Womanhood

Throughout the novel, Clara feels deeply compelled to rewrite her conception of womanhood in relation to the patriarchal world in which she lives. Clara feels a fundamental pull away from the gender roles established by her community, saying “I have never known what kind of girl I am not at home in this shtetl not at home in this family not at home in this life” (56). Within her Jewish culture, womanhood is mainly presented in contradiction to manhood. Clara’s Jewish orthodox shtetl functions based on a structural division of tasks and responsibilities based on one’s sex, preventing individuals from exercising agency to choose their activities or interests. While the men and boys are expected to practice prayer and read the holy texts, women and girls are expected to uphold domestic duties and adopt “a biddable spirit” which is beneficial for marital arrangement. Within this...