Literary Criticism: Feminist Approach

A. How are women's lives portrayed in the work?

Women are under appreciated; they work a lot and get paid little.  They are also limited in what jobs they can perform.  Women are only seen employed as governesses, household servants, or teachers in this novel.

B.  Is the form and content of the work influenced by the writer's gender?

Yes; because Charlotte Bronte is a female, she shows an understanding that although women in the nineteenth century, when this novel takes place, are expected to act proper and be passive, they have the same feelings as men, so they shouldn't be expected to behave any different.

C.  How do male and female characters relate to one another?  Are these relationships sources of conflict?  Are these conflicts resolved?

The male characters in the book are dominant over females in every male-female relationship in this book.  This does cause a conflict because it gives Jane a reason not to marry Mr. Rochester.

D.  Does the work challenge or affirm traditional views of women?

This novel challenges the traditional view of women in the nineteenth century because Jane is expected to be submissive to men and never challenge them in conversations, but she does challenge their opinions anyway, and this is shocking to some men.

E.  How do the images of women in the story reflect patriarchal social forces that have impeded women's efforts to achieve full equality with men?

Jane initially believes that marrying Mr. Rochester would put her in a position of inferiority, which makes her hesitant to immediately accept his proposal.

F.  What marital expectations are imposed on the characters?  What effect do these expectations have?

Jane is expected to be submissive to whoever she marries; this makes her reluctant to accept Mr. Rochester's proposal.  She is also expected to never leave her husband if she does get married, which is why Jane is very careful not to marry the wrong man.  This expectation also affected Mr. Rochester because he could not leave his wife, although she was violent and insane.

G.  What behavioral expectations are imposed on the characters?  What effect do these expectations have?

Jane, like all other women of the nineteenth century, is expected to be docile and obedient without questioning her superiors.  This causes her to suppress her feelings for the majority of the book.

H.  If a female character were male, how would the story be different?

Jane would have probably been treated with more respect and would have been able to stand up for herself when she was a child living at the Reeds'.  This would have caused the story to have an entirely different outcome.

I.  How does the marital status of a character affect her decisions or happiness?

Although Jane is very satisfied with her married life with Mr. Rochester at the end of the novel, she would have been very unhappy if she accepted Mr. Rochester's first proposal because she would have been going against her moral code.  She also would have been unhappy if she decided to become a missionary wife to St. John because it would have been a loveless marriage.

Thesis:  If Jane would have succumbed to the inferior social position of a female of the nineteenth century, her life would have turned out dismal and loveless.

Brave New World- Lenina Crowne

Lenina Crowne is the main female character in the novel Brave New World. She is desired by many men including John the Savage and Bernard Marx. Her mutual desire for John and Bernard shows that she is somewhat unconventional because they are both outcasts and most World State women would not be attracted to them because it is against their conditioning.  She also shows her nonconformity by having only one man for four months, which is something deeply discouraged in her society (Huxley 30).  Although she may be slightly different from her peers in this way she still believes all the values the World State has taught her and she accepts the behaviors of her society unquestioningly.

The way that Lenina reacts to her attraction to John shows how she is just like everyone else living in the World State; she uses sex to show affection for men, as this is the only way she knows how.  When John discusses marriage with her, quoting Shakespeare, she responds with disbelief and is completely incomprehensive (Huxley 132).  When John tells her he loves her, she reacts by attempting to seduce him and is confused when he becomes angry at the way she is behaving (Huxley 134).

Ultimately Lenina serves as a representation of the World State woman.  She finds nothing wrong with sexual promiscuity and believes in all the hypnopaedic phrases she has been taught.  This is why she can never be with John, who detests the World State and all of its people.

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Electronic.

Motifs in Brave New World

While I was reading Brave New World, I noticed several motifs that consistently appeared throughout the text.

                

The first motif I took note of was the constant usage of the word ‘pneumatic’.  This word has two meanings:  in reference to a chair it means filled with air pockets and if referring to a woman it means having a well-rounded figure (urban dictionary).  Lenina’s sexual partners often use this word to describe her (Huxley 33) and even Lenina herself tells Bernard, “Everyone says I’m awfully pneumatic.” (Huxley 62)  The fact that Huxley uses this adjective to describe women and furniture shows how little people in the World State value each other.

                

Shakespeare also appears many times in this novel.  He provides the basis for all of John’s morals and values, which he shows clearly in the scene where Lenina comes on to him.  In this scene John quotes Shakespeare numerous times, as he does in stressful situations, saying, “The strongest suggestion our worser genius can, shall never melt mine honour into lust.”  (Huxley 133)  A contrast to the World State’s propaganda is also made in this scene when Lenina repeats, “Hug me till you drug me,” as John narrates, “She too had poetry at her command, knew words that sang and were spells and beat drums.” (Huxley 134).  The Shakespearean literature that appears in this novel serves as a contrast to the simple-minded poetry of the World State.  The stories of Shakespeare represent every emotion and value that the World State is trying to rid themselves of.

               

Lastly, the aspect of being outcasted by society serves as a motif in Huxley’s work.  There are three major outcasts in this story:  Bernard, John, and Helmholtz Watson.  Bernard is estranged from the society of World State because he is small and too weak to fulfill the position society has predestinated him to be in.  Helmholtz on the other hand is too strong and intelligent even for his position as an Alpha Plus.  Finally, John is outcasted because he doesn’t fit in because he is part of two worlds that conflict each other.  He was born in the Reservation but his mother used to belong to the World State which means he is not accepted there.  He also doesn’t belong at the World State because he can’t bring himself to agree with the morals that the citizens there live by.  

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Electronic.

Calvino Essay- Question #8 Reaction

Italo Calvino writes his essay in a very informative and straightforward way, using definitions to show the qualities of a classic novel.  Although the use of definitions in an essay is often avoided because they are often overused and can make the essay sound dull, they actually have a positive effect on this piece.  This is because these definitions were not provided by a dictionary, but instead they came from an avid reader who has personal experience in what a classic is.  I also think it was wise of him not to just use one definition because there is no possible way he could have told readers everything he told them about what a classic is in just one definition.

He also writes with almost no metaphors or extremely detailed descriptions, but still there is an emotional appeal to this essay.  This is why my reaction to Calvino’s essay was more emotional than logical.  Calvino shows his appreciation for the emotional response a classic novel often provokes many times throughout this essay.  For example he tells us there is no use reading a classic novel for any other reason except “for love.”  He also says that a classic is a novel “to which you cannot remain indifferent.”  When Calvino discusses what he calls “your classic”, readers cannot help but feel some sort of emotional response, at least those who have already found their personal classic.  However if a reader has not had the experience of finding a novel that they can call their classic, he or she will not find this emotional appeal in this essay.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 5-8. Print.

Calvino Essay- Question #7 Writer's Authority

Italo Calvino, an Italian writer, has an authority to write this informative essay that comes from his own reading and writing experience.  From reading this essay I could tell that Calvino was a very well-read man.  He makes references to several classic novels in this piece including The Odyssey and Kafka, an influential author of classic literature.  He also shows his love for books in each of the fourteen definitions he writes of the term ‘classic’.  In each definition he proves why the classics are so often universally read and why they almost never cease to amaze their various readers. 

From Calvino’s writing experience he shows us his ability to express in words the feeling that reading a classic novel can bring, with definitions such as “A classic is a work which constantly generates a pulviscular cloud of critical discourse around it, but which always shakes the particles off.”  The beauty of Calvino’s writing is only part of what makes this essay great, however.  It is because of the content of this essay that makes it a unique work that shows us exactly how amazing the feeling of reading a classic novel can be.  This is why it is not necessary for Calvino to employ many metaphors or other rhetorical devices.

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 5-8. Print.

Calvino Essay- Question #6 Intro/Conclusion

Italo Calvino introduces his essay with one simple sentence:  “Let us begin by putting forward some definitions.”  He then introduces each topic with one definition, which all define the term ‘classic’.  Although Calvino does not give us much of an introduction he makes up for it with a four paragraph-long conclusion that ties together the whole essay.

In the concluding paragraphs of this essay, Calvino discusses what books we should keep in our ‘ideal library’, telling us that one half should contain books we have read and loved, and the other half should have the books we will one day hopefully read and some empty shelf space for new arrivals.  He also criticizes his essay by saying that he wishes he would have referenced more Italian works of literature because “the classics help us understand who we are and the point we have reached.”  Calvino also uses a quotation by Cioran in his conclusion, in which he says, “While the hemlock was being prepared, Socrates was learning a melody on the flute.  ‘What use will that be to you?’ he was asked.  ‘At least I will learn this melody before I die.’”  By choosing this quote, he makes a good point that although there is really no purpose in reading the classics, it is better to have read them than not. 

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 5-8. Print.

Calvino Essay- Question #5 Organization

Calvino’s essay, “Why Read the Classics?” is organized logically.  Each topic consists of one or two paragraphs that are devoted only to that topic; there are no irrelevant subjects throughout the essay, which is characteristic of logical organization.  Each topic also takes form as a definition that introduces each paragraph.  The essay consists of fourteen definitions, which build the reader’s interest until Calvino finally introduces the most important topic of the entire work.  This is when he finally discusses what sort of books your personal library of classics should hold.  He suggests to readers that one half of their library should contain books that have a special meaning to them, to be reread again and again, only to achieve “as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading.”  He tells us that the other half of the library should hold those books that we hope to someday read, and there should also be of course some empty shelf space specifically reserved for the purpose of adding more classics to our ‘ideal library.’  After this, Calvino reflects back on his essay and expresses some concerns about things that he has left out.  He informs us that classics really serve no purpose but “reading the classics is always better than not reading them.”  By doing this, he is giving us some last bit of information while adding to the personal tone of this essay. 

Calvino, Italo. "Why Read the Classics?" Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. 5-8. Print.