A Woman on a Roof

“The water (on the roof) steamed, then sizzled; and they made jokes about getting an egg off some woman in the flats under them, to poach it for their dinner.”

This quote illustrates a whole constellation of patriarchal norms around femininity. The men believe that a woman’s place in the kitchen, and they assume that, on a weekday afternoon, many of the apartments below contain lone women just waiting in their kitchens to hand out eggs. The egg also functions symbolically, representing sexual reproduction.

“She’s stark naked,” said Stanley, sounding annoyed… “She thinks no one can see,” Tom said, craning his head all ways to see more. Stanley said: “Someone’ll report her, if she doesn’t watch out.”

Stanley’s attitude suggests that women do not have the right to be alone in their own homes and skin without the supervision of or possession by a man. Tom’s generous assumption juxtaposes Stanley’s. The newlywed Stanley appears to believe that the woman should be punished for her indifference to the men’s attentions.

“Small things amuse small minds,” Harry said.

Harry’s use of repetition shows his disdain. As a long-married, middle-aged man, he understands that Stanley’s rage and Tom’s romantic ardor are equally misplaced. The woman’s actions have nothing to do with the men.