Switching Places

The confusion of traditional gender roles in Bobbie Ann Mason’s “Shiloh” are critical to the outcome of the story.

The marriage worked at first because Leroy Moffit clearly held the role of the male in the relationship. He acted as the husband in the physical and emotional sense. As a truck driver, he was the only one in the family with a job, and the money he earned was subsequently used to support the family. Leroy bought Norma Jean gifts, like an “electric organ” to keep her happy and to treat her well. The story does not go into much detail, but we assume that he was in at least moderately good shape. As a typical male, he was also distant emotionally, as well as being distant physically.

Norma Jean also fulfills the typical female role in the family. She “would cook fried chicken… all his favorites” and would stay at home with the baby. She is docile and meek, illustrated by her mother’s catching her smoking. When her mother caught her smoking, she was highly embarrassed and is panicked and crying.

However, as time goes on, Norma Jean and Leroy start to switch their roles in the family. Leroy’s injury weakens him physically, and takes away his livelihood. The loss of his job is the catalyst that sets off the whole switching of roles. With Leroy out of a job, Norma Jean feels compelled to pick up the slack. She then finds herself a job to support the family. Once Norma Jean gets a job at the “Rexall Drugstore”, she feels compelled to better herself, physically and mentally. Mentally, she starts going to night school in order to learn and get a better education. She also starts to play the organ that Leroy got her. She patiently and painstakingly teaches herself more and more complicated pieces, until she is finally a decent player. She also starts to work out, specifically on her pectoral muscles. Her working out in general seems to be out of character, but specifically working on her pectoral muscles is a strange action. She also starts to become the dominant personality in the household. She becomes more critical and abrasive, and sheds her quiet, meek persona for an outspoken and opinionated one.

While Norma Jean is drifting further and further towards the masculine end of the spectrum, Leroy is drifting towards the feminine side. His injury seems to demotivate him, and he spends his time at home lazing around. Instead of trying to find a job, he does needlepoint, something that Norma Jean points out “that’s what a woman would do.”