The Tilted World Character Analysis

Washing Away Gender Roles and Expectations In an interview with William Boyle, Beth Ann Fennelly, co-author of The Tilted World, stated, “As much of a natural disaster as a flood is, falling in love is also a natural disaster. Or it can be” (fictionwritersreview.com). The Tilted World, a novel about the great flood of Mississippi, incorporates themes of love and adventure to capture a historical event that impacted the lives of individuals across the state. During the 20th century, it was clear that men and women played very different roles in society. However, authors Tom Franklin and Fennelly use two unique characters to challenge these stereotypes. Ted Ingersoll and Dixie Clay Holliver defy typical gender expectations throughout the text
In The Tilted World, Dixie Clay challenges this societal perception by displaying the numerous complexities possessed by women. This strong female character portrays a deep sense of strength and independence throughout her life. In one example, Dixie Clay arrives at a roller mill and feels completely out of place as the women around her stare with judgement in their eyes and begin to whisper aimlessly. This foreignness that Dixie feels is confirmed when the authors write that “she felt like a child whose indulgent mother lets her sit with the grown-ups through she stifles their gossip” (23). Because of the fact that Dixie Clay is married to Jesse, a bootlegger, many of the women show hatred towards her different lifestyle. However, Dixie Clay marches to the beat of her own drum and ignores the bitter remarks of the women. In addition, Dixie Clay’s power throughout the novel is a marvel to the audience. In one scene where she argues with a state representative named Ron Shap about alcohol prices, the audience can clearly see her confidence. When the man patronizes her about lowering her prices by saying, “Buy yourself a hair bob for those pretty curls,” Dixie Clay simply replies, “Four-fifty a bottle, and if you won’t buy it, maybe Wright Thomas”—the other candidate— “will” (131). From these instances, it is clear to see that Dixie Clay is a trailblazer through her
In this novel, Franklin and Fennelly portray men as detached and violent while women are required to be silent and obedient. The additional male characters in The Tilted World strictly follow the regulations that are expected from society. For example, agent Ham Johnson, Ingersoll’s partner, portrays a stereotypical male throughout a scene where the men discover a deserted baby after a family is murdered. While Ingersoll is quick to retrieve the baby, Ham is hesitant and annoyed by the idea, aggressively stating that the baby is “not [their] problem” and that they “sure as hell can’t take it” (20). Another male who follows the typical male cliché is Jesse Holliver, Dixie Clay’s husband. From the start, Jesse is authoritative and unpredictable in his brutish behaviors; he is abusive toward Dixie Clay, and he makes it known that he is the provider for the family. While joking with several men, Jesse states, “I give her anything she wants” (93). Through this statement, we can clearly see that Jesse has overpowering control over Dixie Clay. Additionally, many of the women in this novel follow the particular roles that society demands. Franklin and Fennelly describe a flapper women named Jeanette, for instance, as being “knife-edged” beautiful and compliant, which makes her the