Alison Towell: The Perception of Gender in the South

    “The Hunting Years” by Tom Franklin and the excerpt from “Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady” by Florence King both discuss gender norms of the south. In Franklin’s essay he tells the story of his coming of age as a man in the eyes of his south. To become a man in the eyes of the south he had to kill a buck and if he did not he would be considered a “ pussy.”  Franklin did not want to complete this right of passage, but was not bold enough to do so. Because of his lack of interest in killing he overcompensates to not draw suspicion. Instead of hunting and doing what was considered manly he played with GI Joe, which he later considered made him a “pussy.” Franklin did finally kill a buck and was not longer considered a “pussy.”  In Franklin’s essay a man must be strong, able to kill.

     In the excerpt by King she explains what the ideal southern lady should be,

according to her grandmother. Her grandmother believed a women should be unintellectual, delicate, hard to get, and very feminine.  Her mother challenged the norms of a southern lady. After her mother’s nonconformity King’s grandmother searched for a new daughter to transform into a southern lady. Evelyn was a more “malleable daughter” that conformed to her grandmother’s standards.  Evelyn became the ideal southern women because of her “intense femininity” and because of it she became very desired by men. King’s excerpt also critiqued what was considered manly. Preston Hunt was an example of what was considered un-manly in the south. King’s mother hated Preston because of his demeanor.  She considered him as a “sissy” because he was weak and needy.  In their relationship the traditional roles of gender were swapped.  Her mother was dominant while Preston was submissive.

      What I can draw from Franklin’s and Kings’s stories is to be considered a man by the dominant cultural norms the south you must be strong, dominant, and self-sufficient. To be considered a southern lady you must be weak, submissive, and delicate.  You also must follow the rules to be considered normal and respected in your designated group. If you do not adhere to the norms you lose the respect of the dominant culture and your place in that society.