Gender Roles

Gender can have an effect on determining a person's role in society. This is especially true in centuries past. In Boston during the 1600s, each gender had specific roles with strict rules governing behavior and expectations.

As the novel unfolds, Mary Deerfield is 24-years-old. Her position as a wife is an important example of the gender roles of this time. She is married to Thomas, who is considered a wealthy man by the standards of the setting. She does not have a job outside the home. It is her responsibility to take care of the home and to see that Thomas's physical needs are met. She oversees an indentured servant named Catherine. The daily chores are clearly too much for either of the women to handle alone. Most women Mary's age have young children, but Mary does not. Being childless is a driving force in...