In the novel Member of the Wedding, by Carson McCullers, the story of young Frankie Addams is told as she begins to travel the world , documenting from her perspective, her exposure to the harsh reality of the world as she begins to become a young woman. The period to which the novel belongs was characterized by division, including racial and sexual discrimination, as well as strong marginalization based on sexuality. Through the technique of characterization, McCullers highlights the effect of these social constructs in creating a divisive society that ultimately marginalized its inhabitants. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Through the characterization of John Henry, McCullers highlights the conflicting nature of binary genders and gender identity. John Henry is described “[wearing] a daffodil dress” (McCullers124). The use of the word daffodil, which is a perennial yellow flower, describes the femininity of her character, as flowers are usually associated with feminine characteristics. Additionally, wearing this dress reinforces the effeminate gender identity attributed to John Henry. There are obvious character similarities with Lily Mae Jenkins, particularly in her choice of feminine clothing. Lily, a boy who has a sex change after falling in love with a man named Juney Jones, is described "walking around with a pink satin blouse and one arm on his hips" (81). The pink satin blouse that Lily Mae wears represents her delicate femininity and her obvious challenge to the social constructs of the time, as it was not typical for a man to associate himself with feminine characteristics or transgender constructs. In the case of Lily Mae Jenkin, her character is ostracized, as evidenced by Berenice's comment in which she bluntly states, "You don't need to know Lily Mae Jenkins" (81) as if he were unworthy of 'to be known. Likewise, John Henry seems isolated. In his physical description, it is revealed that he "had the widest knees Frankie had ever seen, and on one of them there was always a scab or bandage where he had fallen and had been skinned” (McCullers 4). Thanks to his imperfect physique, including the scabs and bruises commonly associated with children, John Henry is attributed to a bumbling and childish adolescence. It appears, through this description, that she lacks comfort in her own physical body and appearance, alluding to her qualities that ultimately excluded her from the rest of society. Unlike the feminine qualities attributed to John Henry and Lily Mae Jenkins, Frankie takes on more masculine characteristics. She is described with “a brown scab on her elbows” (90). As it was considered normal for girls to be clean and stay indoors during this time, Frankie obviously crosses gender constructs. Similar to John Henry, she feels ostracized, seeking refuge under the protection of her brother and his fiancée to compensate for the fact that she finds no place in her own life. This division is further illustrated within the House of Freaks. Inside, there was a “Half-Man Half-Woman”, a morphidite. This Freak is completely split in two: the left side is a man and the right side is a woman” (20). There is a clear marginalization based on gender, as the division between right and left indicates a clear division caused by gender identity. Additionally, the morphidite is excluded from society due to their disregard for social constructs, which is evident by the fact that the person is labeled a monster, devoid of anyown identity. Through the creation of the character Berenice, McCullers highlights the divisive effects of racial discrimination during this period. In her brief physical description, she is described with "something wrong... Her left eye was bright blue glass [while]... her right eye was dark and sad" (5). The blue color of the glass eye is associated with stability. However, this stability is only an illusion, as evidenced by the fact that the glass eye is artificial and that she simply bears it as a scar from the wounds inflicted by her former husband. The juxtaposition of the color of his blue glass eye with that of the dark, sad right eye indicates a divide in his physical appearance and, metaphorically, in his cultural identity. The artificial glass eye gives the illusion of stability and confidence, signifying her tolerance for the fact that she has been ostracized by a predominantly white and discriminatory society. However, beneath this facade, she appears to have a much deeper sadness and passion for her cultural identity, stating that "they actually drew completely additional boundaries around all people of color." They stuck us alone in a corner” (119). It is clear from this passage that Berenice is ostracized. Trapped by the boundaries that imprisoned people of color, Berenice depicts a very clear division on the basis of cultural identity and race. The marginalization caused by racial discrimination is further illustrated by the description of the House of Freaks. Within the House of Freaks, the “Wild Nigger knocked the rat's head on his crouching knee and tore off the fur and crunched and gobbled and flashed his eager Wild Nigger eyes” (20). The man is characterized with great contempt, as evidenced by the fact that he eats the head of a rat and therefore embodies the qualities of a wild animal. These qualities are attributed to the black population, as the word negro was generally applied to all black people at the time. Furthermore, the racial marginalization during this period is illustrated by the fact that the man is exposed in the House of Freaks solely on the basis of his racial identity, thus implying that all African Americans embody these same qualities . relationship between the soldier and Frankie, McCullers highlights the effects of sexuality in contributing to Frankie's understanding of immorality and evil. Frankie's sexual development seems to stem from his desire to become an adult. This is evidenced by the fact that she marvels at the idea of ​​going on a “date, an adult word used by older girls” (74). However, when she is confronted with her first real sexual experience with the soldier, the room she is lured into is described with "a glass pitcher filled with water and a half-eaten package of cinnamon rolls covered in blue icing and big flies” (135). ). The description of cinnamon buns, which are usually associated with warmth and sweetness, is representative of Frankie's naive and innocent perception of sex, which seems more related to her desire for maturity and acceptance. Additionally, the blue icing, a color often associated with maturity and stability, symbolizes one's desire for maturity. However, this depiction of softness and warmth is juxtaposed with the decay and decay associated with flies. This symbolizes her awareness of the true nature of sex, which seems to fall short of the ideas she had conjured up about maturity and therefore accepted. Furthermore, his harsh realization of the true nature of sex is illustrated by the description of the soldier inviting Frankie into his room, where he "grabbed her skirt and, lame from the weight, [Frankie] was pulled alongside him on the bed... She felt her,.