Gregory's Girl - Gender Stereotyping

So...today we tackled gender stereotyping in a bit more detail (can you guess what theme I'll be pushing you to tackle when writing about the play in your exam?). We quickly recapped the scenes that we'd read last lesson before tackling scenes 6, 7, 8 & 9.

Here's a quick summary of what happened in the scenes:

Scene 6: This scene was set in the cookery class, a mixed class of boys and girls. At the very start of the scene the girls are discussing Dorothy trying out for the football team and Susan asks: "Why is it boys are such a physical disaster?". The girls go on to discuss boy's hairstyle, saying that "It's so temporary" - suggesting an aspect of role reversal in that it is the boys in this play who are obsessed with their image (flashback to Gregory in front of the mirror possibly?) rather than the traditional view of girls being image obsessed. Gender stereotyping and role reversal also rear their ugly heads with regards to the character of Steve who is portrayed as being a master cook and it is the girls who ask him how to cook things properly rather than vice-versa.

Scene 7: It's the second football match and once again role reversal and gender stereotyping are the main themes in this scene. At the start Alan asks Dorothy if he can borrow her football, only to rebuffed as it is "a Telstar 5. It's only the best professional football in Europe" - Alan obviously doesn't have a clue about the more technical aspects of football but Dorothy (a girl) does. We then see the girls standing at the side of the pitch discussing the boys' sex-lives (or lack thereof...) - unlike the boys who get over-excited whenever sex is even hinted at (remember the fiasco in scene 2 outside the nurses' hostel?) the girls discuss sex in a confident, matter-of-fact manner. The girls then go on to discuss the football match, using several technical terms and obviously enjoying and understanding exactly what is happening on the football field - whereas the boys are more interesting in checking out Dorothy. Even when the boys do try and focus on the football match it is obvious that they don't understand the game as well as the girls. At the end of the scene Gregory flirts with Dorothy near the changing rooms, only for two boys from the school newspaper to butt-in and try and seduce her themselves! In the conversations with the boys it is Dorothy who comes across as the most confident person - showing Gregory her scars and using innuendo in he reply to Gordon when she says: "Bring your pencil too...and your sharpener...just in case..."

Scene 8: A recent school leaver called Billy is waiting outside the school to speak to some of the 4th year boys. He is obviously as obsessed with sex as the schoolboys and brags about his supposed sexual conquests - even stating that one of the school teachers is desperate to have sex with him. Compare this discussion about sex to the one the girls were having in the previous scene - which group seems more mature, confident and believable? Watch the Harry Enfield "Women know your place" video below:



Do the girls in the play live up to the traditional gender stereotype that was prevalent in British society during the late 1970s and early 1980s? (Here's a short clip of Gene Hunt from the TV show "Ashes to Ashes" showing the prevalent view of women during the period when the play is set)



Scene 9: Madeline and Gregory are sitting in a cafe discussing Gregory's infatuation with Dorothy. Here is an obvious example of role reversal - rather than Gregory giving his younger sister advice it is Madeline who is advising her older brother. If you look at the language used by each character it is Madeline who seems more like an adult in this conversation; in fact if you weren't told Madeline's age you could be forgiven for mistaking her for Gregory's mother. Towards the end of the scene (after Madeline has left) Richard (Madeline's 1st year boyfriend) appears and asks Gregory where Madeline is. Rather than telling Richard where his sister is Gregory acts very childishly and tells him to "piss-off" and act his age; however, Richard rises above Gregory's behaviour and acts like an adult...yet another example of role reversal!