Better man Quote by Megan Marshall
““It was not just her unusual intellect and outsized personality that made Margaret seem to Waldo more manly than feminine, but also her anomalous position as a woman “of the bread-winning tribe” who earned her keep as a writer and public speaker, her rate of pay approaching his own. Margaret was Waldo’s female double, not his feminine muse, as Cary was now. Margaret felt this too; it was why she thought she would make a better man than he. And why she rarely looked at men “with common womanly eyes,” as she once wrote to George Davis, but rather with an eye to friendship—yet on her own more womanly terms. If Waldo wished she would befriend him as a brother, she willed him to befriend her as a sister. The disjunction perplexed and saddened them both.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Margaret Atwood: A Biography by Megan Marshall, 2005
Margaret's unconventional intellect and financial independence made her seem more masculine, challenging traditional gender roles and creating tension in her relationship with Waldo.
In simple terms: Her independence made her seem more masculine, causing strain.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how gender expectations affect relationships.
Themes
gender roles
independence
identity
relationships
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career advancement
- financial independence
- friendship dynamics
- romantic expectations
Key Concepts
masculinity
feminine identity
power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do gender norms shape personal identity?
- Can financial independence change relationship dynamics?
A Different Perspective
Societal expectations can limit personal expression.
![“But she worried about how the older students, who were required to leave the school at age twelve, would find work. Many of these “show[ed] by their unformed features and mechanical movements” the ill effects of having been “treated by wholesale”; they were not accorded the respect that engenders…” quote by Megan Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/362/megan-marshall-19595_respect_but-she-worried-about-how-the-older-stud_971998.jpg)
