Analytical Essay on The Good Corn by H.E Bates and...

The short stories, â€Å"Turned†, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and â€Å"The Good Corn†, by H.E Bates provide strong examples of how the representation of characters influence’s the reader’s perception of a text. Both stories depict similar characters: a middle-aged, childless wife, her husband and an 18-year old girl who works for them. They are both about a similar situation: man cheats on wife with girl and girl falls pregnant. However, the author’s of the text are from very different backgrounds and this is reflected in their stories. Although there are many similarities between â€Å"The Good Corn† and â€Å"Turned†, the values reflected in these stories, their resolutions and the reader’s perception of them are vastly different due to the contexts of†¦show more content†¦Even though it was Mortimer who made the first move, â€Å"Suddenly he found himself trying to help her and in a clumsy way trying to kiss her.. .† (pg8), Elsie was blamed for the incident and made out to be the villain. Mortimer said â€Å"I didn’t know what I was doing (despite the fact that he is more than double her age). She kept asking me. It was her who kept asking me† (pg 9). Elsie’s youth was only mentioned because of the beauty it gave her, â€Å"During the summer the face of the girl had reddened with sun and air and as autumn came on it seemed to broaden and flatten, the thick skin ripe and healthy in texture†, (pg8) and not because it may impair her ability to think rationally as opposed to a man over 18 years her senior. These narrow-minded views could very possibly come from the average man in the 1950’s. Gerta, like Elsie, was also shy, big built and beautiful. It was acknowledged that she had â€Å"...rich womanhood without, helpless infancy within†, (pg 15) Gerta was referred to as ‘the child’ (pg15), throughout the text. Gerta, like Elsie was also mentioned to be flirtatious with men. â€Å"Her peals of frank laughter.... (Much like that of Elsie’s before Mr Mortimer kissed her)... rose from the area gate as she stood talking with the always admiring tradesmen. Mrs Marroner had laboured long to teach her more reserve with men...† (pg16). However, in ‘Turned’, Gerta’s flirtatiousness was considered to be a failing of her youth and ignorance of