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Adam Behnke COMM 223 Dr. Emily Langan 2 February 2010 A Very Gendered Outside Over There As the author of the popular book made into a major motion-picture Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak writes childrens book full of adventure and discovery. In Outside Over There, Sendak tells the story of Ida, a young girl who cares for her baby sister and who waits, along with her mother, for her father to return home from sea. The book affirms the value of committed and loving families; the mother and daughter eagerly watch the ocean, Ida goes in search of her baby sister, and the father gives Ida advice on how to rescue the baby sister. However, Sendak ascribes specific roles, attitudes, and characteristics to the female gender that are limited and somewhat inferior to those inferred about the male gender. In this essay, I will discuss the portrayal of the mother (Mama), the father (Papa), and Ida, as well as some ways in which I might rewrite the book to make the message more gender-neutral. Mama does not say anything throughout the story, but her facial expressions and body language speak a clear message. She is downtrodden, unhappy, and completely focused on her husbands absence. Sendak does not give any more information to the reader about Mama except for these characteristics. Mama presumably does not busy herself with other work, nor is she seen in any other context than yearning for her husband to return. In the wider scheme of things, Sendaks portrayal of women (through the medium of Mama) is narrow and weak.

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Women, specifically wives, do not have an occupation, nor do they have other activities removed from their husbands. Even to greater alarm, husbands envelop all of their wives thoughts. Mama cannot operate when Papa is away; she is completely dependent on him. Papa is away at sea throughout the book, but messages about him and men are clear. His occupation separates him from his family, granting him independence. There is no indication he is miserable while apart from them; in a letter from him at the end of the book, he never says I miss you or I long to be home with you. Rather, he is strong and stable, advising Ida to take care of her Mama and younger sister. It is assumed he is doing what fathers do: he is working for his family. When Ida goes outside over there in search of her sister, it is Papa who somehow communicates to her the specific way to rescue the baby sister. As the only representation of men in the book, Papa portrays men as independent, resourceful, smart, and hard-working. Men are providers and the most needed members of the family. Lastly, Ida widens the description of women, but not necessarily in a good way. She is the primary-caretaker of the baby sister, but her baby sister is kidnapped by goblins while she is blowing her horn and staring out at sea. This carelessness is expanded on as Sendak uses phrases such as serious mistake, and foolish Ida to describe her and her actions as she goes in search of her baby sister. The baby sister is rescued due to Ida following Papas advice; it is not due to any cleverness of Ida. Young girls are portrayed as nurturing, though inadequate caretakers, eager to save, though dependent on males (Papa) for the means. Childrens authors may have good intentions and innocent motives, but the underlying gender messages often reflect a degrading view of the female gender. Were Outside Over There to be rewritten and published by me (with Maurice Sendaks illustrative prowess of course), I

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would make a few major changes. Mama and Ida would still miss Papa who is away at sea, but Mama would wear a confident expression as she plants vegetables and chops firewood for her family. In addition, I would describe Ida as courageous in her efforts to find her sister. Papa would not give Ida the idea on how to rescue her baby sister; Ida would think of it on her own, proving that young girls are smart and capable. Finally, in Papas letter to the family at the end, I would have him express emotion similar to Mamas in the original story. He would write, I think of you as each new wave passes, and I long to be with my family again. Being away from you for this long is almost unbearable. Changes such as these would strengthen the story and give the reader gender-neutral messages.