Gender Roles in Modernist Literature

Some of the greatest pieces of creativity perhaps were written in the 20^th century.  It was a time period that included World War I, parts of World War II, the Great Depression, and a flourishing Jazz era.  Writers, musicians, and also the growth of the movie industry in the middle of the 20^th century proved to be a flourishing time for many.  William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and John Steinbeck all contributed heavily towards the modernist movement within literature during the 20^th century.  As great of a contribution these three made, there is evidence to support the claim that although literature was once again going through a period of growth that there were still barriers and lines that were not being crossed.  One of those barriers that was not being crossed was the line of gender.  Women at this time, although growing in number to demand rights, still did not have the opportunities that men were offered.  In much of these three men’s work, one can see the attitudes reflected of the modernist era towards women.  In comparing and contrasting their work to a post-modern female author in Doris Lessing, it is evident that these authors typically created weak and powerless gender roles for women and stronger and more important gender roles for men in their novels and stories.