Feminist Approach to literature

Are you a feminist?

I am not a feminist- I like men! I am not a feminist- I think women should be able to stay at home and raise children if they want to! I am not a feminist! I wear a bra!

Are you sure?

Contrary to the opinions of many students new to the study of feminist literary criticism, many feminists like men, think that women should be able to stay at home and raise children if they want to do so, and wear bras.

What is feminist criticism?

Feminist criticism examines the ways in which literature reinforces or undermines the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women.

YOUVE BEEN PROGRAMMED!!!

To see To be blind

I consider myself to be a recovering patriarchal woman.

Patriarchal women refers to a women who has internalized the norms and values of patriarchy. Patriarchy is societies definition of traditional gender roles.

Traditional Gender Roles

Women are cast as being
Emotional and so irrational Weak Nurturing Submissive They use these roles to justify inequities which still occur today.

What kind of inequities?

Paying men higher wages than women for doing the same job Convincing women that they are not fit for careers in mathematics and engineering Dont they make laws against that?
Yes, but you can pay a women less for the same job by just changing the title of the job!

Sex is different than Gender

Feminism distinguishes between the word sex, which refers to whether we are biologically male or female- and the word gender, which refers to our cultural programming as feminine or masculine. You are not born feminine- your culture makes you feminine You are not born masculine- your culture makes you masculine.

Feminine Males
Males who are good Daddies or who show emotions are seen as having feminine qualities. This is not a bad thing- women love it!

Masculine Females
Women who are seen as being strong or forceful are viewed as being Masculine. Once again- not a bad thing.

Are you a recovering patriarchal woman?

I was socially programmed not to see the ways in which women are oppressed by traditional gender roles. We accept these differences as natural.

What about Men?!

Men are put into traditional gender roles too! Masculine men are:
Strong Rational (no emotions) Sexually active Dominant Supports the family financially

What if a man cant make that much money?

If men can not achieve the unrealistic economic goals set for them in contemporary America then they must increase the signs of their manhood in some other area: They must be the most sexually active (or at least make others believe that they are) or be able to hold the most liquor or display the most anger.

Male Emotions
It is not surprising that anger and violent emotions are the only emotions permitted or encouraged in men, for anger is a very effective way of blocking out fear and pain (which arent allowed in men).

So what?
Whenever patriarchy wants to undermine a behavior, it portrays that behavior as feminine.
The patriarchal concept of femininity (frailty, modesty, and timidity) disempowers women in the real world. It is not feminine to succeed in business

I dont believe you!

Ok! Lets look at Cinderella! Equates femininity with submission Tolerate family abuse Wait patiently to be rescued by a man View marriage as the only desirable reward for right conduct.

What about Prince Charming?

Requires men to be wealthy rescuers responsible for making their women happy ever after. Men must be unflagging super-providers without emotional needs.

What about Sleeping Beauty and Snow White?

In all three a beautiful sweet young girl (because women must be beautiful, sweet, and young if they are to be worthy of romantic admiration) is rescued (for she is incapable of rescuing herself) from a dire situation by a dashing young man who carries her off to marry him and live happily ever after.

Good vs Bad Girls

In all three the main female characters are stereotyped as either good girls (gentle submissive, angelic) or bad girls (violent aggressive, worldly, monstrous) It implies that if women do not accept their patriarchal gender role, then the only role left her is that of a monster.

Bad Girls
In all three the bad Girls are also vain, pretty, and jealous, infuriated because they are not abs beautiful as the main character or not involved in the lives of the beautiful. Such motivations imply that even when women are evil, their concerns are trivial.

Two identities for women

She can accept the patriarical gender roles she is a good girl-a madonna If she does not then she is a bad girl-a B!!@%. This idea forces society to view women in terms of how they relate to the patriarchal order- not on who they really are.

Has this always been like this?

Victorian Pedestal Corsets worn by nineteenth-century women prevented them from getting enough oxygen to be physically active or to experience emotion without getting the vapors (shortness of breath or fainting- which was considered very feminine and proved that women were too fragile).

Kill June Cleaver!!

June cleaver represents the middle class American woman who must successfully juggle a career and a family while looking great while at the office and at breakfast and she is never too tired to attend to her childrens needs or their husbands or to do the household chores.

What does this have to do with Gatsby?

If you look closely at The Great Gatsby you will see elements which should be scrutinized through the feminist lens. Do you see males acting Masculine at their own or others expense? Do you see females acting Feminine at their own or others expense?

Homework Assignment
Write 2 paragraphs in which you analyze Tom and his behavior form the feminist point of view.