Davidson1

RyanDavidson
ProfessorBeadle
English115
15October2015
WhoSaysWomenCantBeHeroes?
Theunlikelyhero:Ashy,timid,andquirkyprotagonistreluctantlyfindsherselfina
situationthatunlockshertruepotentialandsavestheworlddespiteherpastobstacles.Onlya
gradualprocessofacceptanceandproperutilizationofonesuniqueabilityallowforatimid,
unpopularcharactertotransformintoahero.Thiscommonandpopulararchetypehasbecome
crucialtomanystoriesofthemodernday,includingMs.Marvel
,acriticallyacclaimedgraphic
novelbyauthorG.WillowWilson
.
I
nMs.Marvel,KamalaKhanenduressimilarstruggleson
thepathtogainingherpowers,asshestruggleswithfittingin,aswellasundergoesissueswith
herfamilysexpectationsofher.Althoughgenderrolesbecomecrucialtofittingin,aswellas
thefactthatKamalawantsfamilyacceptance,KamalaKhandeniesbothhighschoolandfemale
norms,andthusestablishesherselfasbothamaverickandfeminist
afterearningherpowers
.
Truthfully,nogenderroleswouldexisthadsocietynotimplementedtheminthefirst
place.InBecomingMembersofSociety:TheSocialMeaningsofGender,AaronDevor,
Devordiscusseshowonebecomesacquaintedwithonesgendersincebirth.Veryyoung
childrenlearntheirculture'ssocialdefinitionsofgenderandgenderidentityatthesametimethat
theylearnwhatgenderbehaviorsareappropriateforthem.Buttheyonlygraduallycometo
understandthemeaningofgenderinthesamewayastheadultsoftheirsocietydo(Devor,36).
Notonlydoothercultureshavedifferentmeaningsofgender,evenadultsstrugglewiththe

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meaningbehindgendermonitoring.
Likewise,in

Ms.Marvel,
Kamalaexperiencesboth
punishmentandrewardfornonconformitytosocialnorms
aswell
.AlthoughKamalaclearly
valuesfamilyandschool,aswellasresponsibility,shehighlyvaluestheideaofindividualism
andindependenceaswell.Fromthehelpofheroverlyprotectiveparents,Kamalaenduresboth
teenandfemalestereotypes.Forinstance,afteraskingherparentsifshecanattendapopular
schoolparty,herfatherreplies:OfcourseItrustyou,bet.Butitsnotsafeforayounggirltobe
outlateatnightwithstrangeboys,drinkingGodknowswhatandthinkingGodknowswhat
(Wilson,8).Onlythefirstchapterintothestory,andKamalareceivesunfairgenderroles
becausesheisagirl.NotonlydoesKamaladisobeyherfatherbygoingtotheparty,sherejects
theideaofthedomesticationofwomen.However,besidesteenandfemaleroles,Kamalas
familyexpectshertofulfillherMuslim/Pakistanirolesaswell.Inallfamilyandhomescenes,
membersofKamalasfamilyaredrawnwithMuslimstereotypessuchasthefacialhair,clothing,
andevenMuslimfoodattimes.
Forexample,onpagesix,whenthefamilyisfirstintroduced,
Aamir(Kamalasbrother)isdrawnwithachinstrapstyleoffacialhair,andiswearing
traditionalMuslimattire.However,KamalaisneverevenseenwearingMuslimclothing,and
goestomassonlyreluctantlybecauseofherparents.Forexample,afterreturningtoherfamily
lateatnight,KamalasfathertellsherYoudonthavetobesomeoneelsetoimpressanybody.
Youareperfectjustthewayyouare.Werenottryingtomakeyourlifemiserable,Kamala.We
justwantyoutobesafe...Maybespendingmoretimeatthemosquewillgiveyousome
perspective(Wilson,94).
ThefactthatherfamilypracticesconservativeMuslimtradition
as
wellaspushtheirexpectationsofKamala
onlyaddstothelimitednatureofKamalaslife.

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Despitewantingindependenceandspace,Kamalastillstruggleswithfittinginatschool
duetononconformitytogenderroles.WiththeexceptionofherownMs.Marvel
fashion,such
astheSonherclothing
,noothercharactersinthestoryvisiblydresssimilartoKamala,nordo
theytalk,act,orsharethesamecharacteristics.
EvenherMuslimfriendZoe,firstshownon
pagetwo,showslittlesimilaritytoKamalaintermsofbothpersonalityandfashionZoewearsa
furcoatandHijab,whileKamalaiscommonlywearingalongsleevedshirtandjeans.
Kamala
clearlyhasmanyquirks,suchasherAvengersobsession,asdisplayedintheMs.MarvelSthat
appearsonmanyofherclothing,aswellasherCaptainAmericahoodie.ThefactthatKamala
showsgreatpassioninapredominantlymaleinteresthighlightsherdifferencesfromthe
averagefemale.AlthoughKamalainitiallywantstobebeautifulandformidable",like
CaptainMarvel,shelaterrealizesthatthereisnoneedtosuccumbtowhatsocietywants.For
example,afterVinatoshealsKamala,heexplainsthatwhenyouhealsomething,youreturnitto
itsoriginalshape.Itmaybethatthemoreyouheal,thelessyouwillbeabletoshapeshift
(Wilson,209).ThisissymbolicinthatthemoreKamalagrowsstronger,thelesssheneedsto
pretendtobeotherpeople,orshapeshift.Therefore,byunderstandinghertrueidentity,and
thenatureofherpowers,Kamalathrives.
GrowingupasaMuslim,especiallyinAmerica,canbetoughforavarietyofreasons.In
Kamalascase,herfamilyconsistentlyfindsthemselvesdisappointedbyherlackof
responsibility,andherkeepingnecessarysecrets.However,becauseofKamalasvaluein
Muslimculture,shelearnsavaluablelessonfromSheikhAbdullah:Iamaskingyoufor
somethingmoredifficult.Ifyouinsistonpursuingthisthingyouwillnottellmeabout,doit
withthequalitiesbefittinganuprightyoungwoman:Courage,strength,honesty,compassionand

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selfrespectAstheancientsayinggoes:Whenthestudentisready,themasterwillappear
(Wilson,110111).EventhoughSheikhAbdullahgivesabasisonwhatatruewomanis,his
definitionofatruewomandiffersgreatlybetweenhisstandardofaMuslimwoman,usually
consideredsecondclasscitizens.Instead,heencourageshertobestrong,brave,andhonest
allofwhichshebecomes.Althoughshekeepsheridentitysecret,shestaystruetowhosheis,
whilekeepingthesamevalues
andrefusingtoconformtoanyexpectationsotherthanherown
.
Ingeneral,KamalaKhanisahighlyrelatablecharactertoteenagers,muslims,girls,and
eventhosewhostruggletofitin.
Eventhoughshedoesnotfitinintheend,
herexampleisone
ofmanyfemalecharacters,heroes,andfeministicons.Today,womenallovertheworld
struggletoprove
themselvestobejustasqualifiedasmen.

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WorksCited
Wilson,G.Willow,
Ms.MarvelVolume1:NoNormal
Marvel2015,PublishedbyMARVELWORLDWIDE,INC,135West50thStreet,NewYork,
NYBedford/St.Martins2014,75ArlingtonStreet,Boston,MA02116
Devor,Aaron:BecomingMembersofSociety
Groner,Rachael,andJohnF.O'Hara.
ComposingGender
,(3545)2009.Print.