The Chain of Expectation in Woman Hollering Creek and Shiloh

Expectation is a two way thing, you either meet it or you don’t. High expectations are often unmet and for men, failing to meet certain high expectations leaves a negative effect on them. The feeling of inadequacy is one negative effect and in the short stories “Shiloh” by Bobbie Ann Mason and “Woman Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros, the male characters Leroy and Juan Pedro had similar and different ways of coping however Leroy wasn’t as trapped by the expectations as Juan Pedro is.

Leroy failed to play his role as the man/provider of the family after his trucking incident Leroy and he started working on mini-crafting projects, sewing and fantasizes about building log house for Norma Jean thinking that it was going to satisfy her. This was a way for him to compensate his feelings of inadequacy as a man. In the story it states, “In the meantime, he makes things from craft kits. He started by building a miniature log cabin from notched Popsicle sticks. He varnished it and placed it on the TV set, where it remains.”(Mason 1) Leroy was traumatized ever since the trucking incident and he didn’t want to go back to trucking but instead, he stayed at home working on pointless crafting projects self-destructing himself. Not only does he waste time doing meaningless things at home, he was obsessed with the idea of building a log house for Norma Jean, his wife. On page 1 of “Shiloh” it states, “I'm going to build you this house, says Leroy. I want to make you a real home. I don't want to live in any log cabin. It's not a cabin. It's a house. I don't care. It looks like a cabin. You and me together could lift those logs. It's just like lifting weights. Norma Jean doesn't answer.” 

Leroy thinks that by building Norma Jean the log house, it will reignite the relationship and satisfy her but he ignores the very things that is deteriorating the relationship and what truly matters. Men are supposed to be the ones providing, this is a traditional idea that still exists in many families and cultures but Leroy doesn’t realize that he has lost himself and responsibilities as a man ever since the accident.

The buildup of emotions and frustrations in Juan Pedro is the results of the expectation of where he’s from. All this emotions gets lashed out on Cleofilas, his wife who has to put up with it so that he can compensate his feelings of inadequacy. The author writes, “Or wonder a little when he kicks the refrigerator and says he hates this shitty house and is going out where he won't be bothered with the baby's howling and her suspicious questions,”(Cisneros 406) It is expected of Juan Pedro to work hard and to provide for the needs of the family. This specific gender standard leads to men like Juan Pedro to be so frustrated and angry all of the times shown in the quote above. Juan Pedro was also physically abusive to Cleofilas and in the story it states, “But when the moment came, and he slapped her once, and then again, and again; until the lip split and bled an orchid of blood, she didn't fight back, she didn't break into tears, she didn't run away as she imagined she might when she saw such things in the telenovelas.”

All of Juan Pedro's build up of frustrations and feeling of inadequacy was the results from high male expectations from his culture and taking his emotions out on his wife was a way of coping and compensation. The readers can also infer that the physical abuse of Cleofilas was a way to assert male dominance to remind Juan Pedro was still a man.

In the stories, Leroy compensated for his feelings of inadequacy by picking up worthless hobbies and dreams about building a log house while Juan Pedro unleashes and abuses his wife however they also compensated for their feelings of inadequacy by seeking support from others which is a similaritie in which both character shares. In “Woman Hollering Creek” it states, “She could think of nothing to say, said nothing. Just stroked the dark curls of the man who wept and would weep like a child, his tears of repentance and shame, this time and each.”(Cisneros 405) Juan Pedro would cry in Cleofilas arms after hitting her because he felt guilty of what he did and also because he needed the emotional support from her. Men are often seen as strong and unemotional but when they do show emotion or cries usually it means that they have gone through a lot and needs the emotional support from their loved ones. Leroy didn’t cry in Norma Jeans arms but he seeks the emotional supports from others. In the story, Leroy can be seen often asking for other peoplrs opinion about his plan to build a log house. In “Shiloh” it states, “I'm aiming to build me a log house, soon as I get time. My wife, though, I don't think she likes the idea. Well, let me know when you want me again, Stevie says.”(Mason 2) Leroy tries to tell his dealer, Stevie about his log house plan but it is clear that Stevie has no interest in it. Throughout the story Leroy seems to bring up the log house plan a lot to people making him seem desperate to receive supports. This is what Leroy and Juan Pedro have in common, they seek supports from others in order to feel better about their feeling of inadequacy.

Both Leroy and Juan Pedro are men who felt inadequate as a man however Juan Pedro is definitely more trapped/pressured by his cultures gender specific expectations because in “Woman Hollering Creek” Cleofilas was seena as the typical housewife and Juan Pedro was the typical husband who is the only person supporting the family. On the other hand, Leroy stayed home who did nothing to contribute to the family of two while Norma Jean worked in the pharmacy and took on multiple classes to enhance her living. In “Woman Hollering Creek” it states, “and her requests to fix this and this and this because if she had any brains in her head she'd realize he's been up before the rooster earning his living to pay for the food in her belly and the roof over her head and would have to wake up again early the next day so why can't you just leave me in peace, woman.”

Juan Pedro is single handedly holding up the family by working early in the morning and late while Leroy on the other hand is doing the complete opposite. Even after Norma Jean tries to encourage him to go out and find a decent paying job, something that is not trucking, he would refuse with excuses and go back to work on his mini projects and doing everything a woman would do. It states in “Shiloh”, “Things you could do, she announces. You could get a job as a guard at Union Carbide, where they'd let you set on a stool. You could get on at the lumberyard. You could do a little carpenter work, if you want to build so bad. You could—, I can't do something where I'd have to stand up all day.'”

Leroy finds excuses to not work and stay home while Juan Pedro gets up early in morning to work. This shows that Juan Pedro is more responsible and is a man who tries to fulfil his duty and role being the only male provider in the family which shows that he is more trapped by the specific gender expectations from his culture.

Juan Pedro and Leroy are both good examples of men who were feeling inadequate in their manhood. They have similarities and differences in the way they compensate for their feelings of inadequacy despite Juan Pedro being the one who is more trapped by the specific gender expectations placed on him because of the culture of where he’s from. High expectations would only result in failures, dissapointment and frustrations. Men are the best example of this in the past and even to this day in our modern society. They are easily discouraged and dissappointed because of how much expectation, pressure and responsibilities they have to carry as men, and because of that many once good men becomes damaged and loses themselves. Expecations shouldn’t be used as a way to measure one’s worth instead it should be used to measure one’s growth.