Comparing Woman’s Social Status in Becky and Blood Burning Moon Essay

Jean Toomer was bi-racial, sometimes being perceived as white and sometimes black. His race was a catalyst for his writings. Toomer wrote prose and poetry reflecting his ideas about race and gender, not wanting either to be an issue in the future. His writings depict people of all races facing struggles, some gender struggles and some racial struggles. In â€Å"Becky† and in â€Å"Blood Burning Moon,† Toomer centers around two females. During the time period of his writings and what is still somewhat evident today, gender decides the role a person plays in society. As a female, one was always inferior to the male, no matter what the race. Therefore, these two works show how being a female affects a woman’s treatment in life; she loses some control of her destiny, which is ultimately decided by a male or a group of males. â€Å"Becky† centers on a white female who has two black sons. She is forced to leave the town and live on the outskirts because interracial relationships are not acceptable to the other citizens. As a female, Becky is unable to deny maternity to the two boys, but the man who impregnated her has no ties to the children and could have denied paternity of the two boys. Becky avoids the criticism from the townspeople by living in her house â€Å"ground islandized between the road and the railroad track.† No one ever sees her. She has no contact with the townspeople, but those who care for her well-being bring her food and leave it outside of her house, anonymously. Louisa, in â€Å"Blood Burning Moon,† is a black female who is loved by two men, one white man and one black man. She works for a white family, the youngest son being Bob Stone. He is in love with Louisa because of her beauty and charisma. He believes that be... ...male characters powerless in a society of males. Louisa is forced to live with two males who love her and is unable to choose between either. Becky is obligated to raise two sons with neither support from the community nor help from their father. The two women are treated as simple objects or at least not characterized as real people with feelings and desires in their lives. Gender inequality is a common theme for Toomer. He wishes gender to be unimportant in daily situations; everyone should be treated equally and no one should be forced to live a life separate from others because of his or her gender. Louisa and Becky are both forced to live a life with no opportunity for equality and no chance to for happiness with another person, because they are females. Works Cited Toomer, Jean. â€Å"Bood-Burning Moon.† Cane. New York: Livericht, 2010. 39-49. Print.