Feminist Feminism In Literature

Feminism’s continual push for equality for men and women has grown and has become more successful. Women have abandoned the traditional roles of submissive housewives that was prevalent in the early 20th century. Early representations of women in literature were often stereotypical and unjust, but the characterization of women in literature has changed now. However, in the early 1900s that type of writing was predominant, in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman, A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor and Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway were writers that disregarded feminist concerns in their stories and demonstrated how feministic views affected society as a whole.

Gilman utilizes feminist criticism within her story

“John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage” (Gilman).This quote implies that by being laughed at, the narrator is being brought down by the male figure. Through Johns action readers can infer that he is very prejudiced against women being that he expresses superiority in his marriage. “He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction” (Gilman). This reveals that he has complete control over her. Through the use of feminist criticism readers can understand how society viewed women and their beliefs. The Yellow Wallpaper is from a feminist standpoint that is a analysis on the state of women in the late 1800s, and perhaps even of the author’s own struggles with a society run by

Through the mere ordering of drinks, Hemingway demonstrates, the gender roles of male dominance and female submissiveness. The first line of conversation is the female asking her boyfriend, “What should we drink?”(Hemingway). The male character orders drinks for the both of them, proving his dominance and the girl asking her boyfriend demonstrates her submission. The controlling manner displayed by the male character through ordering drinks is a stepping-stone into his relentless pushing for his girlfriend to receive the abortion. His oppressive nature is not only reflected at the bar but more importantly he displays a prejudiced attitude in regards to the abortion. Several times the man mentions the simplicity involved in operation to coerce Jig into having such a risky procedure, “It’s really a simple operation, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in”