Guadalupe Jaimes
Professor Ditch
English 113B
08 May 2015
Defying Gender Expectations
Any society imposes some sort of expectation upon its members, but one where people
could relate to is conforming to the prescribed gender role for males and females. Mary Ann
Shaffer and Annie Barrows, authors of the epistolary novel, The Guernsey Literary and Potato
Peel Pie Society, include characters who dont abide to their prescribed gender roles; therefore,
these characters showcase the ways in which they do not conform. Elizabeth McKenna and Juliet
Ashton are the female characters in the novel that perform in a nonconformist way. This is a big
issue because it is making peoples lives more difficult than it should be. Appearance and actions
are what identifies a person in todays society. Elizabeth McKenna and Juliet Ashton are
nonconformists to their traditional gender roles during the German Occupation, causing them to
find themselves in situations where it restricts them from expressing their real identities.
Society enforces standards to everyone which are required to be met. Traditional gender
roles are performed every day and are performed in a way in which it doesnt take much thought
in doing. The traditional gender roles for men are being dominant and for women are expected to
be subservient. In Jason Del Gandios book, Rhetoric for Radicals, he states, Man is constructed
as independent, superior, and foundational to humanity. Woman, by contrast, is constructed as
dependent, subordinate and secondary (115). Women are described as inferior and dependent on
men. These traditionally prescribed roles are what defines and distinguishes each gender from

Jaimes 2
the other. Having to live up to these standards most of our lives can be very crucial for those who
defy them. Nonconformists face many challenges including harsh judgments and difficulties
expressing themselves.
In the Guernsey Literacy and Potato Peel Pie Society, Juliet and Elizabeth are the main
characters that portray a very masculine persona. They are nonconformists to their prescribed
gender roles which inevitably makes them strong characters in the epistolary novel. As
previously mentioned, each member of their society have to live up these standards most of our
lives. This is because everyone is placed into these gender roles since childhood days. Since the
beginning of the toddler years, one begins to determine the differences between male and female
and what makes them it. In The Development of Children and Adolescents, by Hauser-Cram,
Nugent, Theis, and Travers, they claim, By age 3, children have often formed gender
stereotypes. That is, they have constructed a mental model of the behaviors and activities of each
sex based on socially sanctioned attitudes about what is appropriate for individuals of that sex
(Hauser-Cram et. al). Studies have shown that as a child develops, their sense of self has
developed according with the societys view of gender. This claim proves that nonconformity is
influenced by the traditionally prescribed gender roles. Elizabeth and Juliet chose to perform in
such a way that distinguishes them from the other characters mentioned. They werent afraid of
any consequences which proves their nonconformity.
Elizabeth and Juliet both performed a masculine role, however, they each played a
different part. For example, Elizabeth McKenna was the character who portrayed a very
courageous masculine role. Shaffer and Borrows mentioned in their novel, Then Elizabeth drew
in her breath and stepped forward. Elizabeth isnt tall, so those pistols were lined up at her eyes,
but she didnt blink. She acted like she didnt see any pistols at all. She walked up to the officer

Jaimes 3
in charge and started talking (29). The previous quote explains the bravery that Dawsey Adams,
a male character in the novel, described Elizabeths actions as. This quote is a good example that
shows Elizabeth playing a masculine role because she was the only woman in the group of men
that was brave enough to go up to the main German Patrol Officer and explain the reason why
they broke their curfew.
During the German Occupation, the German Officers were known to be cruel and unjust
people, so Elizabeths actions of taking charge of the tough situation they were in really
demonstrated her dominant and brave masculine role. Also as mentioned, Elizabeth along with
Dawsey Adams and John Booker, were out late at night. Elizabeth whereabouts late at nights
could be described as a masculine role. In Alisa Valdes-Rodriguezs article, My Hips My
Caderas, Valdes-Rodriguez states, Indeed, they will feel threatened, and will soon lose interest
in hips that want to andar por la calle come un hombre (carry themselves like a man) (75).
This quote explains that a woman should not be out at night like a man does. It also states how
men do not like the idea of women being like them. This of course, brings us back to the main
point of this essay which is that society will judge someone who does not perform the
prescribed gender role accordingly.
On the other hand, Juliet Ashton is described as an independent person who does not
the need help of a man to take care of her. The independency grants Juliet to be a
nonconformist to her traditional gender role because it defies her being subservient to a man.
For instance, in the novel, Shaffer and Borrows state, I dont want to be married just to be
married (8). The previous quote explains how Juliet was in no rush of getting married and be
with a man so that she could myth that women want to have someone to depend on. Juliets
independence is what sets her apart from the prescribed gender norm of a women being the

Jaimes 4
subdominant figure. Typically, in todays society, women are expected to depend on a man for
almost anything. Juliets job title as a successful writer during the WWII era demonstrates her
nonconformity because even then, it was rare for a woman to have a career as a writer. Juliets
successful career enabled her to be independent, which in todays society, is still seen as a
masculine trait.
In contrast to Juliet and Elizabeth, Dawsey Adams is a male character in The Guernsey
Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, who performed in a very feminine way throughout the
novel. Dawsey Adams is a pig farmer in the Island of Guernsey. His duties includes making ends
meet with the little resources they are given. He is a very creative person and a very caring
person. His love for everyone, especially for his grandchild Eli, is what brings out the feminine
side of him. Elis mother died which left Dawsey to pick up a motherly role for him. And so he
did. He took care of him, fed him, clothed him, etc. In Lucy Telliyans short essay, she states, . .
. examples of nontraditional careers for women in the sciences, engineering, and in
construction, whereas for men these careers are nursing, teaching, and staying at home
(Telliyan 86). The quote above listed careers in which men and women are rarely seen doing
because society restricts them into believing that women cant be involve in masculine, labor
jobs and men in feminine, nurturing jobs. It has become such a rarity to see men work these jobs
because we let society control even our careers, which is something that one may enjoy doing,
because of the judgments.
Furthermore, Dawseys motherly role, in todays society, would view Dawsey as weak
and feminine. Professor of gender studies, Aaron Devor, states what she believes masculinity
is, Persons who display success and high status in their social group, who exhibit a manly air
of toughness, confidence, and self-reliance and the aura of aggression, violence, and

Jaimes 5
daring,. . . (qtd. E. Pleck 139). The previous quote lists characteristics, describing what it is to
be a man. Dawsey mainly portrayed a feminine role in the book, being the caretaker of Eli.
Todays society, along with the post WWII society, would be surprised to see a male perform in a
masculine way, some maybe even judge.
Some people may say, that Elizabeth McKennas gender performance has nothing to do
with being courageous because being brave is just a trait that anybody could have. People all
have their own way of reacting towards a situation and maybe it depends on a situation that
makes you react a certain way. However, Elizabeths actions demonstrated great bravery that, as
previously mentioned, the men with her could not and did not stand up to the plate and explain to
the tough German Patrol Officers, why they were out passed curfew. In Marina Nemats article,
The Secondhand Bookseller, she explains her masculine feature she contains, let me guess:
you couldnt understand a word, and now you want your money back, he said, narrowing his
eyes. No. I read it twice, and I loved it! I didnt understand a few words, but I used my fathers
dictionary (575). This quote states the similarities Elizabeth and Nemat have in common. For
example, Nemat stood up to this man who was putting her down and even managed to maintain
a positive tone. They both express masculine gender roles. Elizabeths courageousness and
intelligence of going up to the officer in charge is something that not anybody could do, not even
men. Since it is in the WWII era, serious consequences are in play. Elizabeth, acknowledging the
severity of the state they were in, toughened up to save her and her friends from serious
punishments. This inevitably, showcases Elizabeths masculine role which validates her
nonconformity.
To conclude, society enforces many standards in which people are expected to follow.
People learn these expectations early on in childhood. They are taught and learn from their peers

Jaimes 6
which most likely are already performing according to societys prescribed gender roles for
them. Juliet, Elizabeth, and Dawsey are all nonconformists during the WWII era. After that era,
more attention is paid to the societys nonconformists ways of their traditionally prescribed
gender roles. Todays society is constantly telling its members that nonconformity should be
viewed with judgements and critiques, making it hard for people to be their true selves.

Jaimes 7
Works Cited
Borrows, A., Mary Ann Shaffer. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. New York:
Random House, Inc. 2009. Print.
Del Gandio, Jason. Rhetoric for Radicals. Gabriola Island, Canada: New Society Publishers,
2008. Print.
Devor, Aaron. Becoming Members of Society: The Social Meanings of Gender. Composing
Gender. Boston, Mass: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 35-43. Print.
Hauser-Cram, P., Nugent, J., Thies, K., & Travers, F. (2014). The Development of Children and
Adolescents. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Nemat, Marina. The Secondhand Bookseller. Prisoner of Tehran. 2007. Print.
Telliyan, Lucy. The New Mr. Mom. Wings. 2014. Print.
Valdez-Rodriguez, Alisa. My Hips, My Caderas. MSNs Underwire. 2000. Print.