FEMINISM AND LITERATURE

Camila Matias

Deyane Bruna

Renato Mendes

Instructions

Check out a guide book on feminism in literature.

Look for classic feminist

Consider the treatment of female subjects in all forms of literature.

Examine the roles of female characters in literature.

Compare the writings of male and female authors.

Death of a Salesman ( Arthur Miller 1949)

Characters Willy Loman Linda Loman Biff Loman Happy Loman Charley Bernard Uncle Bem Howard Wagner Jenny

1. The ways in which the female characters function as token of male status.

2. The ways in which “good girl/bad girl” view of women validates the Loman men’s sexism.

3. The ways in which Linda Loman has internalized patriarchal ideology.

● Recognize when a literary work depicts patriarchal ideology.

Author:

Toni MorrisonShe is an American novelist, editor, and professor. She won the Nobel prize in literature in 1993 and in 1987 the Pulitzer Prize for Beloved.

● The Bluest Eye

The book was written in 1970 and tells a story about an young black girl named Pecola. She is a troubled young girl with a hard life, whose parents are constantly fighting, both physically and verbally. Pecola is continually being told and reminded of what an “ugly” girl she is, thus fueling her desire to be white with blue eyes .

"Each night Pecola prayed for blue eyes. In her eleven years, no one had ever noticed Pecola. But with blue eyes, she thought, everything would be different. She would be so pretty that her parents would stop fighting. Her father would stop drinking. Her brother would stop running away. If only she could be beautiful. If only people would look at her."

Themes:

● Racism ● Sexism ● Female power

Author:

Mary Shelley

She was an English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writerbest known for her Gothic Nove Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus (1818).

● Frankenstein

The novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a student of natural sciences that builds a monster in his laboratory. However, Victor is disgusted with his creation, and abandon it, escaping.

● The text weakens the patriarchal belief.

◦ Caroline – support of her father;

◦ Justine – unjust condemnation;

◦ Safie – defies her patriarchal father;

◦ The Monster – indirect advocate for women’s rights.

Frankstein

The novel reinforces patriachal ideology:• Caroline dies as a dutiful mother;• Justine dies as a dutiful servant and

surrogate mother;• Elizabeth dies as a dutiful mother and

surrogate mother, trusting her husband’s judgment.

Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s conflicts:• About her husband;• Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft.