Analysis Of Dorothy Allison s Bastards Out Of Carolina

As a society we often judge or form opinions based on others according to their gender, race and class; this is called stereotyping. Stereotyping involves making generalizations to describe or differentiate a group. Stereotypes are harmful to women and their experiences, because they can cause bad decision making that can lead to negative outcomes. Anney Boatwright in Dorothy Allison’s novel Bastards Out of Carolina is heavily burdened by the stereotype of being identified as ‘white trash,’ which leads her to making unorthodox decisions regarding her family in hope of breaking free of this white trash stereotype. Stereotypes are destructive in the shaping of individuals’ lives, because they make us disregard differences between individuals. Since stereotypes are everywhere and they are impossible to escape Anney finds herself conforming to gender stereotypes in order to try to rid herself of this white trash stereotype. Gender stereotyping plays a major rol e in the white trash stereotype that is both racialized and classed. This gender stereotype of women needing a man in their life is taught from birth. In traditional white families both parents are usually in their children’s life, the women are typically stay at home mothers that take care of the cooking and cleaning, the men have white-collar jobs and they typically live a privileged lifestyle, but since Anney is the exact opposite of this she is stereotyped as white trash. White trash refers to white people who