In both The Female Bell-Cricket and This Powder Box, Nakamoto Takako and Uno Chiyo explore the notion of female sexuality as power. By asserting their sexuality, the female protagonists in both texts deliberately defy socially-prescribed female virtues of chastity and obedience. This ownership of their sexuality grants them power in their romantic relationships with men and liberates them from the submissive position that women are traditionally expected to be in. It is crucial to note, however, that the depicted ‘strength’ of the two female protagonists is ultimately a constructed façade; they are still tied down by society’s prescriptive ideals of femininity, and have their behavior propelled or influenced by their relationships with men. …show more content…
In The Female Bell-Cricket, Tomoko’s use of “osu” (雄) – a term used to describe the male sex of animals - to describe men reflects the carnal, animalistic desire that she has for them. The opening scene’s deliberate mention of Tomoko indulging in sex with Akita, along with the frequent descriptions of her body throughout the text, openly depicts Tomoko’s ownership and active expression of her sexuality. Such unabashed depictions of the physical relationship between men and women are also present in This Powder Box, with the confessing “I”’s casual tone in recollecting her numerous sexual experiences with different men. In both texts, heterosexual prostitution is raised as well - Tomoko “had simply thrown her glorious body at a man” while the protagonist of This Powder Box had “allowed” herself to engage in a “prostitute’s transaction”. The transgressive depictions of the two female protagonists as willing prostitutes is especially noteworthy, seeing as they challenge socially-established moral codes that place great value on female chastity. Moreover, the two female protagonists’ control over their sexuality seems to grant them a unique form of ‘power’ in relationships with men who are sexually attracted to them. It is hence obvious that there is a direct relationship between female sexuality and power that is portrayed in the two
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Show MoreIn 1987 Sian Kingi aged 12 was abducted, raped, strangled and stabbed before she was murdered. Valmae Beck, also known as Fay Cramb was born in 1944, in Western Australia. In a previous relationship Valmae had six children that she all abandoned before leaving and marrying Barrie Watts. Barrie Watts, also from Western Australia was born in 1954.
Mary Flora Bell (also known as ‘The Tyneside Strangler’) was convicted of murdering two little boys at the age of 11. After conviction police and investigators found out that Mary came from a depressed home and unwell childhood. Though she was never diagnosed as depressed, her teachers at school described her as a chronic liar and disruptive pupil. She was also very self possessed and strangely confident. After conviction court psychiatrists described Mary as "intelligent, manipulative, and dangerous.
As noted by Thomas Foster in How to Read Literature Like a Professor, perspective is everything. When reading, it is important to consider the viewpoints of the era a text emerges from or takes place in. Luís Alberto Urrea’s The Hummingbird’s Daughter takes place in the late nineteenth century, but was produced in 2005. The world has changed over the last century and some.
Most people group the term “erotic” with “pornographic;” however, civil rights activist and writer Audre Lorde argues people misconstrued the term over time and that it instead relates to an “inner power that leads to life fulfillment.” This is Lorde’s definition of the erotic and it comes from the excerpt “The Erotic as Power,” from her book Uses of the Erotic, where she writes about the true meaning of “the erotic.” Other empowering pieces also refer to the erotic, such as an excerpt from Elissa Washuta’s White Magic, called “My Heartbreak Workbook,” where she describes her struggles with finding fulfillment and filling her “hole,” as she names it. Lorde’s concept of “the erotic” especially helps illuminate Washuta’s “My Heartbreak Workbook”
Maxine Hong Kingston's use of talk stories in The Woman Warrior emphasizes that individuals will find a more fulfilling life if they defy the traditional gender norms place on them by society. While contemplating beauty standards in Chinese society in “No Name Woman” Maxine Kingston thinks, “Sister used to sit on their beds and cry together… as their mothers or their slaves removed the bandages for a few minutes each night and let the blood gush back into their veins” (9). From a young age girls are expected to be binding their feet and are told that it is to look beautiful, but in reality that is not why. When a womans feet are bound they are restrained and silenced. These girls could be free and happy but they are restrained by men through this binding.
Power, domination, and gender have all been intertwined for years. Men historically have been in power in most civilizations while also dominating the women in order to keep this power. Women have often been viewed as the more delicate sex and were supposed to not worry their pretty little heads about men’s affairs such as politics, education, employment, estate upkeep, and generally everything that had to do with stepping a foot out the door of a house. In Tanizaki Jun’Ichiro’s piece “The Tattooer” he explores these stereotypes and women’s rise to power in society in a dark piece about a tattoo artist and a geisha, both going through a transformation that changes their very character by the end. By incorporating diction, symbolism, and foreshadowing; Tanizaki Jun’Ichiro paints a story portraying Japanese gender roles, domination, and power.
There is a distinguished balance in the relationship of women and men and it is visible in coexisting and procreating beyond themselves. In making decisions that are influenced by mistakes sometimes, one person gets the short end of the stick. In Hills Like White Elephants, the feminine role is displayed by a woman named Jig, whose feelings and thoughts get pushed aside to cater to the main male character’s wants and needs. In this case the “operation,” that cannot even be called by it’s true name or else the objective to persuade would not be met and ruin their lives. Masculine and feminine attributes have been visible in literature from the beginning of language, with the response of love and forcing one’s self to put aside: “me” for “you.”
She argues that men are innately vicious, but women can overcome through sexual freedom by becoming comfortable with one’s body and the power it holds. In making her points she establishes a rebellious and triumphant tone. Symbolism and repetition of the phrase “carnivore incarnate” (Carter 110) are also used to solidify her argument. The assertion made in “The Company of Wolves” is very important for young women in the world. Instead of shying away from one’s body and the power it posses, women should embrace it and acquire sexual freedom.
She talks about the dangers of female sexuality because it could ruin her life. She tells how to get the power of domesticity. She also tells her how her daughters sexual reputation should be instead of what it is. Even though female sexuality can be a diverse topic, Kincaid was able to stick to one view of female
This novel is also autobiographical. Throughout history, women have been locked in a struggle to free themselves from the borderline that separates and differentiate themselves from men. In many circles, it is agreed that the battleground for this struggle and fight exists in literature. In a
Feminist Criticism allows to understand the meaning and importance of literature when relating to the male-female power
There are elements of realism intricately woven within the fabric of the novel. Its depiction of sexuality is a positive portrayal of lesbian love, both sexual and non-sexual love. While Celie compares male sex organs to frogs, Sofia is tired of Harpo’s mechanical lovemaking. On the other hand, Celie’s act of lovemaking with Shug is devoid of any guilt and is liberating. Further, it is a powerful ‘womanist’ text showing productive and strong bonds between women characters and their work culture which together combat the elephantine patriarchal exploitation.
The role of women in literature crosses many broad spectrums in works of the past and present. Women are often portrayed as weak and feeble individuals that submit to the situations around them, but in many cases women are shown to be strong, independent individuals. This is a common theme that has appeared many times in literature. Across all literature, there is a common element that causes the suffering and pain of women. This catalyst, the thing that initiates the suffering of women, is essentially always in the form of a man.
BL manga, on the other hand, grants female readers the power to look at men without fear of being looked-at – freeing themselves as objects of male sexual desire. Additionally, by taking over what was traditionally the ‘male’ gaze, the male-female power dynamics are reversed and redefined by new parameters other than gender. The worlds constructed in BL manga, by virtue of being more fantastical than those of ladies’ comics, therefore provide a greater degree of subversion due to its disregard for
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy depicts the inner lives and hardships women in a patriarchal society face. Roy provides a reflection of the social injustice in India in the form of abusive and tyrannical males who abuse women - both physically and psychologically. The novel is a vehicle for the author to express her disillusionment with the postcolonial social conditions. This response will critically analyse the lives of the female characters in Roy’s novel, specifically Mammachi and Ammu and explore the ways they have been marginalised.