12 AP English Literature : A Feminist Approach to “TJGW”

[Carlos Villegas III]

Aug 17, 2024 9:10:12 GMT -8 Kaavya Bollineni said:

In her story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”, Katherine Porter utilizes Granny Weatherall’s experiences and memories to critique the societal expectations and limitations placed on women in the early 20th century. A deeper analysis of the text reveals to the reader that the deceased child that she is constantly doting on while on her deathbed, Hapsy, may have been born out of wedlock from her first lover George, who had jilted Granny. Women had no autonomy and were expected to follow in their husband’s footsteps during this time, causing them to become entirely dependent on the men in their lives. Granny’s thoughts and emotions being linked to what the men in her life have done to her and tying her self-worth to her ex-lover and deceased husband have made this obvious. Porter subtly alludes to a much older play that has a plot similar to Granny’s situation regarding the misogynistic expectations of women. In Shakespeare's play “Much Ado About Nothing”, the main character Hero is set to marry a prince, Claudio, which reinforced the societal norm that a woman's worth is tied to her marriage to a man. However, her life is essentially torn apart when she is falsely accused of not being a virgin on her wedding day. Although there is little evidence to prove her infidelity, she is immediately shunned by everyone, including her own family, and is met with verbal and physical abuse. Once the truth comes to light, all of the maltreatment inflicted upon Hero by her family and Claudio is essentially forgotten without apology, and she is expected to marry Claudio as if nothing had happened, reverting the story to its original lighthearted nature. Even though it’s not to the same extent as Hero’s experience in Much Ado About Nothing, Granny endures a similar sense of shame and embarrassment about her illegitimate child from the person who left her at the altar. Although Granny exhibits many instances of her independence and resilience as a woman and mother throughout the story, such as when she reminisces about the harsh childhood she had persisted, she is ultimately an unfortunate example of a product of her environment. Had she been born today in a society where women’s rights have made incredible progress since the dawn of civilization -- progress by which no means is perfect -- she may have had the opportunity to live a life where she lived for herself.

Kaavya I find it very interesting how you managed to tie the Shakespearean play "Much Ado About Nothing" into the story of Granny Weatherall. Granny could've had premarital relations with George that could've left her pregnant before their wedding, making George's abandonment of her all that much more painful for readers to bare. Shakespeare's character Hero, and her situation, from that play sounds very similar to how Granny must've felt after her first jilting. Both characters are suspected to be pregnant before a marriage, one of them being physically and verbally abused while the other being mentally scarred from the incident, causing change in both characters at the end of their stories respectively. Both of these stories go on to show just how bad things used to be back then for women as they were forced to follow such strict and harsh lives under the rule of men. Being abused physically, verbally, and mentally is horrid and is shameful to look back on knowing that this was the sad reality of the world back then. While the world has changed for the better, and things like this being reduced drastically, there are still those out there who are treated like this and need people and characters to look up to as inspiration to keep pushing forward. This is why Katherine Porter created this story and this character, to be a symbol of strength amongst women.

[Jacob Choi]

Katherine Anne Porter's "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" is an outright critique of society, considering the sharp words about the limits that existed in putting women down during the early 1900s. One sees how she perceives gender roles and religious beliefs to have limited and shaped Granny's life. She used her last reflecting moments to reveal that faith and ties with men had made her less independent and less worthy of love. Having grown up in a very religious family, Granny's faith in God made her feel guilty and limited her freedom. Society, which places so much value on the purity of women, set a stage for the internalization of such ideas, further making her feel guilty and worthless when she got pregnant before marriage and was jilted at the altar. Even though as a single mom she did so much, her faith often overshadowed the fact that she was indeed firm in character and instead made her seek approval from elsewhere. In turning to God for closure with impending death, Granny demonstrates dependency upon male approval while ignoring support from women like her daughters. Porter depicts how these religious and cultural factors controlled Granny's life through the illustration of how her need for male approval and reliance on God had made her less independent. While the character of Granny is portrayed as one of immense strength and survival, she also seeks solace in men like George, her fiancé who broke the engagement, or Christ, who does not come to her rescue in the last moments of her life. This goes to prove how, even at the end of her life, she still wants acceptance from the men who caused her the most pain. It shows exactly how deeply those social standards were etched in her. Through Porter's revelation of how Granny Weatherall measures her worth with her jobs as a wife and mother, the author subtly criticizes gender roles. While Granny is proud to have been able to raise her children and keep her household when jilted, through her Porter exposes the injustice of the society that forced women to define themselves through their relations with men. Granny's obsession with George's desertion shows how women were socialized into thinking that they needed a man for security and fulfillment, even if they could do everything men could. Porter also analyzes the complex relationship Granny shares with her daughter Despite all her achievements, Granny's life remains encumbered by the principle that her victory lies with men. During her last days, she again focuses on George's and God's betrayals and how the expectations from society and religion have alienated and left her unfulfilled. Porter criticizes the fact that society has demanded strength and sacrifice in return for very little from women but left them, much like Granny, facing their last moments with unresolved grief and unfulfilled desires for recognition and peace. Through the character of Granny Weatherall, Porter offers an important portrait regarding the sacrifices made by women to achieve societal expectations and deep sadness resulting from lives defined by roles which they did not choose. In Porter's "Granny," one finds a challenge to the reader for scrutiny of any assumption made against women's autonomy and worth, at the same time bringing out the lingering effects that such constraints have on them.

[Jacklyn Hsiao]

Katherine Porter, in "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," critiques the societal expectations and limitations placed on women, through Granny's memories and her experiences during her life. Granny Weatherall's relationships with all the men in her life is a way Porter criticizes the way women are faced with betrayal in a society that is patriarchal. The moment where she is jilted by George is symbolizing how women are devalued and rejected, especially when they do not conform to the traditional roles they are expected of. In order for women to have certain rights and status, marriage was the key component. This situation could have been extremely hard as she would have been left to fend for herself, which was difficult during this period of time. Her need to assert her independence in a society that denied women autonomy is Granny's choice to take control of her life in a way that reflects her resilience and feminist spirit. Her relationship with her husband, John, is characterized to be more due to society's expectations and duty, like being a mother and wife, rather than desire or love. Her marriage with John is spoken of with kindness and what was expected of her, but it did not seem like it brought any sense of fulfillment or true happiness. As well, Katherine Porter reemphasizes the roles of females and how they were expected throughout her life. Granny had a lot of memories in which she was characterized by traditional female roles, such as nurturing, maintaining the household, and caregiving. These roles seem to be crucial for women which limited Granny to be able to express her true desires. Granny had many instances where she had to suppress her own feelings and be self-sacrificing for the sake of others, like being a mother, which required her children to be put before herself. This is a reflection of the expectation that women are devoted to the household and family, which results in the loss of one's own identity. Her pride to accomplish her roles as a mother, such as managing the farm and even "fenced in a hundred acres" becomes a measurement of her worth by her ability to comply with the expectations of women. Her suppressed anger at her jilting by George and her frustration with the expectations placed on her show that she had, beneath all of it, a dissatisfaction with the roles that defined her. The overall experiences and memories that Granny Weatherall is faced with throughout her life becomes an underlying criticism that Katherine Porter uses to disapprove of societal expectations and limitations placed on women.

[Destiny Ruiz]

Katherine Porter uses Granny Weatherall’s experiences and memories to critique the societal expectations and limitations placed on women in the early 20th century By highlighting the conflict between social roles during that time that the story was created as well as a women’s acceptance in society. Throughout the entirety of the text, readers can identify the feminist themes that are ingrained in the heart of Granny’s Life. Before delving into the specifics I think one key factor is the fact that Granny has generally felt that her worth and even sanity was calculated by the societal pressures of having a long, successful marriage. Though she was the one who was jilted, Society will not pity the woman in the situation because “ it must have been her fault” and or “ she deserved it”. These standards encompass how influential the ideas of patriarchy were at that time, as well as social inequalities faced by women. Although this burden weighed heavily on Granny Weatherall, She still described herself as a sufficient mother and someone who is capable of taking care of themselves to the end with old age and disease. Unfortunately as highlighted by Barbara Laman, “Because of her beliefs granny fails to realize the power of the feminine spirit. Her primary mistake consists not of blowing out her own light but of asking for a sign from the wrong person.” While granny is a very strong independent woman, her inner demons and troubles discount the true value that she has; Cornelius sees it, all of her children see it, and so do the readers. The story further stresses the need for equal social treatment between men and women. In continuation, norms and expectations for mothers should not be as biased and unfair. Granny Weatherall's life fully encompasses the different stresses and heartache that women during the 20th century experience as a result of sexism and these discriminatory social standards. I think that it's important that the future generation of women read this story and take something away from it. to understand that sometimes even now we take for granted the rights that women couldn't even speak about Wanting during the 20th century. Though this story was fictional, the constant fight and even fear Granny has as she's so close to death is what truly makes her character relatable and admirable.

[Jacklyn Hsiao]

Hi Jacklyn! I like that straight off the bat you highlighted the fact A Woman's Worth is based off of her marriage status. You also identified that her marriage with John wasn't really fulfilling and seems more like a duty than a marriage filled with love. You made a really good point and I'd like to see you expand on this idea further because I myself didn't specifically point this detail out. Again I appreciate this idea because now when I revisit the reading it allows me to use that perspective and apply it with my own thinking and understand the text even more. One of the main takeaways that I have was the fact that Granny encompassed females as a whole and their struggles during that time. Which I think you touched on as well. Overall great analysis and I think that your answer was specific and was explained well.

[Ralph Bartolone]

In Katherine Ann Porter’s story uses Granny Weatherall’s life experiences as well Weatherall’s memories to critique societal expectations, restrictions and stereotypes placed on women, and limitations on women in the early 20th century. Weatherall’s life was built upon her struggle for independence and self reliance. After being left at the altar by George, she was forced to build a life for herself, while simultaneously raising her children and managing a household as a single mother. Thus reflecting her desire to assert her dominance and autonomy over a society that viewed women as highly dependent on men, and incapable of independence and freedom. Furthermore, Katherine Porter then highlights the restrictive gender roles that held women to a specific standard in which they solely relied and depended on men. Porter utilizes Granny Weatherall’s memories to reveal her internal conflict between wanting to fulfill societal roles and attaining her desire for personal success. Granny’s role as a single mother is a core component of her identity, however, it limits her ability to express her freedom and independence. Finally, Granny Weatherall’s relationships with the men in her life such as George and John, are crucial in being able to truly understand Granny Weatherall’s character as she had to undergo two “jiltings” which left a lasting impression on Weatherall’s life. George’s jilting truly affected Weatherall and symbolized a societal “stereotype” of betraying women’s trust and loyalty. On the other hand, John’s jilting/death represents a supportive partner, but an early death troubles Granny and forces her to continue pursuing her life alone, which Porter utilizes to emphasize upon Granny’s resilience, and strength, while rejecting the societal norms of women relying on men. In conclusion, through the life experiences and memories that Granny Weatherall had to go through, Porter critiques the societal expectations and limitations placed onto women. Katherine Porter’s story reflects feminist themes by displaying Granny’s struggle for autonomy, the impact of restrictive, stereotypical gender roles, and the significance of her relationships with men. Granny’s life serves as evidence that displays the resilience and strength that women require to be able to navigate and succeed in a patriarchal, restrictive, and stereotypical society.

[Heena Bista]

Aug 16, 2024 10:13:29 GMT -8 Mia R said:

Throughout her entire life, as can be seen from the fragmented memories Granny Weatherall reminisces on in her time of death, Granny deals with a lot of built up shame and guilt. She feels guilty about having a child out of wedlock, because George left her at the altar, while she was pregnant. At the time, having a child out of wedlock was seen as an incredibly shameful act. Granny was also very religious, as seen with the reappearing religious themes in the story; so this would just exacerbate her guilt and shame she felt about her pregnancy. Also, she may have felt shame about just being left at the altar, even though it wasn’t her fault. A man seeing you as undesirable, or even just leaving out of fear of marriage or pregnancy, was still seen as something to be ashamed of, and Granny most likely felt that (even though it was clearly not her fault). Granny also felt ashamed that she had even been with more than one man; this is implied when Granny thinks about all of the things she has to do, and putting up the letters from her past partners was top priority. She did not want her children, she said, to know “how silly she had been once”. Society, at the time, had certain expectations for women that they needed to have met, and if they couldn’t achieve that, it would instill pain and guilt within. As previously mentioned, the idea of having a child out of wedlock for a woman was unimaginable, and for a religious catholic woman, it was one of the most blasphemous ideas. The fact that Granny has to worry about all of these things and the guilt and pain they have caused her in her final moments is a critique in itself. The author uses Granny Weatherall and her distress in her moments before passing as a way to portray that women should not have to feel such immense shame and guilt about these things, and that the societal expectations of women to be so perfect are ridiculous and unachievable.


Hello Mia, I also had a similar perspective looking at Granny Weatherall through a feminist lens. It is definitely a good observation that Granny must have felt shame and guilt for having a child with George by being left by him at the altar because of how children prior to marriage is viewed as a sin. Something I did not realize at first was that Granny may have not let go of George and kept reminiscing on the past because of this guilt rather than feeling sad that she lost George. I like how you pointed out how Granny being left at the altar is certainly not her fault but something she feels responsible for as a woman since she had a baby and was left to raise it alone at that moment. In addition, throughout the text we can see how Granny is independent and strong, mapping out her life expectations but she still dies in regret because of how societal expectations are simply impossible to achieve please no matter how hard women wish to comply with them as Granny’s jilting was out of her control.

[Heena Bista]

Aug 16, 2024 10:14:38 GMT -8 Alexandra Yin said:

Katherine Porter uses Granny Weatherall's experiences to critique societal expectations of the idea of a fulfilling life. However, at the same time feminist roles of Granny’s independence. Throughout the novel, the author changes between Granny’s past and present. During Granny’s memories, it shows how strong and independent she was, mentioning how “she had cooked, and all the clothes she had cut and sewed and all the gardens she had made” and “In her day she had kept a better house and had more work done.” This reveals how she was busy when she was young keeping things cleaned and organized. However, this also hints on societal expectations of how women should be doing the household chores as she describes her duties that were the expectations of what women should do in the family. She also switches to showing how she could manage taking care of her children even without George who was her first jilt emphasizing the feminists roles of being independent and not needing anyone to rely on. However, contrary to how she wants to be presented as an independent woman, it also shows how she cares about societal expectations of what families are like. This is seen when she says to George “I want him to know I had my husband just the same and my children and my house like any other women.” Which highlights the societal norms of having a husband, house, and kids for fulfillment in her life. Not only that, this is also seen in the end when she was about to die she asks God for a sign. This shows how after John, her husband, has died, she needed someone else to rely on turning to God. However, there was no sign from God as it was not supposed to be God giving her a sign, but rather Hapsy. This demonstrates how she needed someone to rely on and believe in, even though she was hurt by most of them. Ultimately, Granny’s memories of what she did in the past illustrates her independence which highlights feminist roles. However, her thoughts hints how she is still stuck in the society's expectations of what is seen to be a happy life, in which she aims for, further explaining that even though she was near her death, she couldn’t experience peace but rather pain as she lets herself down with all these expectations.

Hello Alexandra! Your response made me view Granny Weatherall’s flashbacks differently. At first I viewed Granny’s reminiscing about how her body is physically decaying which is causing her to spiral, but I did not account for how societal expectations pressured her to be more independent and productive as young women and how that made her feel defeated as she got older and even moments before her death. The quote you pulled from the text showcases a great example of how her thoughts align with responsibilities placed onto her as a woman as she is expected to handle household duties as her place in the family. In addition, her respecting George even after she was left to raise their children alone shows how it was almost always her duty to care for the children regardless of his presence in the family. Granny felt unfulfilled with her life but at the same time felt responsible for caring for her family even as death approached her which was shown when she thought about how her family would be after her passing.

[Heena Bista]

Aug 16, 2024 11:32:42 GMT -8 Wanyang(Peter) Xu said:

In “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” author Katherine Porter connects Granny Weatherall’s experiences and memories to many aspects of feminist theories and societal expectations put on women during the early 1900s in order to critique and criticize them. Early on right from the beginning of the short story, it is established that Granny Weatherall is plagued and troubled by many jiltings throughout her life. Her two most hurtful jiltings, and the main problems she faces throughout the story are her abandonment by her fiance George and the early grave of her loving husband John. This shows that immediately Katherine Porter connects the meaning in this story to that of ideas on feminism she wishes to criticize. Porter also sets up the idea that Granny Weatherall believes a woman can only achieve true happiness in life by submission to a man and being a mother. This is a common expectation of women and a classic idea of gender roles in the early 1900s. Here Katherine reveals this social expectation and looks down upon it as this idea of Granny Weatherall’s is shattered at the end of the story, in her last moments when Granny blindly asks for another sign from God when she should have accepted her imminent death and thought of Hapsy who she’d been waiting for for 20 years. Another way Porter intertwines a social expectation and stereotype of women into the story with the intention to critique it is when Granny Weatherall first recalls her hardships when she gave birth but her husband John was there for her and comparing it to her imagination of Hapsy giving birth to her child and pleading for help, but she had no husband and was left to fight alone. This theme is also shown many ways throughout the story, another example is when she recalled her ruined wedding with George “the day that John came to her rescue.” This shows how Porter criticizes the common belief of a woman needing to rely on a man by using irony and hypobole with the fact that after getting betrayed by one man she relied upon and was greatly hurt by, she immediately started relying on another man.

Hello Peter! I absolutely agree with you on the idea that Granny Weatherall believed she needed a man to make her happy and that she had to take care of the children to feel fulfilled. In my own post, I observed that Granny reminisced on the men in her life and how she needs them to save her to escape her death even though she has been a strong and independent woman throughout her life, raising children after being left by George at the altar. The quote that you mentioned, “the day that John came to her rescue” serves as a great example of how Granny felt “saved” from her first jilting and leads onto the ending where Granny does not get “saved” by anyone but she is forced to accept her death herself. This is a really great analysis of the text as the flashback to Hapsy was quite confusing to understand but was definitely impactful viewing the story through a feminist lens.

[Christopher Ramirez]

Katherine Porter uses Granny Weatherall and her experiences to critique the societal expectations and limitations put on women in the early 20th century using different moments in Granny Weatherall's life and her felling towards them. One such example would be her relationship with John, she is grateful to John for marrying her as not only was Granny pregnant with Georges child as a result of premarital intercourse, something that was very frowned upon, she was also abandoned by her husband at the alter, and if not for John marrying her, this would have given Granny Weatherall a very negative reputation an she would have been looked down upon, shown by her "wounded pride" as a result of George leaving her. This could be a critique of how the value of women back then were place in their marriage status and how good of a wife they were, and were seen as less valuable or a "bad partner" if they were left by their husband, with most of the blame being placed on them. The story could be using this as a way to critique how Granny in a sense "needed" to marry John in order to been seen as a respectable partner due to George leaving her, and the stain it would leave on her reputation. Another critique comes in the form of how Granny comments on how if John met her again, he wouldn't want her, as Granny did a lot of manual labor in her time of being a single mother. Back in the early 20th century, it was very rare to see women do any of the things that Granny Weatherall did every day for years in order to raise her children well. She list some of the hard things she had done and commented how those would cause John to seek someone "younger" and how the untraditional actions Granny had done "changes a woman". This could be a critique on how societal norms back then traditionally made men do all the hard work, and women seen doing those actions were seen as "less of a woman" regardless of their status or situation. It could be a critique on how despite Granny Weatherall not really having a choice but to do those hard task, much of society would still look at her as a lesser woman, despite the reason for her doing all of that was to fulfill the main task societal norms placed on women, to raise her kids well and in a good environment. The story and Granny Weatherall reflect feminist views as Granny Weatherall is shown to be a well organized and strong, independent woman. Despite her trauma and shortcomings, she makes do with what she has and tries hard to provide for and raise her kids, which she says she did a good job at, and that her kids came out better than she has hoped. Granny Weatherall is a character that has feminist traits at a time when those kinds of views weren't even considered or seen as crazy.

[Chloe Phan]

Aug 16, 2024 10:08:55 GMT -8 Heena Bista said:

Katherine Porter uses Granny Weatherall’s experiences and memories to critique the societal expectations and limitations placed on women in the early 20th century by showcasing the thoughts and emotions Granny processes during her last moments of life. Granny Weatherall has had a religious upbringing which has made her faithful to God, affecting her views on autonomy and her relationships with men. For instance, it is possible that Granny Weather felt guilt for having a premarital pregnancy and being left at the altar as in most religious beliefs, marrying as a virgin is seen as pure and doing otherwise is viewed as a sin. Considering how Granny was so devoted to God, it would not be a surprise if she felt guilt for bearing a child before marriage which interferes with her own autonomy as a woman to have the choice to have children under her own desired conditions due to social expectations placed onto women especially considering religious norms. In addition, we can see how Granny Weatherall depends on God and values him for her own accomplishments rather than valuing and appreciating her own accomplishments almost as if her own faith in God takes away from her independence and value as a woman. We can see how her devotion almost takes away from her autonomy as a person and her independence to have control over her own life as she even turns to God as a last plea which is exhibited towards the end of the story when she is asking God for a sign and Granny wishes for closure by asking God for a sign rather than bring herself her own closure for her own life which is depicts how many women depend on a male figure rather than feminine figures like herself of her daughter Hapsy, who she saw through an out of body experience. In addition, even after being left at the altar while pregnant, at her last breath Granny wishes to be with George once again even though she faced hardships from that man and had to make great efforts to raise children alone as a single mother. We can also view how although Granny Weather is highly independent and accomplished as a single mother, she still wishes to be “saved” by a man as her life begins to come to end even though men were responsible for her both of her major struggles or jiltings as at first George her fiance left her at the altar and left her as a single mother and then Christ left her alone to face death herself.

Hi Heena! I agree with your response, you said that Granny Weatherall’s strong belief in God made her feel like she had less control over her life because she was always depending on God for help and approval which is a very good point. However, I also believe that Granny's faith in God might have actually helped her a lot. My point of view is that even though she faced many problems, like being left by her fiance and raising her children on her own, I feel like believing in God gave her comfort and a way to understand her struggles. Her faith wasn’t just something that made her feel less in control; it also gave her strength to keep going. It’s like having a special friend who helps you through hard times. So while Granny’s belief in God might have seemed to limit her independence, it also provided her with support and a way to deal with the tough moments in her life.

[Kyle Malixi]

In Katherine Anne Porter's short story "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," the author critiques the societal norms and limitations placed on women during the early 20th century through Granny Weatherall's experiences and memories. The narrative explores feminist themes by emphasizing a woman’s fight for independence, the effects of rigid gender roles, and the complexities of Granny’s relationships with men. Granny Weatherall’s life exemplifies the societal restrictions faced by women of her era. Her identity is largely shaped by her roles as a wife and mother, reflecting traditional views of femininity. Her efforts and sacrifices revolve around her family and household responsibilities, leaving little space for personal freedom or acknowledgment of her individuality outside these roles. Porter's depiction of Granny’s battle against these constraints is evident in her thoughts and experiences. The story shows Granny’s quest for control through her determined attitude toward her impending death. Even while battling illness, she seeks to maintain control over her life and environment, striving to assert her independence in her final moments. Her refusal to accept her own vulnerability and her insistence on managing matters herself highlight her internal conflict against the loss of autonomy that society expects women to accept passively. Gender roles significantly influence Granny’s life, shaping her experiences and views. The narrative reveals how these roles limit her ambitions and opportunities. For example, her memories of being jilted by her fiancé, George, illustrate the emotional and social consequences of gender expectations. This experience of being jilted is not merely a personal betrayal but also a reflection of the restricted force women had in making choices about their lives and relationships. Granny’s rejection by Geroge symbolizes the broader societal tendency to undervalue women’s autonomy and decision-making. Granny’s interactions with the men in her life further demonstrate the effects of gender roles. Her marriage to John, while supportive, also reflects the traditional expectations that require women to prioritize domestic duties over personal aspirations. Moreover, her relationships with her children illustrate how women's worth is often linked to their ability to nurture and care for others. Her exchanges with these men, from her father to her children, highlight a recurring theme of dependence and the limited opportunities for women to exercise power or make independent choices. In summary, Porter’s "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" critiques the societal expectations that restrict women’s autonomy and reinforce traditional gender roles. Through Granny Weatherall’s experiences, the story emphasizes the feminist themes of personal struggle against societal constraints, the impact of conventional gender roles, and the complexities of women’s relationships with men in a patriarchal society.

[Chloe Phan]

Aug 18, 2024 13:52:13 GMT -8 Matthew Lee said:

Throughout “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”, author Katherine Porter utilizes Granny Weatherall’s self reflection on her life experiences as she approaches death as a way to covertly target the unjust gender stereotypes that restricted women in the 20th century. Using Weatherall's inner dialogues, Porter displays firsthand how societal expectations and gender norms have altered and limited Granny Weatherall’s outlook on life and belief in herself. The readers can see through her thoughts and emotions Granny Weatherall sees her self worth and abilities solely through her successes as a mother and as a wife. We can see her struggle for independence and autonomy most prominently through her struggle to forget George, who abandoned her at the altar. The traumatic event followed her through her entire life, and although she was still able to find success and happiness in her life, her inability to let go of the event signifies Porter’s contempt towards how society has made women feel completely dependent on men. Even though she navigated life's troubles alone, powering through milk leg and double pneumonia, Weatherall still isn't able to move on from George because she has been trained to believe that she needs a man to bring stability and happiness to her life. During the story we can see that Granny Weatherall has developed a more defensive, thick-skinned personality over time through her interactions with Doctor Harry and Cornelia, constantly refusing their help regardless of her deteriorating health. She is clearly an able and autonomous individual, and Porter seeks to convey to her audience that women can and should seek to become individuals and separate persons from their families and husbands. As Granny Weatherall reminisces on her past life, we can see how proud she is of her accomplishments. She thinks about how she was able to hold down her life, keep her house in order and raise her children without “hardly los[ing] on to one of them.” Porter urges women to ignore society’s restrictions and inherent obstacles, declaring that anyone can do what Granny Weatherall has done. She also warns against total dependence on men; we can see a healthy relationship between men and women between Granny Weatherall and John, but also a toxic one with George that left her spirit damaged for the rest of her life. Rather than equating one’s self worth to family success and societal stereotypes, Porter petitions for women to create their own unique identities.

Hello Matthew, your response provides a thorough analysis of how Katherine Anne Porter’s “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” critiques the gender stereotypes of the early 20th century. I believe that you effectively highlight how Granny Weatherall’s struggles and reflections reveal the constraints imposed by societal norms, particularly through her ongoing emotional conflict with George and her insistence on independence despite deteriorating health. To expand on this, I think it’s worth noting that Granny’s defensive behavior towards Doctor Harry and Cornelia not only reflects her internalized self-reliance but also symbolizes the broader societal expectation for women to maintain an image of strength. This pressure often prevented women from acknowledging their vulnerabilities or seeking help. Porter’s portrayal of Granny Weatherall ultimately serves as a critique of these unrealistic standards and encourages women to define their worth and identity on their own terms, independent of societal expectations and male validation. Overall, I really liked how you talked about feminists themes and i got a lot of insight on your perspective. 

[Chloe Phan]

Aug 19, 2024 18:27:55 GMT -8 Destiny Ruiz said:

Katherine Porter uses Granny Weatherall’s experiences and memories to critique the societal expectations and limitations placed on women in the early 20th century By highlighting the conflict between social roles during that time that the story was created as well as a women’s acceptance in society. Throughout the entirety of the text, readers can identify the feminist themes that are ingrained in the heart of Granny’s Life. Before delving into the specifics I think one key factor is the fact that Granny has generally felt that her worth and even sanity was calculated by the societal pressures of having a long, successful marriage. Though she was the one who was jilted, Society will not pity the woman in the situation because “ it must have been her fault” and or “ she deserved it”. These standards encompass how influential the ideas of patriarchy were at that time, as well as social inequalities faced by women. Although this burden weighed heavily on Granny Weatherall, She still described herself as a sufficient mother and someone who is capable of taking care of themselves to the end with old age and disease. Unfortunately as highlighted by Barbara Laman, “Because of her beliefs granny fails to realize the power of the feminine spirit. Her primary mistake consists not of blowing out her own light but of asking for a sign from the wrong person.” While granny is a very strong independent woman, her inner demons and troubles discount the true value that she has; Cornelius sees it, all of her children see it, and so do the readers. The story further stresses the need for equal social treatment between men and women. In continuation, norms and expectations for mothers should not be as biased and unfair. Granny Weatherall's life fully encompasses the different stresses and heartache that women during the 20th century experience as a result of sexism and these discriminatory social standards. I think that it's important that the future generation of women read this story and take something away from it. to understand that sometimes even now we take for granted the rights that women couldn't even speak about Wanting during the 20th century. Though this story was fictional, the constant fight and even fear Granny has as she's so close to death is what truly makes her character relatable and admirable.

Destiny, I really like your response, it insightfully addresses how Katherine Porter’s “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” critiques early 20th-century societal expectations and the limitations imposed on women. I like how you effectively highlight the feminist themes woven into Granny’s experiences, especially her struggle with societal standards that unfairly judged women, placing undue blame and scrutiny on them. It’s crucial to recognize how these societal pressures not only shaped Granny’s sense of worth but also enforced patriarchal norms that limited women’s roles and opportunities. As you mentioned, despite Granny’s strength and independence, her internal conflicts reveal how deeply ingrained these societal expectations were. Barbara Laman’s observation that Granny’s request for a sign from God reflects a misunderstanding of her own inner strength emphasizes the tragic irony of her situation. The story serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing need for gender equality and the importance of acknowledging and valuing women’s experiences and rights, both historically and in contemporary contexts.

[Abby Lin]

In Katherine Anne Porter’s story, “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” Granny is in the last moments of her life, reliving her memories, either good or bad. Porter utilizes Granny's story to point out the struggles of women in the early 20th century. Throughout the story, the author includes sections of Granny's memories while she slowly slips closer to death to show her unconscious mind stuck over her jilting. Her successful memories and her bad memories are portrayed through light and darkness. In Granny's relationship with George, her almost-to-be husband, she got left at the altar which greatly impacted her, and will impact her for the rest of her life. After being jilted, Granny wanted control over her life. She formed habits of being organized and acting snarky to feel the control she craves over her life. She believed that doing the right things, like raising and caring for her family and growing a farm will lead to her letting go of the trauma that was inflicted upon her by George. Granny Weatherall wanted to be seen as a strong individual supporting herself so that no one could ever jilt her again. This shows how Ellen broke gender roles strongly illustrated in the 20s. The author Katherine Anne Porter portrayed Ellen Weatherall as an individual that pushed through the obstacles of life and dug out a foundation for herself and her children behind her. She wanted to prove to the world and George that she's capable of having a stable life even though her heart was shattered. Although she passed away and felt like she could've accomplished more and created a more stable life, the final call out to God jilted her one last time letting her know what there was nothing else she could've done and she is strong for pushing so far. This final jilting left Granny Weatherall shook and made her decide that she's worthy of love and a good life no matter her past. At last, she took control and "blew out the light," meaning letting go of life, and submitting to her mortality and accepting her end.