Playing pool. Cussing. Watching football. These are all big no-nos for girls in Shooting the Moon. At least, that's what Jamie's told. There's a lot of talk about who can do what, based on gender. Guys can curse like a sailor, throw a mean spiral, and always have the upper hand at cards, while girls, on the other hand, are supposed to be at home cooking up a storm. More casserole, please.
Jamie doesn't bother with any of these rules, though. In fact, she calls them out for the nonsense that they are. Jamie loves football, can beat almost anyone at a game of gin rummy, and is counting down the days until she can join the army. She doesn't care if she's a girl or not. She can do anything the boys can do (and when it comes to cards, better, too).
Questions About Gender
- How does Jamie respond to gendered rules? Why do they bother her? In what ways does she defy these expectations? Give specific examples from the book.
- How would Jamie be treated differently if she were a boy? She tells us that people root for her in cards because they don't expect a girl to win. Does this help or hurt her?
- Shooting the Moon is set in the 1960s and reflects gender roles of that time. Are expectations any different for men and women now? How might Jamie be treated differently if she was alive now?
Chew on This
Jamie calls out gender as something that society constructs, not something you're born with.
Gender roles in Shooting the Moon show us how limiting it is for Jamie when people assume she isn't as capable or strong because she's a girl.