Li’l Bit’s Grandmother Character Analysis

Li’l Bit’s grandmother is wife to Li’l Bit’s grandfather and the mother of Li’l Bit’s own mother. She is acted by the Teenage Greek Chorus. Li’l Bit’s grandmother is subservient to Big Papa, fulfilling his two basic needs, which she describes as having “the table set and the bed turned down.” That is, she sees a woman’s role as the provider of food and sex for men. At the same time, she also displays an attitude of sexual repression, trying to convince Li’l Bit that sex is painful and denying the existence of female orgasms. She blames Li’l Bit’s mother for getting pregnant at an early age, echoing the view that women are the sole figures of responsibility in their lives and that a man can’t be blamed for acting according to his “nature.”