Gender roles

Gender roles are important to the novel as they shape the way characters act and perceive themselves. In general, characters are negatively influenced by the gender roles imposed on them by society. Characters who adhere to gender roles would be Adan, Wilma, and Lala. Characters who defy gender roles would be Tone and Mira.

To begin, Adan is a stickler for gender roles. He believes that being a man involves acting tough and not showing fear. He says, “Bad man no ‘fraid police… Bad man no ‘fraid nobody, as man” (183). The phrase “as a man” is repeated several times throughout Adan’s conversation with Tone (183). This obsession with seeming macho reveals that Adan is prone to toxic masculinity. In addition, Adan is determined to be the only one who contributes to paying for Baby’s funeral. When Lala borrows money from Wilma, he becomes furious...