Amidst the wacky and bizarre era of the 1980s, a North Dakotan Reservation in the tranquil Upper Midwest was a peep into normalcy, but also shed light on systematic issues in the U.S. justice system. In “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich, the author discusses many instances in the story where injustices have taken place, such as the case of Geraldine Coutts, who was violently assaulted and raped, and the case of Sandra Lark, who was killed in a hit and run accident. On the other hand, Lois Tyson, the writer of “Critical Theory Today”, talks about feminism, the issues within society regarding women, the representation of women in works of literature, and discusses solutions to these concerns. These two cases went unsolved by the police, which …show more content…
She was very valued and respected at the reservation. Similarly to what happened to Geraldine, her death was never truly avenged, or even investigated.”It felt like nobody cared, not even the police. They just shrugged it off like it was nothing. Sandra was a part of our community, a beloved member, and yet her death was treated with indifference. The lack of action from the authorities only adds to our sense of grief and frustration. We wanted answers, we wanted justice, but it seemed like we were fighting against an indifferent system that didn't see Sandra's life as worth investigating.” Sandra’s death was wholly wrongful, and the police’s inability to even open an investigation, or get somewhat involved, shed light on a big systemic issue, the marginalization of women. “Women are oppressed by patriarchy economically, politically, socially and psychologically, patriarchal ideology is the primary means by which they are kept …show more content…
The gun still felt heavy in my hand, the echoes of the gunshot reverberating in my ears. In that split second, everything changed. I had crossed a line, a line I never thought I would cross. But in that moment, all I could think about was protecting my mother, avenging the unspeakable violence that had been done to her. The man lying at my feet was no longer just her rapist; he was the embodiment of all the pain and suffering that had been inflicted upon us. And though I knew the road ahead would be fraught with uncertainty and danger, I also knew that I had done what I believed was right. I had taken a stand, I had fought back, and in doing so, I had reclaimed a piece of myself that had been lost in the darkness." Connecting to Lois Tyson’s analysis on critical theory, she details the fact that “All of western (anglo-european) civilization is deeply rooted in patriarchy, as we see, for example, in the numerous patriarchal women and female monsters of Greek and Roman literature and mythology.” This is clearly shown in The Round House, as what she mentions about the roots of patriarchy is the main cause of many of these acts of
This book explores an avenue of advocacy against social injustices. The most observable plight Joe suffers is figuring out how to deal with the injustice acted against his mother, which has caused strife within his entire family and within himself. The book opens with, “small trees had attacked my parents' house at the foundation” (Erdrich 4) The initial conflict in this story is that Joe’s mother, Geraldine, is raped.
Rape is a hidden epidemic that affects many lives world wide. It is a problem that is so terrifying and uncomfortable that people do not talk about it. John Krakauer, author of Missoula, focuses on this issue of rape in the college town of Missoula, Montana. His focus is specifically on the case of Allison Huguet and Beau Donaldson. As the progression of Allison 's case continues we learn of more and more rape cases that happened to women on this same campus. A majority of women do not report these cases, we later learn as Krakauer continues through Allison 's case, because reporting and pursuing the case would be giving their life away. [4] Of course Allison decides to go through the trails of Beau Donaldson, however it is obvious that it is extremely difficult to convict someone with little evidence. As hard of a read as Missoula
Filetti, Jean S.”From lizzie borden to lorena bobbitt: violent women and gendered justice.” Journal of American Studies 35.3(2001):471-484. .
The short stories, “The Girl with the Hungry Eyes” by Fritz Lieber, “Bits and Pieces,” by Lisa Tuttle, “While She Was Out” by Edward Bryant, “Cold Turkey” by Carole Nelson Douglas, and “Lightning Rod” by Melanie Tem Historically, in literature, women are stereotypically placed in one of two roles, the doting wife and beloved mother, or the more outwardly psychotic, witch-like, temptress. As the feminist approach to the criticism of literature has blossomed over time, the need for empowered female characters has surfaced. To rectify the absence of this character, “wild women literature” has made many advances in the defiance of gender role stereotypes and gender norms. The women in the collection of wild women short stories are difficult to define because of society’s pre-conceived notions of how women should and do behave. The term “wild women” conveys a slightly negative and sometimes misinterpreted connotation of a woman’s behavior; however, in this collection of stories, the female characters are generally vindicated because of the motivation behind their actions. The motivation can be linked to the popular cultural phenomenon of women taking charge of their lives, making decisions for themselves, being independent, rising above their oppressors (most commonly the close men in their lives), and becoming empowered. Vigilante actions by the wild women in these stories are not entirely representative of madness, but also re...
Society continually places restrictive standards on the female gender not only fifty years ago, but in today’s society as well. While many women have overcome many unfair prejudices and oppressions in the last fifty or so years, late nineteenth and early twentieth century women were forced to deal with a less understanding culture. In its various formulations, patriarchy posits men's traits and/or intentions as the cause of women's oppression. This way of thinking diverts attention from theorizing the social relations that place women in a disadvantageous position in every sphere of life and channels it towards men as the cause of women's oppression (Gimenez). Different people had many ways of voicing their opinions concerning gender inequalities amound women, including expressing their voices and opinions through their literature. By writing stories such as Daisy Miller and The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Henry James let readers understand and develop their own ideas on such a serious topic that took a major toll in American History. In this essay, I am going to compare Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” to James’ “Daisy Miller” as portraits of American women in peril and also the men that had a great influence.
In Louise Erdrich’s “Tracks';, the readers discovers by the second chapter that there are two narrators, Nanapush and Pauline Puyat. This method of having two narrators telling their stories alternately could be at first confusing, especially if the readers hasn’t been briefed about it or hasn’t read a synopsis of it. Traditionally, there is one narrator in the story, but Erdrich does an effective and spectacular job in combining Nanapush and Pauline’s stories. It is so well written that one might question as he or she reads who is the principal character in this story? Being that there are two narrators, is it Nanapush, the first narrator, him being a participant in the story, who tells his story in the “I'; form? Or is it Pauline, the second narrator, who also narrates in the “I'; form? Upon further reading, the motive for both narrators’ stories become more evident, and by the end of the book, it becomes clear that one character is the driving force for both of the narrators’ stories. This central character is Fleur Pillager. She in fact is the protagonist of “Tracks';. Even though she is limited in dialogues, her actions speak more than words itself.
Throughout history, society has been used as a means of inspiration for writers of all genres. More often then not, writers do not shine a light on the positive aspects of society, they chose to focus on the decline of the modern world. For a writer to truly capture this societal decline, they must be brave enough to accept it. For one writer in particular, her passion and style are what fuel her to create masterpieces of literature centered on that very topic. With her ability to focus on modern American society with topics such as rape, child abuse and murder, Joyce Carol Oates’s novels have been able to capture the sometimes cruel reality of American life in an unorthodox way.
A. Women in Modern America: A Brief History. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1974. Glaspell, Susan. A. Trifles. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Ed.
The publication of The Round House by Louise Erdrich serves as a literary feat and national victory for sexual assault survivors and activists through the author 's realistic depiction and exploration into the brutal effects that domestic violence has on a victim, family, and community. In The Round House, Geraldine 's traumatic assault during the summer of 1988 is not to be treated as an isolated incident, but a common occurrence that has affected millions of Americans and evolved into a national domestic violence crisis. The lasting emotional, mental, and relational effect of sexual assault and trauma are critical matters that are rarely explicated in modern literature, much
Richard Yate’s novel, Revolutionary Road, is an exploration of those people living in American suburbia during the 1950’s. It provides commentary about their struggles, their achievements, and the overall absurdity of the era. He describes a society that is still very much affected by a post-war mindset, and a return to more traditional gender roles that had been discarded during World War II. It created an era that emphasised conformity and sameness, holding onto its sense of security at any expense. While this new conventionality affected all members of American society, it touched women especially. He stresses this through the character of April Wheeler, through her
Nussbaum, Felicity. “Risky Business: Feminism Now and Then.” Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature 26.1 (Spring 2007): 81-86. JSTOR. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
Overall, "The Crucible" illustrates how women's voices and experiences are marginalized or dismissed in the face of male-dominated
Valintae Holmes Heather Dobbs English AL 12 April 2024 Maternal Influence: Exploring Mother-Daughter Dynamics in Literature Mother-daughter bonds epitomize deep familial connections, showcased in various dimensions within literature. Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" and Louise Erdrich's "The Leap" offer contrasting yet insightful portrayals of the complexities inherent in these relationships, delving into themes of love, identity, and conflict. Through these narratives, we glean a deeper understanding of the profound influence mothers wield in shaping their daughters' lives. In "Everyday Use," Alice Walker intricately weaves the tale of a mother, her two daughters, Dee and Maggie, illuminating the struggle between tradition and modernity and the
Pearson, Patricia. When She Was Bad: Violent Women and the Myth of Innocence. New York: Viking, 1997
The depiction of masculinity and femininity in American literature shows how American culture, its excellent and destructive norms, and societal expectations intersect and ultimately influence how writers from different periods perceive their art and comprehend the world. In this article, I analyze the influence of gender roles in the literature written by Anne Bradstreet and Hannah Webster Foster, where "The Coquette" is the novel's title. We seek to bring to light in common how both authors came to victory over and challenged dominant gender concepts of these periods in their work through our comparison. By investigating chosen passages and biographical grounds and applying one or more theoretical models, we endeavour to uncover subtle portrayals of gender and their role within specific sociocultural contexts. Hence, this