Analyzing Lois Gould's Short Story 'X'
Hannah Hope
Mrs. Mills
ENG 3U1
10/04/13
The Genderless Child
Does anyone remember the old skipping song: “Girls go to Mars to get Candy bars, and boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider?” Why did the girls always get to go to Mars instead of the boys? Were the girls somehow superior compared to the boys? Boys should not be compared to girls nor should girls be compared to boys. This subject relates to the theme that is present throughout the short story “X” written by Lois Gould. “X” is based on the innocent childhood of a kid in which their gender is never truly revealed. Throughout the story, we witness how this unique child changes most gender based stereotypes that are created throughout young children’s lives. X changes the way his …show more content…
The Joneses are concerned that X will be left out when he is at school. During the story Gould states a list of limitations the school has for a genderless child: “The school library would have a list of recommended books for girls, and a different list for boys, teachers would tell boys to form a line, and girls to form another line, there would be boys’ games and girls’ games, and boys’ secrets and girls’ secrets, there would even be a bathroom marked BOYS and another one marked GIRLS” (31). All these situations scared the Joneses. They don’t want poor little X to feel left out. Their solution is to have the teacher line the children up in alphabetical order and to have X use the principles private bathroom which was only marked bathroom. As for the books, X would choose books that he preferred from each section. Instead of limiting X due to his genderless condition, the teachers found a way to make X feel at home. They destroy most gender based limitations that can be created while you’re at school. X proves that it is possible to eliminate a lot of gender stereotyping in his/her
Mrs. Mills
ENG 3U1
10/04/13
The Genderless Child
Does anyone remember the old skipping song: “Girls go to Mars to get Candy bars, and boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider?” Why did the girls always get to go to Mars instead of the boys? Were the girls somehow superior compared to the boys? Boys should not be compared to girls nor should girls be compared to boys. This subject relates to the theme that is present throughout the short story “X” written by Lois Gould. “X” is based on the innocent childhood of a kid in which their gender is never truly revealed. Throughout the story, we witness how this unique child changes most gender based stereotypes that are created throughout young children’s lives. X changes the way his …show more content…
The Joneses are concerned that X will be left out when he is at school. During the story Gould states a list of limitations the school has for a genderless child: “The school library would have a list of recommended books for girls, and a different list for boys, teachers would tell boys to form a line, and girls to form another line, there would be boys’ games and girls’ games, and boys’ secrets and girls’ secrets, there would even be a bathroom marked BOYS and another one marked GIRLS” (31). All these situations scared the Joneses. They don’t want poor little X to feel left out. Their solution is to have the teacher line the children up in alphabetical order and to have X use the principles private bathroom which was only marked bathroom. As for the books, X would choose books that he preferred from each section. Instead of limiting X due to his genderless condition, the teachers found a way to make X feel at home. They destroy most gender based limitations that can be created while you’re at school. X proves that it is possible to eliminate a lot of gender stereotyping in his/her