Week Six

Reading Two: "Boys and Girls"

1. Since there is only one girl character and one boy character in "Boys and Girls," why do you think Alice Munro uses plural words in the title?

The story title is not in terms of the characters, but in terms of telling societies difference between a boy and a girl. Girls are known for doing housework and boys are known for doing the farm work.

2. Find the two occurrences of the phrase "only a girl." Why and how does the meaning of the phrase change in each case?

The narrators mother mentions that the narrator is only a girl and should be doing house work instead of the farm chores. The mom is trying to put the girl into her "rightful place" in the world. At the end of the story, the narrators father says she is only a girl when he finds out that she let the horse go. Girls are known more for the caring heart. Where as the boys are known for their manhood of killing animals while the girls nurture animals.

3. Why does the narrator choose not to shut the gate on Flora? What role does this act play in her initiation?

At the end of the story the narrator does not shut the gate on Flora, because she has strong emotions of nurturing animals. In reality she did not want Flora to die. This act suggest she has been initiated into womanhood of nurturing and caring for animals no matter the consequence.

This story may be sexist; however, I felt the story did a good job on expressing the differences between girls and boys emotionally and in a society role. This story brings out the difference between girls and boys yet does not down grade either sex.