ANGELA P.

ORTIZ
EDLT212
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION
MAJOR IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

Feminist Criticism: The Night Train Does Not Stop Here Anymore by Carlos Ojeda Aureus

The Night Train Does Not Stop Here Anymore tells the narrative of Naty, who was
burdened by an unpleasant marriage and was forced to shoulder the burden of being both a
father and a mother to her kid. The story depicts stereotypical gender stereotypes and
investigates how literature promotes and undermines women's economic, political, social, and
psychological oppression.
Some areas of commonalities as an approach to feminist criticism were used to critique
this story like the one mentioned above where patriarchy oppresses women economically,
politically, socially, and mentally, with patriarchal ideology serving as the principal method of
oppression. If patriarchy reigns, woman is other: she is marginalized, defined only by her
difference from male norms and values. How male and female roles are defined and how
women’s creativity says about the story.
It could be depicted from this line “precarious phase in her life-- that age when many a
lady school teacher panics when she finds herself poised on the precipice of spinsterhood” that
the author subtly shows teachers who are portrayed in the society to be the breadwinner and
pre-occupied with a very busy job are more likely to stay single. In an article by Kay Whitehead
that I came across the net, she said “that the word 'spinster' originated as a professional
appellation for female spinner but by the eighteenth century it had become the legal term for an
unmarried woman, in the process gathering increasingly negative connotations and links with
the already pejorative 'old maid'.” The precarious phase in her life would only be solved if she
saves herself from spinsterhood. This shows both political and psychological oppression where
patriarchy and gender inequality are firmly established in marriage.
“He refused to do any work in the house because he said it was a menial stuff, and
besides his mother had said only sissies washed dishes or changed babies’ diapers.” This line
shows traditional gender roles where men are casted as strong and decisive that they would not
resort to menial stuff because it depreciates their capabilities and power as men. Her mother
could also be seen as a patriarchal woman who is socially programmed to conform to norms of
the society who believes the stereotypical characterizations of women that should do the chores
and take care of children. As per Tyson, it is important to note that behaviors —behaviors
forbidden to men—are considered “womanish,” that is, inferior, beneath the dignity of manhood.
Men, and even little boys, who cry are called “sissies.” Sissy sounds very much like sister, and it
means “cowardly” or “feminine,” two words that, in this context, are synonyms. But despite the
behavior thrown to Naty, she supported her family even when her husband shows no remorse
of helping her provide for their family. It was even indirectly stated that he lives in vain marrying
Naty too soon. A patriarchal programming was also shown when Naty hired a housekeeper to
look after their son but it ended with the yaya leaving two months later because Naty’s husband
caressed the yaya more than the baby. This could entail that when men feel emasculated or the
feeling of being left out, they must regain their manhood through other areas like in this
situation, he shows desire to the yaya that manifests objectification of women as if women are
just prey to men.
When she learned about her husband’s sudden disappearance, she questioned herself,
“At first, the experience crushed her. But as the time went by, she eschewed the self-pity and
shifted her attention from her husband to her son. And to prayers” This line shows women’s
creativity, creative in the sense that whatever she puts to her mind, she can achieve. “She filled
the gap by teaching him how to dribble, block, and pass a ball” the author portrays in this line
that women can do men stuff like playing basketball which is a norm for men as the sole players
of this game.
The horror stories about Filipina OCW’s who faced brutality, oppression and violence in
a foreign land also shows how women are victims of a patriarchal ideology that men have more
power and privilege than women. On the other hand, even men themselves could also be a
victim

or be oppressed in a patriarchal world. “She shuffled along the streets like an intoxicated
man with no particular place to go.” This line demonstrated that when we speak of someone
who is drunk or under the influence of drugs, we automatically perceive them as men, because
that’s what society has programmed our minds to believe in. This can be also reflected in the
male bonding or what they call fraternity in this story that cost the life of his son. It is indicated
that to prove that you’re a man you must meet the challenge of violence and humiliation. The
fraternity controlling the school only proves that men must be on the upper hand showing
strength and masculinity even at the cost of someone’s life. The fear of Naty being unsafe and
having stream of thoughts when she received a death threat on the Christmas eve rooted from
the fear of what might the frat do to her who also killed her son. “her brain swirled in a flurry of
images she had watched on tv” this line displays psychological oppression as to how her fear
dominated in her head brought about how unsafe she felt because of how men in this world has
the power to do monstrous or even unimaginable things.
Aureus’s depiction of traditional gender roles and stereotypical characterizations of
women in his piece is still an issue even in today’s generation. He showed how men’s failure of
accepting responsibility and showing that they are in a high-ground puts Naty in a condition of
questioning and suffering from the ideology that forced her to live according to the norms,
traditions and belief.