This essay explores gender roles in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1940) by American author Carson McCullers. Theories and texts by Judith Butler, Nancy Chodorow, Raewyn Connell, Don Zimmerman, and Candice West among others, are used to support the thesis statement that stereotypical gender norms serve to compromise the main character Mick Kelly’s identity formation and her early sexual experiences. One important element of this discussion is the idea that gender is socially constructed rather than biologically given. Moreover, it is argued that gender is something that a person does repeatedly according to a strict set of socially constructed regulations. Based on the premise that gender is performativity, the conclusion is drawn that Mick Kelly’s ability to create her own identity within her gender-free world of music is severely diminished. In short, adherence to conventional gender norms makes her go from being a loner to being socially accepted as an equal among her peers; and from being a leader to being a follower, especially regarding her sexual relations.

Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-02

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 1941. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: p. 49-50.

Thèses (M.A.)--Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), 2005. / In ProQuest dissertations and theses. Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 16 oct. 2007). Publié aussi en version papier.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1929. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-02

Informe de Seminario para optar al grado de Licenciado en Lengua y Literatura Inglesa

No description available.

Zugl.: Berlin, Freie Universiẗat, Diss.

Diss. English and Celtic sections : Uppsala : [1984]. / Bibliogr. p. 157-170. Index. -