How does gender impact the characters and their actions?

L.P. Hartleys The Go-Between and Ian McEwans Atonement both demonstrate
the impact of gender roles on society at the time they were set. Changing
attitudes were just starting to form, and this generational gap is mirrored in
both texts, with Cecilia and Emily Tallis in Atonement, and Marion and Mrs
Maudsley in The Go-Between. Both authors also present how masculinity can
be overshadowed by another limiting factor, class, in the case of both Robbie
and Ted Burgess.
The older generation is keen to take advantage of the opportunities for
social advancement. Both mothers play a significant role in trying to find a
suitable partner for their daughters, conforming to typical gender roles at the
time, which involved men being the provider for the home whilst women were
in charge of childcare and managing a household. It is apparent that most of
the ambition is held by the mothers, while their husbands are less involved.
Jack Tallis absence and suspected affairs leave Emily isolated, which is
furthered by her migraines. She aspires for Cecilia to marry well and start a
family yet fails to care for her own due to her debilitating illness. This hypocrisy
leads us to question Emilys judgement, which is also reinforced by her opinions
on Paul Marshall, whom she refers to as a wealthy young entrepreneur. His
status makes her oblivious to his wrongdoings; an example of the classism that
leads to Robbies wrongful conviction. In The Go-Between, Mrs Maudsleys
controlling nature as the mistress of the house leaves Mr Maudsley in a
position of diminished authority. She tactfully places Marian amongst potential
suitors and keeps a close eye on her; her glance most often rested on her
daughter. Although she dominates others throughout the novel, Marcus reveals
she is un type hysterique, which detracts from her image as a powerful
woman. Emily possesses old-fashioned views, similar to those of Mrs Birling
from J.B. Priestleys An Inspector Calls, such as her inability to confront her
husband about his affair. Extramarital affairs were taboo, and women found
other sources of contentment as Emily describes, such as the house, the park
and above all, the children. This once again depicts the role of women in a
patriarchal society; Emily feels secure in her relationship and therefore sees no
need to confront Jack. She feels that Cecilia has become an impossible
prospect by choosing to go to university, describing the act as a performance.
Her lexical choice emphasises her disapproving view on womens further
education.
The younger generation take more initiative and work to dismantle the
boundaries set for them by society. Cecilias actions in Chapter Two display
confidence and a sense of independence; rather than fulfilling the damsel in
distress stereotype she takes matters into her own hands to retrieve the vase.
Robbie seems to be aware of this, he knew better than to offer to help her out
of the water. Cecilias further education would have given her a level of
freedom, but her return to the Tallis is an indicator of the future her mother
wants her to have. She is trapped in some ways, although no one would care

particularly if she left. She wants to feel needed, which is seen in her
desperate attempts to fill the role of Brionys maternal figure. Her interactions
with Marshall give an insight into the role her mother desperately wants her to
fill; she discusses how deliciously self-destructive it would be [] to be married
to a man [] so hugely rich, so unfathomably stupid. By indulging in this
fantasy she makes it clear to the reader that she is opposed to such a
marriage, yet is still able to see the benefits it would bring. In The Go-Between,
Marians manipulation of Leo is apparent from early on, when she takes him to
Norwich to buy new clothes. Leo is unable to see these transactions as
something that may require him to return the favour later on, he is blinded by
his naivety. Marians determined nature clashes with that of her mother; Leo
describes an exchange between the two as two steel threads crossing each
other. This quality is instrumental in her relationship with Ted, as she must
work hard to keep it a secret. Leo is clearly infatuated with her, which allows
her to give him constant instruction. When first introduced to her by Marcus he
describes her physical appearance at length, observing that she must be
sitting still for [his] scrutiny. He objectifies her without realising he is doing so,
giving an indication of how men viewed women at the time. By rendering her
the Virgin from early on he upholds her to an untarnished ideal, making
multiple references to her purity. He becomes violently jealous of Trimingham
when he hears that Mrs Maudsley intends for him to marry her daughter,
implying he is possessive over Marian, which may be due to an Oedipus
complex. Marian is his mother figure in many ways; she provides him with new
clothes and gives him a role to fulfil as a go-between. His attraction towards
her is apparently sexual at times, such as when he is evidently disappointed
that Marians bathing suit [] seemed to cover her far more completely than
her evening dresses. His sexual awakening begins when he spends the day
with her, with the summit of the Cathedrals spire being a phallic symbol, and
the lexical choice of pierced could be likened to penetration, with the sky
representing Marian and her goddess-like status.
Womens sexuality is a key theme in both novels. At the time they were
set sexual relationships remained a taboo subject, with the widely held belief
being that sexual activity was for married couples of similar social standing. By
engaging in such acts with men of a lower class out of wedlock Cecilia and
Marians actions become even more scandalous and unforgivable. Cecilias
encounter with Robbie in the library is symbolic as they consummate the deep
feelings they have for one another, yet Brionys intrusion ruins the moment.
Whilst the couple are evidently infatuated with each other Briony can only view
what she has witnessed as an attack on Cecilia, who she sees as vulnerable
and in need of protection. Her lack of maturity means that she cannot
understand what has happened, and instead equates what she sees to the
actions of a maniac in the presence of Lola, who wrongly confirms her
suspicions. She also uses the letter against Robbie, unable to understand the
full effects of the obscenity he includes. Not even her mother had ever
referred to the existence of that part of her which [] the word referred. The

stigma towards female sexuality at the time the novel is set leads Briony to feel
disgusted by Robbies letter, and ironically she finds it natur[al] that she has
never seen or heard any reference to female genitalia. The shame she feels is a
product of the patriarchal society they live in, which does not give women
access to sexual desires. The only form of love Briony has seen is that which
she discovers in the writings of others, an influence which is particularly
apparent when she is relaying the scenario by the fountain to the reader. She
misreads the actions of Robbie and Cecilia, taking his stance to be a proposal
of marriage, a display of ambition to ask for Cecilias hand. In the way that Leo
places Marian on a pedestal of virginal purity, Briony forces Robbie to adhere to
courtly love. Her pursuit of a perfect narrative leads her to misinterpret the
facts she is given, as well as generalise complex situations, such as Cecilia and
Robbies relationship. He himself provides balance, but for a different
purpose,when he is reliving the days events during his bath, describing Cecilia
with a mixture of blazon and realism, from her full, glistening rosebud mouth
to her long, narrow face. This balance implies he is able to see both her
strengths and her flaws, yet his love remains a constant. By giving him
conflicted feelings regarding whether or not he should see Cecilia that night,
McEwan comes away from the archetypal hero, and gives Robbie an emotional
outlet. In The Go-Between spooning is discussed at length; Leos initial disgust
towards it is another symbol of his immaturity. Initially he cannot believe
Marian would engage in such an act, but her relationship demonstrates she is
not as vulnerable and innocent as Leo views her to be. Teds physical stature
gives him power in the relationship, yet it will never be successful as Mrs
Maudsley looks down upon the lower classes, representing the opinions of the
upper classes at the time. This does not only adhere to the older generation, as
Marcus displays a prejudice towards other classes during the evening that
follow the cricket match. Teds discomfort is apparent when he is forced to sing
with Marian accompanying him; he is faced with the reality of class boundaries
in a public setting.
Marian is embodied in the atropa belladonna. The derelict outhouses
where it is located foreshadow Marians exposure, as well as the diminished
prospects she is faced with due to being a woman. The plants lusty limbs have
sexual connotations, whilst the alliteration emphasises her freedom and sexual
desire. Lust is almost always short-lived, which could hint at the early end of
Marians relationship with Ted. The plant looked so hungry, in spite of all the
nourishment it was getting, alluding to Marians dissatisfaction with
Trimingham, who is thrust upon her by her mother. Although he is evidently
affectionate towards her she does not want to marry him, such as when Leo
informs her that Trimingham has picked up her prayer-book and she fails to
retrieve it immediately, leaving Hugh seem[ingly] disappointed. Even so, he
still willingly marries her after Teds tragic suicide. By losing her virginity she is
tarnished in the eyes of society, yet Hughs injury leaves him in a position
where he is fortunate to find a wife at all. His nobility is apparent, as he feels
raising the child as his own is his rightful course of action. This makes him
heroic, yet his physical flaws make him more human and grounded. His feeling

of duty to protect both mother and child correspond with traditional gender
roles. Marian is left emotionally vulnerable after Teds untimely death, therefore
a reliable figure such as Trimingham may be her way of finding peace at last.
Both Briony and Cecilias careers as nurses show their independence. The
struggles Briony endures are necessary, she does not want her parents to know
of the lowly work she did. Nursing provided an opportunity for women to
command respect; their role was vital during the war. Senior nurses were
feared and had much authority; at one point Briony notes that Cecilias
authoritative tone was pure Nightingale. Influential figures such as Florence
Nightingale transformed nursing at the time, and the military like discipline she
was responsible for is seen in Brionys structured and exhausting shifts.
In conclusion, gender is instrumental in both novels. It limits the
characters in some ways, yet when combined with changing attitudes and the
hierarchal class system it is overcome. It affects the views held by the mothers
in both Atonement and The Go-Between, whilst the female characters are
liberated to an extent.