Gender Roles and Feminism

The Other Typist illustrates how gender informs the perception of others. Set in the mid-1920s, women are perceived differently than they are today, yet the struggles of women may sound familiar to modern audiences.

Before the reader learns anything about Odalie’s personality or her job qualifications, Odalie is identified by her appearance. She is striking, with raven-colored hair cut into a fashionable bob. The Sergeant comments that “men were likely to get the wrong idea about a woman with short hair” (14). When Odalie is interviewed, however, her “hair was not yet bobbed” (13), leading Rose to suggest that the Sergeant would not have hired her otherwise.

By contrast, Rose, who has long hair and is considered plain, is noted for her efficiency, claiming to type “160 words per minute” (8), and that she is “simply there to report with accuracy” (8). Further, Rose is self-described...