Grandmother as Head of Household in Katherine Anne Porters The Old Order :: Free Essays

nanna as Head of Household in Katherine Anne Porters The Old OrderIn her short story, The Old Order, Katherine Anne Porters creation of Miss Sophia Jane--The Grandmother-- illustrates the embodiment of patriarchal power within a matriarchal figure. What intrigues me is Porters reversal of personality traits between the Grandmother and her save. Porters depiction of the Grandmother paints her as the undisputed head of house-- she wears the pants beneath the many layers of lacy petticoats and heavy skirts.The contrast between the Grandmother and her husband look at me as a reversal of typical gender-assigned personality traits. The Grandmother is altogether respectable, humane, proud, and simple, in and of itself, I would attach these traits to a masculine man (not just any man) (20). In contrast, the terms Porter uses to describe the Grandmothers husband, in and of themselves, are gendered, hysterical traits lack of aim, failure to act at crises, a philosophic detachment from pra ctical affairs (21). In the marriage of these antithetical personalities, Porter illuminates the problems faced by a headstrong women stifled by her gender-defined role in life.Atypically, the Grandmother was the head of the household, undeniably the dominant figure-- for virtually everything. Her husband disliked and feared her deadly willfulness, her certainty that her feelings were not only right, but beyond criticism, and in doing so he loathed the traits that normally sit with a male head of house (21). In doling out her authority, the Grandmother may have been perceived as unwavering, but her own doubts and hesitations she concealed . . . as a matter of duty (11). There was no female emotionality behind the Grandmothers actions, what was rational was right the Grandmothers husband took care of any illogical thinking and foolhardy ventures.The Grandmother was undeniably before her time. While she embodied the persona of a patriarch, she was unable to full assume her role-- and Im not talking the male sexual role.