Summary:

A bank teller loves to read, but everyone around him (customers, his boss, his wife) won’t let him read. One day, he hides in a vault to read, during which time, a hydrogen is dropped, destroying the Earth. Alone, he is overwhelmed, until he finds a library with all of the books he could want. However, soon after he finds this, his glasses break, leaving him blind.

 

Bechdel Test

  • This episode contains 2 women
  • Neither of them talk to each other
  • One only talks about men  (her dissatisfaction with her husband)

 

Gender roles

  • Henry (male), main character
    • Masculine (2)
      • Independent, individualistic
    • Feminine (7)
      • Cheerful, soft-spoken, warm, tender, gullible, does not use harsh language, gentle
  • Henry’s boss (male)
    • Masculine (7)
      • Defends own beliefs, assertive, forceful, leadership ability, makes decisions easily, dominant, acts as a leader
    • Feminine (0)
      • NA
  • Helen, Henry’s wife (female)
    • Masculine (9)
      • Defends own beliefs, assertive, strong personality, forceful, willing to take risks, dominant, willing to take a stand, aggressive, individualistic
    • Feminine (0)
      • NA
  • Bank customer (female)
    • Masculine (4)
      • Assertive, forceful, dominant, aggressive
    • Feminine (0)
      • NA

 

Analysis: 

People are punished for breaking gender roles and are left alone if they maintain these roles. Henry’s boss, who has more masculine traits than feminine, is painted as respectable and tough. He seems well-to-do, other than being mad at Henry. Henry’s wife is very masculine in personality. She is painted as a cruel, vicious, unattractive woman, dressed in a very strict fashion with tight hair. In addition to this unflattering representation, she is in an unhappy marriage and seems unsatisfied with life. Henry is more feminine than masculine. In addition to living a life without control, unable to do what he enjoys as he is berated at work and at home, in the end he gets to spend the rest of his life alone and blind, a fate that seems worse than death. Thus, he is punished for his behavior.

Shared by: Grace White
Image Credit: The Twilight Zone, CBS via Netflix