Societal Roles as a Source of Conflict in The Lamp at Noon
Many things contribute to define one’s role in society, such as the time period, the beliefs one holds, and the setting in which one domesticates their life. In Ross Sinclair’s The Lamp at Noon and Other Stories, the time and the setting that the stories take place define the roles that the characters take on in the stories, and become central to the conflicts in many of the various relationships. Many of the men in the stories set up emotional barriers that the women dare not overstep, in order to retain their position as the simple housewife. The conflicts between the partners in the various relationships seem to suggest Ross’ pessimistic view to the roles defined by society for men and women, unlike in Saramago’s Blindness where the characters are able to adapt to their changing surroundings when blindness strikes. The women in these stories must repress the knowledge they have in order to appease the passion their husbands have for their land. This repression leads to bitterness towards their husbands, which they are unable to express for fear of compromising their husband’s pride. Many of the stories result in a tragedy due to the woman leaving her knowledge and feelings unsaid, such as in “A Field of Wheat
In the story “Not by Rain Alone” we are able to see the transformation of the relationship between Will and Eleanor. The two parts of the story, pre marriage and post marriage, depict a conflict between the two characters that arose only after their marriage. The first part depicts a couple in love, who agree to marry even though Will’s crop did not receive all the rain it needed in order to produce a desirable yield. It is in the second part of the story that we see the characters fall into their roles and Will describes his new wife as, “high-pitched and irritable” (54). Many of the women in the stories in this collection are well brought up with an educational background, but are blinded by the roles that they have adopted in their lives. Many times the conflict between the husband and wife is only shown to the reader by having the ability to delve into the mind of one or both of the spouses. We can see in the “Painted Door” a conflict between Ann and her husband through her thoughts, but never in the story does an argument take place between them. This further shows the wives in these stories as silent supporters, rather than equal companions. The story “Lamp at Noon” also portrays a similar conflict between Ellen and Paul. Her desire to the leave farm in its desolate condition is over powered by Paul’s own ambition to make the land into a viable and fruitful income. Both of the men in these stories, Paul and John, have th
Some topics in this essay:
Noon Stories,
Door” Ann,
Ellen Martha,
Wheat” Martha,
Saramago’s Blindness,
Rain Alone”,
Field Wheat”,
Ellen Paul,
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Paul John,
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field wheat”,
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doctor’s wife,
blindness able adapt,
ross’ lamp noon,
“a field wheat”,
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Approximate Word count = 988
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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