Short essay on a story

Answer

“Hazel” by Carol Shields

            The short story, “Hazel,” by Carol Shields is a about a woman named Hazel who loses her husband to a heart attack. After her husband’s death, Hazel feels somewhat purposeless and decides to get a job (Ramon 16). Hazel has never had to work before as her husband was the sole breadwinner. Everyone in her life is against her decision to get a job including her two daughters and they all protest vehemently to that effect. Hazel ignores the protests of her family and friend and goes ahead to apply for a job which she gets. Hazel is employed as a salesperson by a kitchenware company called the Kitchen Cult. Of course, she has a rough time at the beginning but eventually finds a way around her shortcomings. In no time, Hazel rises up the ranks and even gets recognized as the best employee. The story ends with Hazel reflecting on her life as she sits beside her ailing mother in law. Women, in the past and recently, are faced with patriarchy and societal stereotypes that threaten to limit their ability to thrive both socially and professionally (Ramon 16). Woman all over the world are constantly told what they can and cannot do. Carol Shields’ “Hazel” is a portrayal of how feminism can thrive amidst patriarchy (Rose 197). 

            The feminism agenda in “Hazel” develops from the beginning of the story (Ramon 18). Carol Shields sets out by noting that “after a man has mistreated a woman he feels a need to do something nice which she must accept” (Bennett and Brown 463). The author uses this sentence to introduce readers to the possibility that the story is about how men try to manipulate and control women. The author then goes on to list a number of gifts that Hazel had received from her husband, Brian, as compensation for his faults. These gifts present a stereotypical view of women that women can easily be bought or manipulated emotionally (Rose 198). The author also brings out other societal stereotypes against women. For instance, she portrays Hazel as the typical woman who reads boring novels and joins knitting groups to pass time while her husband works to feed the family. In the story, Brian dies and his ability to manipulate Hazel with him. This event marks the beginning of Hazel’s new life as a working woman.

            Hazel’s decision to get a job is met by harsh criticism from the people in her life, four of whom are women. Even though these people are women themselves, they are not supportive of a fellow woman being employed and try to use her age as an excuse for limiting her. What’s more, each of these people brings up her late husband’s name in their protests. For instance, Hazel’s mother-in-law says that "…there's the insurance and Brian's pension…You have a first-rate lawyer to look after your investments. There's no need" (Bennett and Brown 465). In essence, her mother-in-law is arguing that Hazel need not work because Brian made sure that she would be taken of even in his absence. Hazel's older daughter, Marilyn, protests saying, "Dad would not have approved…Just ask yourself what Dad would have said. I know what he would have said, he would have said thumbs down, nix on it" (Bennett and Brown 466). This shows how everyone felt that even though Brian was dead, Hazel had a responsibility to do only as Brian would have wanted.

            The story of “Hazel” also brings out another contemporary issue- patriarchy (Rose 199). Hazel seems to have lived her life pleasing her late husband who would always hurt her then buy her gifts to earn her favor. The author paints Brian as a manipulative man who knew exactly what to do or say after being caught with yet another one of Hazel’s friends. The story paints Hazel’s marriage as an unhappy one and yet the women around Hazel seem not to know of it. In fact they all seem to think of Brian as a perfect husband. Besides, Hazel husband was the breadwinner of the family and always made all the important decisions concerning Hazel and the family. He decided what gifts to get and where to take her and Hazel submissively accepted all this.

            After her husband’s death, Hazel is still surrounded by men. She is trained for her role by her man and her boss also happens to be a man. After Peter becomes indisposed following his surgery, Hazel is quickly promoted to Peter’s position. This promotion seems to be a way to compensate Hazel for getting injured while on the job which is yet another portrayal of how women are seen to be easily manipulated. Furthermore, it seems the company feels that Hazel (as a woman with no experience) is better suited to deal with kitchen equipment than Peter (who is a man with more experience).

            Hazel’s decision to accept the promotion is met by yet another wave of criticism from one of her daughters and her friend, Maxine. Both Marilyn and Maxine feel that it is wrong for Hazel to advance her career. They feel that by accepting the promotion, Hazel is betraying Peter. Instead of being happy that Hazel is finally advancing in their career they feel that Hazel owes Peter her promotion although Hazel did not do anything for the said promotion. Peter has been fired by the Kitchen Kult which is no doing of Hazel but Hazel is eventually guilt-tripped into rejecting the promotion for Peter’s sake. In fact, Hazel ends up signing the release forms haphazardly because she feels that she should look out for Peter and not herself.

            Carol Shields presents the story of “Hazel” using a third person narrative voice. The story is written in a hopeful but cynical tone where the narrator seems to make fun of the traditional institutions of patriarchy that hinder the career development of women in society. The author, through the narrator, makes a mockery of societal stereotypes against women and is builds the reader’s hopes that the protagonist (Hazel) will succeed in spite of all this. 

            “Hazel” begins as a typical story but turns out to be the remarkable shift in an underestimated woman’s life. Hazel sets out as a submissive woman who is easily manipulated by her husband and who abides by his every whim. She leads a boring life; she likes to read boring novels and is a member of a knitting club. She is fully taken care of by her husband and has never had to work a day in her life. In fact, even after her husband’s death she has little need for money as her husband had insurance and pension all set up for her. Carol Shields uses Hazel to show that women can indeed come out of their own cocoon and thrive among men. She also shows how women are often discouraged from following their dreams by their fellow women. Finally, she manages to successfully portray feminism through a protagonist who refused to bow to the criticism of those around her and eventually thrived amidst patriarchy.