Risa's Downfall: A Critical Review of Gender Dynamics in Unwind. Shusterman’s writing of Risa’s was disappointing. She had such great potential as a strong female lead. She was fierce, mindful, calculating, and set up perfectly to capture the teenage girl audience. Unfortunately, Shusterman torpedoed her character immediately after she was introduced. His poor writing makes her dysfunctional in the story, and unlikeable as a person. Her traits were inconsistent, unpredictable, and overall she was defective. Some readers may feel that she is an accurate depiction of a person who has been put in an impossible situation. However, there are copious other ways in which she could have been written that both make light of her struggles and challenge tropes to follow a more compelling …show more content…
except when it comes to Connor. The chances of them getting caught in that washroom were quite high, yet it appears that Risa did not second guess herself in this decision. This gives her the airheaded demeanour that is often assigned to teenage girls in media. Additionally, her obsession with Connor overrides all prior disgust she had for the hated character. What's more, she appears unbothered by the fact that Roland's hand that sexually harassed and tormented her throughout the storyline, is grafted onto Connor after his hand was crushed in the wreckage at Happy Jack, (Shuster 247). Furthermore, Connor and Risa kiss in almost every scene that they are both in, whether it advances the plot or not. A perfect example of this is the study airplane scene (Shuster 179). They discuss the dire circumstances in the graveyard and then suddenly start to kiss. After many, many chapters, the constant displays of affection become overdone and annoying, especially because their attraction to each other is quite one-dimensional. They only got together because Connor committed a felony (Shusterman 48) and they needed to pretend to be a couple as a cover for their crime.
In many of her stories, Williams focuses on a flawed female character for which the reader generally dislikes. These women try to have control in their lives but fail due to bad decisions or bad attitudes.
Introducing a character that will be seen in the story is one of the most vital parts when creating a piece of literature. Whittier begins his story by writing, “Woman’s attributes are generally considered of a milder and purer character than those of man.”(348) Right of the bat, the reader has a stereotypical idea in his or her mind about how a woman should act and what characteristics she should hold. Whittier does this to show how different and unique his main character, Hannah Dustan, will be seen throughout his piece of work. Whittier then goes on to say, “Yet, there have been astonishing manifestations of female fortitude and power in the ruder and sterner trials of humanity; manifestations of courage rising almost to sublimity; the revelation of all those dark and terrible passions, which madden and distract the heart of manhood.”(348) Here, Whittier romanticizes Dustan’s journey and the events that occurred by stating that the actions were actually manifestations that occurred because of the situation she was in. Before even beginning the story, Whittier gives the reader an idea that Dustan did what she did because the situation overpowered her.
In Fall On Your Knees, Ann-Marie MacDonald presents a vivid and life-like character in Frances Piper. Frances Piper is one of the four Piper girls, and she is indifferent from the rest of them. From her early childhood, Frances is a bold and naughty girl, always getting herself into trouble. She has a great mischievous streak which troubles her father, James Piper, immensely. James Piper also has a demon like personality at various times throughout the novel, some of which he amasses from his father in his early childhood. In this same way, the reader can visualize Frances getting accustomed to her father’s personality and see her become a demon herself, trying to get back at her father. In a way, Frances can be seen as the Devil’s advocate. However, how can a young and sweet girl carry such a negative impact to her family, especially when she is the heart of this novel? Although Frances can be visualized as the Devil’s advocate by her actions, various characters, and the loss of her innocence through her father, Frances is a sweet, young, and seldom scared girl who is trying to live a life that her grandmother, mother, and sisters haven’t lived – a life filled with new adventures, life risking actions, and most importantly, fun.
..., the deep allegiance that forms between the two friends proves to be greater than the romantic affection that either man feels for Roxane.
“Sula,” however, was in Ohio during the first half of the twentieth century, nearly 100 years after “Jane Eyre”. It is the story of a young woman who was raised by her mother and grandmother whom both did not have a good reputation in the town they lived in. Sula later leaves the town for a period of 10 years, has many affairs and lives a wild life. When Sula returns to the town, many people look upon her as evil because of how she lives her life. Sula’s story is contrasted with that of her best friend Nel, who was raised by a family with more social morals and later chose to settle in a life as a wife and mother. “Sula” deals with several different themes like race, family, gender and social conventions.
Steinbeck is very successful in creating sympathy throughout her character change and he presents her in this way to prove that the majority of women went through similar situations. This leads us to sympathise with all people society deems to be ‘inferior’ and we can even apply this lesson to today’s society.
Grande introduces to the audience various characters that cross Juana 's path to either alter or assist her on her journey to find her father. Through those individuals, Grande offers a strong comparison of female characters who follow the norms, versus those that challenge gender roles that
In addition, Ruth wishes to move out of the apartment and rekindle the love within her marriage. Beneatha, on the other hand, wants to become a doctor to heal people. Hansberry, constantly uses direct characterization with Ruth to portray her characterization within the play, but also to portray the characters pain or exhaustion, “Drily, but hurt” (16). Ruth Younger, wife of Walter and the mother of Travis, is a prime example. Within the play, she manages the upkeep of the apartment.
...rman’s story. Sally symbolizes Mainstream America. She represents mainstream America because when the soldiers returned home no one wanted to hear about it what had happened. In this chapter you have identified many different literary terms that help you see the book in a new view.
Sula had always been different, isolated from the normal community because of her odd family home, odd family. She would threaten the white boys that tried to beat her up. She was fascinated with death. She looked into the face of evil and laughed back. The people of The Bottom would line their doors with salt, mutter
The authors of this article discuss the contrasts between individuality and social values. The metamorphic transformation of each character is described. The consequences of the metamorphosis are looked at in detail. The details in the story that are responsible for beginning the change in each character is looked at in depth. Nora’s character is looked at in depth as to why and how she began as one type of woman and transformed into a completely different woman (Sahin, & Hug). This source is credible as it was found in an academic peer-reviewed journal, and on a college sponsored
With a heart-full of advice and wisdom, Dinah maturates from a simple- minded young girl to a valiant independent individual. “For a moment I weighed the idea of keeping my secret and remaining a girl, the thought passes quickly. I could only be what I was. And that was a woman” (170). This act of puberty is not only her initiation into womanhood but the red tent as well. She is no longer just an observer of stories, she is one of them, part of their community now. On account of this event, Dinah’s sensuality begins to blossom and she is able to conceive the notion of true love.
...racy, and writing, initially helps her gain a certain basic level of identification where she feels comfortable expressing herself with pen and paper. Nevertheless such interactions limit the extent to which she can truly have her own identity, more notably on a cultural and familial aspect. In fact, Salie is trapped between her imaginative world of writing, and the world in that she suffers from alienation. As the story ensues Salie progressively loses grip on her past, which is portrayed when she nostalgically recalls the songs she heard and sang during her childhood.
In the book, the two only ever seem to have a casual affection for each
Jane Eyre ends only after a succession of unlikely (and frankly hideous) circumstances come to pass, transforming the lives and psyches of Jane and Rochester beyond their stoic realism. However, because Jane and Rochester are such believable characters, the events that wrack their mortal lives are taken in stride by both the characters and the reader, although the grap...