Dressing Up for the Carnival
Structuralism
Roger
- buys a mango and compares it to a softball from his first class league ball
Mr. Gilman
- He gives his daughter-in-law flowers
Structuralist Viewpoint
- The mango has no significance by itself without being compared to the softball
- Mr. Gilman would never have given his daughter-in-law flowers unless there was a situation
Feminist Theory
Post-Structuralism
Post - Structuralist Viewpoint
- The story does not have a regimented form to follow
- The author, Carol Shields, allows the reader to have free reign to interpret the story how they want to interpret it.
- She does not go into detail or gives an opinion in the story, which allows the reader's imagination to fill in the rest
- For example: Mr. Gilman - th author does not state why he gives his daughter-in-law flowers, the readers must come up with a reason as to why
Feminist Viewpoint
- Women should not be seen as minority or undermined
- The author should have given women a higher role in society, a role where they are not controlled by males
Wanda
- In the story, Wanda was asked by her boss to run some errands for him
Mandy
- The little sister of Ralph who brings her brother his football helmet
Queer Theory
Anonymous Man
- The middle aged citizen who sometimes, in the privacy of his own home, waltzes around in his wife's lace-trimmed night gown
Queer Theorist Viewpoint
- When the man puts on his wife's nightgown, his behaviour changes from masculine to feminine
Psychoanalytic Theory
Mr. Wishcourt
- He asks Wanda to take his baby carriage home for him because it would not fit in his car
Psychoanalytic Viewpoint
- His superego, which is his conscience, is present when he questions whether to ask Wanda to walk the baby carriage to his house
- He gives into his impulsive id and asks Wanda to do the personal tasks anyways
New Historicism
Reader-Response Theory
Mandy
- She helps her brother by bringing his helmet to him
Wanda
- Mr. Wishcourt makes Wanda takes the vintage baby carriage to his house
New Historicist Viewpoint
- Looking at Mandy, it reinforces the universal role of younger siblings in past years
- Looking at Wanda, they may question why he bought a vintage baby carriage rather than a modern carriage
Mr. Wishcourt
- His actions are considered rude because he is asking personal favours from Wanda when he should look at the situation from a professional point of view
Tamara
- not seen as weird, she's seen as a "fashionista"
Mr. Gilman
- considered weird because no one gives flowers to their daughter-in-law every day
Wanda
- considered a pushover because she does whatever her boss wants her to do
Eco Criticism
Eco Critics would appreciate:
- All character walk as a mode of transportation with the exception of Tamara waiting to take the bus
- Mr. Wishcourt makes Wanda walk the baby carriage home instead of driving
Eco Critics would frown upon:
- Mr. Gilman buying flowers every day because it is killing the earth little by little since the flowers are used for beauty and will eventually die
Marxist Theory
Wanda
- Her boss makes her take the baby carriage to his house for him (personal errand)
Marxist Viewpoint
- the work claims to represent middle-class
- Power Theory
- He uses his power over Wanda to make her do his errands
Formalism
Post Colonialism
Formalist Viewpoint
- If we ignore the author, it gives the impression that the characters have nothing to do with each other
- It looks as if you are judging random people on the spot
Metaphors:
- the title name is a metaphor for life/society
- people all over town are putting on their "costumes"
- Mr. Gilman is seen as charming but it later says that he is a man in disguise - proving he is putting on his costume
Post Colonialist Viewpoint
- Our story does not deal with culture studies
- There is no dominance in culture within our story
Archetypal Theory
Character Archetypes
The Hero
- Mandy thinks of herself as a hero because she brings her brother his helmet so he doesn't have to sit out of his practice
- She "saves" the day for him
Mr. Gilman
- gives his daughter-in-law flowers
- Myth - when you give girls flowers, it symbolizes forgiveness
- Daffodils - symbol of rebirth, he gave her multiple because a single one means misfortune
- Symbolizes - love, respect, rebirth
- He could be perceived as trying to accept his daughter-in-law or maybe trying to get to his son through his daughter-in-law