Study of Gendered Ageism in Bernardine Evaristo’s “Girl, Woman, Other”

Abstract

This study examines the nuanced portrayal of gendered ageism in Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other, focusing on how gendered ageism creates disharmony in families and societies. Drawing on Robert N. Butler’s concept of “ageism,” the research investigates how literary narratives, as exemplified in the characterization of Penelope and Shirley, challenge marginalization through gendered ageism.  A close reading of the novel through the lens of available literature about gendered ageism shows that it disparages a person’s abilities thanks to unjustified discrimination based on chronological age. Evaristo’s word images of the causes and effects of gendered ageism impact the reader’s mind, showing how gendered ageism ensnares its prey and what its side effects are. Analytically, the findings reveal the true triggers behind the discrimination that works out on employment, working capability, general treatment, and distribution of shared resources. The research throws its laser light on the fact that gendered ageism entraps mostly the female sex, ensnaring both the aged and the youth.  This research underscores how fiction can act as a vehicle for social critique, challenging deeply ingrained prejudices based on gender and age while advocating for more inclusive roles for women in societies without any bias.