The Southern Lady, or the Art of Dissembling Author(s): Cherry Good Reviewed work(s): Source: Journal of American Studies,

Vol. 23, No. 1, Sex and Gender in American Culture (Apr., 1989), pp. 72-77 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the British Association for American Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27555095 . Accessed: 15/10/2012 10:50
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72
claim. whereas women change. exposed oriented

Notes
Those the

and Comments
women average latter interviewed birth group date came before of women of age of whom in 1859 born was The 1870. 1900 at a historical social of juncture significant were as late as 1917, were interviewed the average after as a as well consumption sexual of Victorian aspects a shift or the generational the relation between reconfigured on 1900 were interviewed

in the These to

women, sexual

many discourses that were

culture.8 development love sex,

economy In a word, of a and marriage.

the Mosher post-Victorian

and representations to antithetical key documents survey culture that

Many

in the in sexual norms, meanings, have noted and practices changes is and after World there War One. immediately Although preceding over the of these and their these date, changes precise interpretation disagreement are a shift to to the rise of new medical-scientific related discourses, changes typically a in women's social position, and so on. See, for economy, mass-consumption changes "The Era Revolution in American Attitudes John Burnham, example, Progressive Toward Sex," Journal ofAmerican 59 (March History, 1973); Barbara Epstein, " "Family, in Turn-of-the-Century Sexual Morality, and Popular Movements in Powers America, : The Politics et al. (New York: Monthly ed. Ann Snitow Review of Desire of Sexuality, historians period in Post and Divorce Marriage The Press, Fass, 1980); Paula Steven Press, Seidman, 1977); in Post-Victorian and Change Codes of

Great Expectations: Press, 1983); Elaine Tyler May, Victorian America of Chicago (Chicago: University Damned and the Beautiful Oxford (New York: University "Re-Making Intimacy," Love and Marriage: manuscript. Continuity unpublished

The

Southern
GOOD

Lady,

or the Art

of Dissembling

CHERRY

Commencing ization of

industrial with the growing with and continuing Reconstruction, on a concerted the Northern has been the South, there onslaught " " now South modern Parts the of the of urban South. traditional separateness as to differ in the North, little from their counterparts chains, appear hamburger across the malls office blocks and pedestrianized multiply shopping plate-glass has states. Yankeeization This of Southern appearance physical ever-increasing a number the to suggest the twentieth caused of observers that, during century, rather American is becoming South is relinquishing its particular and qualities than Yet Southern. this veneer of similarity should not be accepted as demonstrating that the

is Lecturer Cherry Good and at the Department CO4 3SQ, England.

in American of Literature,

Studies University

and Literature of Essex,

at the Colchester Wivenhoe Park,

Institute Colchester,

Notes South Maine to has indeed become The the a part surface society of the States of

and Comments

73

or Minnesota. in which

the way structures of America. contrast predictable consensus the

appearance of the South from South which

indistinguishable the South may

bear

from in its ways little relation by which the remainder it

the perspective itself, The mind of the and contradiction. that and the retain Southern a number

the methods operates, both it views itself and and

is complex its Remembering

on ; it thrives ambiguous is it of contradiction, history to the in contrast mind may operate prevailing : and preoccupations when of its long-held beliefs were the North into the East propelling to the swear of allegiance principles Stand of Y11 Take My Southerners' 1930; to

burgeoning the twentieth century, articulated agrarianism, the South's for and blamed honour Institution the Ku None special South protected special understood Klux of preoccupation its perceived and

industries

of America South continued

in the Twelve with lack

its mannerly a propensity Klan. South's and the

been the importance of the past has traditionally to the present attention code of ; and the South's a cloak for the Peculiar ideal smouldering guilt itself in outlets such as for violence which manifests of

the

nature the

stature lady and

traditional ? of has been

concerns the white held

is dearer Southern

to

its heart lady. whose when In

than

that

of of

the the be its

the mind centrality the South

idea of at all

times, characteristics to be the

particularly threat. under of all

a sacred, myth at those times In the ante best

must sees

helium in and

South of mind. the

the region, Frequently women

consequently idealization is it today

pedestal placed not mirrored was in the day-to-day mind but the Southern finds the actual and of rhetoric, which disbelief" to play the to

repository on a

that was by the

was lady and was this the nor

Southern lives it of

between willing value perfected

suspension And of myth. the art of the

in order dissimulation. ideal of the

termed Coleridge for a true is required appreciation her part in this fantasy the Southern employ lies of at the and have

expedient what

plantation to overlook

gap "that the lady

of

Historically, and beliefs of a strict Southern code

Southern The

lady image morality,

the American

South.

core of the culture the very to lady and her adherence chastity resulted of ("the chastity in the Southern

of behaviour, her womanhood is almost

dignity,

male placing her upon a pedestal

Whether numbers commentators, Goodwyn 18'jp-1pj6 On or has not been speaking in her : this paragon the subject both Tomorrow

axiomatic..."1)

from which

she finds it difficult

in plantation debate outside life by the Writer a

to descend.
in significant of number Anne in the South,

existed actually of considerable within and Day: Is Another

from

from

South.

Jones comments

The Woman

at the center of the South's her pedestal romantic dream of course, its central stood, : the Southern the dream world symbol itself, she was beautiful, lady. Like fragile, good, and ultimately to irrelevant reality.2 Francis Pendieton a The Southern Plantation: and the Gaines, Study in the Development a Tradition Mass: Peter Smith, Accuracy of (Gloucester, 176. 1962), 2 Anne is Another Tomorrow the Woman Writer in the South, Goodwyn Jones, Day: Louisiana State University iSjp-ipj? (Baton Rouge: Press, 1987). 1

74
As the

Notes

and Comments
of such the South also an she was innocent The to be perceived above reproach: less a woman knew the moral guardian of her

region,

figurehead and as

Part of her charm remarked In at bitterly, of and

lay in her innocence. the better she was sex, this to learn "innocent" from her

supposed was husband.

to be able called She upon, was

of life, Ellen Glasgow to deal with it.3 of course, to his the desires, niceties ? to be react a

once

the matter

marriage husband's pedestal gentleman viewed woman. And dissemble. pallets her of A of

expected

virgin to her

never sexual advances. ardour, initiating Placing to harm and her delicate sensibilities, fearing to the black woman to turned his sexual satisfy as sensual and lacking in the inhibitions and

lady lusty for of

her upon Southern she was white

the

here

the Her

Southern man went quarters, standard.

lady from

saw what the the

was

feather fruits Pendleton of

of her really required of the beds plantation of miscegenation in The questions

the house

ability to reminded

to the

the

slave

and Francis

the double

in the Development and Accuracy Study : ante bellum and comments myth does the plantation a many

Gaines, a Tradition,

constantly Southern

Plantation of the

the validity

Nor which aware The sleep

passed of the

idyll take cognizance woman Southern spotless loose morals of her men.4 standard he wished, was very the white much

of

those

waters

of

deep

as she became

slowly

agony through and unwillingly

double where of

in evidence. must A always white

The

white

pretence advances who contact initiated Against had -

ignoring to a man was type

such

lady "dalliance."

remain woman -

might gentleman a and make spotless sexual who made And a woman such to be

any

simply by the

socially unacceptable, contact of physical with did not exist. Therefore man, examination states: a crime of an Hall

masculine, a black man any such by

shameless. who chose

to have seen

black

Chivalry, Dowd Jacquelyn all aspects and of

punishable the Women's

relationship torture and Campaign

was death.

In Revolt Lynching,

Against

Of

racial

emotions

carried

etiquette, with them found

those governing sexual the severest sanctions.5 it imperative, And Southern their protection,

relations

aroused

the

strongest

Southern and their

ladies sanity, that,

therefore

to dissimulate. were it not for

if they were men found the

to preserve it beneficial be

their

status

to assure in constant

the world

lady would

: to Politics, The Southern Lady :from Pedestal Scott, iSjo-i^jo (Chicago 4 of Chicago 180. Press, Gaines, 1970), 4. 5 and the Women's Revolt Against Dowd Hall, Chivalry: Jessie Daniel Ames Jacquelyn Columbia 145. For a Press, (New York: University 1979), Campaign Against Lynching see of white with black male's discussion of the Southern women, rape preoccupation on M. Frederickson: also: George The Black Image in the White Mind: the Debate Afro & Row, York: and Destiny, American Character 181J?1914 (New 1971); Harper or : Miss. Take Your Choice, Separation Theodore Bilbo, Mongrelibation (Popularville, and Dream Ethics Southern Honor: Co., 1947); and Bertram Wyatt-Brown, Publishing Anne Firor University Behaviour in the Old South (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982).

Notes of women what of man. As by the black the most became potent the contemporary "

and Comments

75

danger white And

rape

corporations the Southern protected? followed AIDS, choice in

in the

industrializing woman still keep she eschew of sexual

inaccessible sexual property, absolutely "6 male of white supremacy. symbol with the relocation of many Northern South, the influx of new Yankee norms? Does South, this myth relationships of purity outside alive, this need or the to has be she of of

Does the

remainder

advocating for women

States, particularly and enacting sexual freedom, greater in their with the Southern relationships

the United

marriage, before greater male?

advent

opportunity

to 1988 I travelled the period the South, 1984 During through Deep asking me on these to Southern ladies their The interviewees give questions. opinions ones on the the younger held very definite views and on its particularly myth to the saw the relevance South. between the twentieth-century gap They clearly to and the actual, but were rhetoric concerned the myth generally prolong of benefits its perceived for both the men and women because of the South, their curbing their influence "I grew independence remained in return "feminine" for male and covert: "protection," and ensuring that

I could never have voiced it, that a woman pose as up believing, might though was a steely, at and and but heart she silent creature, with and silly talky dotty, garrulous secrets no man than any man. could ever know, and she was always stronger always on to advise have mother would let about don't it,' my you me.)"7 ('No, This of a to cloak to dissemble, with the delicate the steely strength covering on from mother at a tender to all is passed bud, age. We daughter a extent make of being other all to some than we are, but pretence as she to the status of an art form has been raised girl the practice and manner male and to female be the Southern please that commented satisfied with no other. male. once And A number had a man of my been

ability

magnolia

we dissemble, in the Southern her shapes interviewees loved in an reports After

appearance both

a Southern would by girl he on contests article beauty :

entitled

"Born

to Preen"

Lowry, Beverly in Southern Magazine,

the South, category

last year's Miss a Northern for Southern

in which America pageant, contestant is said to have girls. They've been

were from eight out of ten semifinalists remarked "There to be a different ought this since born. they were doing They're

professionals."8 This only well Many wholesome other of the the ladies and Southern winsome women, a self shared private and funny, is fascinating private in bawdy out and delighting in public mockery. of an in the security to tell bawdy tales loved veneer a frequently self which cloaks

with aware of

acted fantasy I interviewed

6 7 8 Hall, Shirley 1983), 155. Abbott, 3 Womenfolks " Born : Growing Up Down Southern South Girls (New York: Ticknor & Fields, " Beauty Contests,

Lowry, Beverly Southern Magazine,

to Preen

September

: Why 1987, 30.

Dominate

76

Notes

and Comments
in " public. In Green its own "Magnolias comments Grow : and Melly the bawdy image. (" comeuppance material simply in Dirt: The Bawdy

all-female Lore The would of South not

never gathering Southern Women, believes aid women in and

Rayna

reinforces

in maintaining

mythology, the Mammy/Miss

the subject for laughter Usually " as one for lack of uppcomance, But

ismen's of my

boasts, failures, or inadequacies aunts would say).

women's

to the hidden in Southern the bawdy lore itself is a form of socialization agenda can expect The tales and sayings tell young women what lives and thoughts. they out of the men and the institutions to praise in public, in private and they they are taught inform them as they could never be informed in 'serious' conversation.9

This

contrast between

the public and private personae of the lady is highlighted

Southern Ladies amusing and sexual and codes who dissimulates and Gentlemen, which examines an hilarious includes description so that she manages successfully faces despite which numerous the Southern sexual girl

by Florence King the Southerner's of to the

in her character

self-rejuvenating convince herself Florence :

virgin of her King

continuing portrays

encounters. presents When

ably

virginity the two

to women, sexual freedom Miss the passage of time brought indeed greater Lily in the South in bed. Northern in the many Army soldiers stationed camps good their orders and said, "Oh, licked their chops the moment they received boy, Southern come all the when Miss did not actually she performed Even across, Lily girls!"... a fiery abandon those with with that many Yankees, immigrant especially preliminaries in the myth-drenched South had never before Catholic encountered. backgrounds, Living became had made did more Lily a fine actress, moaning, writhing, do. There was no doubt ballet of to the the Southern ; she galleries gift for playing than Salvatore had ever seen nice and Patrick scratching moments she danced that Lily was nice, for in her nonsexual a hot She was Southern life with lady, a exquisite propriety. and she had and to intrigue all men.10 concerned sexual at two than with the appearance with and this contention is activities, in which 60 % Southern universities to having concerned and had to sexual point intercourse, out that they as this would

girls the measured contradiction King the

guaranteed that the a

suggests actual in

the South sphere study of

is far more its ladies'

by supported of the anonymous and most would harm What before never them

1987

conducted "answered

participants the age of eighteen"11 make such an admission

'yes' but were to their

friends

family, the code that most girls

socially. a Southern can for it

uncomfortable, Southern tortures

lady is punished the withdrawal

do? for of

To

deviate

from woman Southern

is

a white approval.

by

extremely terrible of to

are accustomed

being pampered
9 Rayna Maxine Green,

and cherished,
Grow

initially by their daddies

in Dirt: The Bawdy Women of the South (New York: Lore

and subsequently

by

"Magnolias ed., Speaking for Ourselves: Alexander, 1984), 21, 24, 27. 10 Florence Southern Ladies and Gentlemen King, 11 38. University Lady of Mississippi report, Research University (unpublished

of Southern

in Women," :Pantheon, (New York & Day, the Sexy 1976), Southern

Bantam/Stein

in the South: Paper, Study of Women 10. of Mississippi, 1987),

Notes their husbands. Southern

and Comments

77

its ladies, loves for they are the of all culture repository on adherence to the code but that love is conditional dear, ? an to present which them the face of a lady. To face requires "acceptable" in Southern without of continue the label is at best living society "lady" a sense of for misery. and at worst The uncomfortable Southerner's recipe place to be excluded is considerable, and of rootedness from and that place and yet it is hardly bearable. remain within that the South holds Virginia woman white Southern said it; there were three ways for a well-brought-up young to go. " to the stereotype of the Southern She could be the actress, playing belle. Gracious the " a to her powerful and offering flirtatious colored smile sweet, winning father-in-law, help, to the world. In short, going with the wind. - on or worse, If she had a spark of independence she could the go crazy creativity, one more street travelled than belle. Southern dark, by stunning shadowy the magic Or she could rebel. She could abandon and circle, stop outside privilege, this of life.12 way challenge Durr

that step, Durr did take but many Foster Southern ladies do not, for Virginia are too much to forfeit. and the the Southern is society privilege approval to be loved; it is and should seductive, up what why they give they gratifying both have others and themselves? The when, by dissembling, they may please man loves his and as long as she upholds Southern form, lady in her traditional of the code she may the appearance to view continues her as a lady she will the myth ideals of the South, and and to retain its centrality. 12 Studs Terkel, dissemble remain of the as she wishes. of the And while he nature

the white

repository Southern

special continue lady will

to Outside theMagic Circle : the Autobiography Foreword Foster of Virginia to note that Virginia Simon & Schuster, 1987), xi. It is interesting (New York: was of Pure "The title for her autobiography Foster Durr's Emancipation original " Southern Womanhood. White Durr

to Alun Munslow, "Andrew and Response " Carnegie the Discourse of Cultural 22 Hegemony, JAS (August
1988), RICHARD pp. 213-224. CROCKATT

To

the Editors: Anyone who questions in the August from of citations Alun 1988 Hayden Munslow's issue of of Andrew interpretation runs certain the Journal obvious Michel and Antonio White, Foucault, of English 7TJ. and American Carnegie's risks. The Gramsci

writings parade Richard of East

Crockatt Anglia,

is Lecturer Norwich,

in the School NR4

Studies,

University

England