Gender Essay: No Way Out

Jessica

English 102

Gender Essay

2/21/11

No Way Out

The play ends with a slam and Nora leaving as if a promising way out of this defined “feminine” role. Nora’s behavior all along had just been following the social script laid out for a married woman. Social scripts can be seen as taking the easy way out in life and situations. Nora is someone who chose to challenge that theory and fend for herself. Between the 1800s and the 1900s challenging a social norm was a big deal and not usually sought after for many people. Escaping a role in society can be very hard because when you do you are challenging the whole system.

Social norms have become so easy to adapt to because they are exactly what the name suggests, “norms”. Society had been playing along with this game for so long that most people don’t feel the need to even question why they do what they do. People in society strive to fit perfectly into these little defined roles. One slip up could threaten their whole social script and cause them to be seen as an outcast. We get the mindset that these social norms are really what we want and what we want to be. Defining yourself is seen as hard, uncomfortable, and at times even dangerous.

Many women like Nora don’t even realize that they are being placed in these stereotypical norms. Society says that your sex defines what your duties are in life and to others. As a female you are suppose to take care of the children and have dinner on the table. You should have no say in financial issues in the household because you aren’t educated enough to make big decisions. You weren’t allowed to take out a loan without a “guardians” signature, that being a male. Men are the one that provide for the family and that you should be dependent on them to take care of your needs. Where did we get off believing that an extra appendage gave you so much power?

Throughout the play you see Nora as a woman seen through Torvald eyes a pet or dependant on him. Torvald says, “Is...