Novel Essay: The Birth House
Patriarchy in The Birth House
In “Where Are We?” Allan Johnson defines patriarchy as “male dominated in that positions of authority-political, economic, legal, religious, educational, military, domestic-are generally reserved for men…when a women finds her way into such positions, people tend to be struck by the exception of the rule and wonder how she’ll measure up against a man in the same position”(5). Apart from the more “caring” types of work, men are sought to be the more intellectual and able rather than women. Patriarchy promotes the idea that men are above or superior to women. Correspondingly, patriarchy plays out in Ami McKay’s The Birth House. Predominantly the relationships between the characters of Dora, Miss. B, and the domineering Dr. Thomas demonstrate a patriarchal society consists of a male-dominating power throughout an organized society and in individual relationships.
Dora Rare, Miss. B, and Dr. Thomas, portray the privileges that males have over women through the battle between midwifery and maternity homes. The struggle of women to be able to control their own health care and reproductive rights was in affect when Dr. Thomas brings The Canning Maternity Home to Nova Scotia’s Scots Bay. “Although impeccable with his manners and polite every turn, it was clear to [Dora] that Dr. Thomas was less concerned with a woman’s
circumstances and more concerned with selling his services.”(59) Dr. Thomas was not concerned with the well-being of women but rather the sales that he could selfishly lure out of them. Dr. Thomas assumes that Miss. B does not hold the same intellectual value as him and therefore condemns himself in a higher position. Furthermore, the self-proclaimed Dr. Thomas exemplifies the arrogance of a male-dominated medical profession and its attitude towards female problems caused by the conflict between midwifery and Dr. Thomas’ demand on a maternity home.
Moving onward, Dr. Thomas refers to the work
In “Where Are We?” Allan Johnson defines patriarchy as “male dominated in that positions of authority-political, economic, legal, religious, educational, military, domestic-are generally reserved for men…when a women finds her way into such positions, people tend to be struck by the exception of the rule and wonder how she’ll measure up against a man in the same position”(5). Apart from the more “caring” types of work, men are sought to be the more intellectual and able rather than women. Patriarchy promotes the idea that men are above or superior to women. Correspondingly, patriarchy plays out in Ami McKay’s The Birth House. Predominantly the relationships between the characters of Dora, Miss. B, and the domineering Dr. Thomas demonstrate a patriarchal society consists of a male-dominating power throughout an organized society and in individual relationships.
Dora Rare, Miss. B, and Dr. Thomas, portray the privileges that males have over women through the battle between midwifery and maternity homes. The struggle of women to be able to control their own health care and reproductive rights was in affect when Dr. Thomas brings The Canning Maternity Home to Nova Scotia’s Scots Bay. “Although impeccable with his manners and polite every turn, it was clear to [Dora] that Dr. Thomas was less concerned with a woman’s
circumstances and more concerned with selling his services.”(59) Dr. Thomas was not concerned with the well-being of women but rather the sales that he could selfishly lure out of them. Dr. Thomas assumes that Miss. B does not hold the same intellectual value as him and therefore condemns himself in a higher position. Furthermore, the self-proclaimed Dr. Thomas exemplifies the arrogance of a male-dominated medical profession and its attitude towards female problems caused by the conflict between midwifery and Dr. Thomas’ demand on a maternity home.
Moving onward, Dr. Thomas refers to the work