Chloe Liu Ms. Callison
ACC Conflict, Social Justice, and Literature 15 May 2017
Lesson of Blame, Shame, And Guilt
As we progress through social changes that promote equality, people might think that women are treated as equal to men nowadays. However, the systematic society still creates unfairness among females, and we can see this through subtle things. In Alice Munro’s short story “Chance”, she describes the society in the 1960’s where those subtle differences we see now between women and men were amplified at that time. Women’s social status was highly disrespected. In “Chance", Munro uses Juliet's experience to suggest that society discriminated against women by blaming them and shackling them with guilt and shame, a phenomenon that is still seen today.
while the man who just wanted to be Juliet’s friend instead of trying to own her was rejected, hated by Juliet and died miserably. While every man in the story seems to be guilt-free, women are shackled to guilt by outer and inner pressure set by the society. In the whole story, nothing was mentioned about how shameful the men's deeds are. Rather, it suggests that Juanita and Juliet should take the blame.
Often times, females are used to take the blame. Juanita, when telling Juliet that she fell in love with her student’s parent, used a word indicating that she is taking the blame: "Juanita confessed afterwards that she herself, like the woman in the picture, was in love with a married man-the father of a student" (48). She used the word "confess" indicating that she thinks she should be the one to be blamed. Juanita feels sinful for loving a married man, but she did not understand that she is not the married one. She did not realize that she should not take all the blame because she is free to love whoever she wants.
losing out on promotions to men (who need them more, as they had to support
families)” (52-53). Even Juliet's parents, who are supposed to be the ones supporting their child with her educational goals, worry about her getting an education. Juliet’s mother urged her to learn to skate and play piano while Juliet’s father wanted her to fit in society. He said, "You have to fit in, he told her, otherwise people will make you hell” (53). The society has already decided the role of women as housewives. It does so by stating that men are the ones working and women are supposed to be ignorant and stay in the households. Juliet's parents and professors prove to readers that the systematic society already set rules on women. Women are being blamed for getting higher education, for liking married men, and for being smart and independent.
Due to all that blame and worry, women learn to be ashamed. They learned to be
embarrassed for having to deal with periods: “Monthly bleeding was the bane of her
life” (Munro 60-61). Women are very self conscious because they are always the ones being looked at, and they are taught to smile all the time, like Eric said, "They think women are bound to be nicer" (67). The society makes it okay for women to be interrupted in public. Eric realized that in the story: "'people interrupt women,' he said. 'Easier that men'" (67). Women should not be so ashamed nor do they need to smile all the time, but society has taught them that way by making them think that they are always the ones being judged.
People often say women are more sensitive than men. They seem to react more upon their emotions. Studies done by researchers indicate that females are more prone to guilt in many ways (Byee 113). Humans were born with equal feelings of guilt. It is the environment that women live in that exposes them to more guilt than men experience. Men, often times, seem to be guilt-free. Women also find themselves guilty in various situations. Munro shows that by depicting the guilt of Juliet and the guiltlessness of men. In “Chance”, all the men, under Munro’s description, were not guilty at all. When Juliet felt guilty about contributing to the mysterious man’s suicide, Eric thinks it's "rotten luck" as he smiles at Juliet's guilt (67). He did not take Juliet’s guilt seriously in the beginning as Juliet questioned him: “You think feeling guilty is just an indulgence?” (67). On the other hand, Juliet's guilt seems to be deeper than it needs to be. She compared her shame of menstruation to her guilt upon the death of the
more depressed, she definitely should not take the whole responsibility and be so guilty about it. The society has taught women to be guilty.
Work Cited
Ashbaker, Michael, et al. "Unwanted Identities: A Key Variable in Shame-Anger Links and Gender Differences in Shame". Sex Roles, Vol 42, Nos. 3/4, 2000, pp. 133-153. Bybee, Jane. "The Emergence of Gender Difference in Guilt during Adolescence". Guilt in
