ipl-logo

Gender Norms In Naomi Alderman's The Power

909 Words4 Pages

Naomi Alderman's novel "The Power" presents a thought-provoking story that explores the dynamics of power and its intersection with gender roles in society. Alderman explores a world where women have discovered physical power, overturning established power systems and forcing a reevaluation of gender norms. This essay will analyze how Alderman uses the distribution and possession of power to challenge conventional gender norms and assumptions, illustrating how societal structures both influence and are influenced by the dynamics of power. In "The Power," Alderman demolishes traditional gender roles by portraying women as the dominant gender due to their newfound ability to produce an electrical power. This reversal challenges conventional ideas …show more content…

There is really no reason why women wouldn't act the same way if they were suddenly given a biological boost over men, especially since our society is set up as a patriarchy. The statement "What matters is that she could, if she wanted" emphasizes how important autonomy and control are when it comes to power. It emphasizes the potential for action and choice, suggesting that the ability to exert power is inherently empowering. This affirms women's ability to express their own goals and wants, challenging conventional ideas of femininity that are typically connected with passivity and submission. In addition, the argument that "the power to hurt is a kind of wealth" reflects the transforming quality of power and its perceived value in society. It implies that power is a type of currency or status, as well as a tool for enforcing authority. The way power is now viewed as a type of wealth contradicts the idea that power is either repressive or structured, emphasizing the complexity of power's effects on both individuals and …show more content…

This quote exemplifies how the possession of power by women disrupts existing power hierarchies and leads to the empowerment of marginalized groups. In this line, Alderman captures a crucial scene in the story of "The Power," when women all throughout the world become aware of the range of their newly discovered abilities. The idea that women are "discovering they have the power" refers to a paradigm-shifting realization that they are powerful and capable beings. Women fight injustices and open doors for the empowerment of those who have previously been disregarded or silenced by challenging established power structures. This empowerment transcends gender boundaries since it may help groups and individuals who have been denied rights by social, political, and economic systems. The phrase "All over the world" highlights how widespread this knowledge is and how women's empowerment has an impact on the entire world. It refers to a global awakening among women that goes beyond national and cultural barriers. This show of unity across countries highlights the ongoing fight for women's rights and indicates a radical change in norms of

Show More
Related
1055 Words | 5 Pages

This is interesting to see how far back in history women were still trying to get rights and veto laws that were set against them. Men were always trying to keep themselves in power afraid of what women would do if they were treated as equals. This passage is geared toward other men and has a bias against women. This has a bias stand point due to there is no written words from a woman from this era stating how they felt and how they were treated. The passage is written as if women are the bad people and will always want more if given the opportunity.

Read More
1698 Words | 7 Pages

Power is an important part of the world and how it runs, but those who possess it do not always see it this way. Power is an extremely abstract idea. One can find many different variations of the word when asking for a definition person to person. The dictionary simply puts it as, “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others…” which is a common theme that could be found between most people’s definitions of the word. We conceive power as a person’s ability to have others listen to him, and, most importantly agree with him.

Read More
776 Words | 4 Pages

But first what is Power? When researching Power words such as authority, control, direct, command and influence all appear. These words all support the following statement “Power is the ability to influence and control the behaviour of others.” The problem with power is that it often leads to those in power abusing it. As Lord Acton famously quoted “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Read More
559 Words | 3 Pages

The concept of power is analogous to the deceptive appearance of a rose. Although people are allured to the blossom due its silky petals and crimson color, much like they are attracted to power because of the opportunities it withholds, the blossom also contains thorns, representative of the corruption one can create by abusing their powers. Consequently, it is no surprise that those who hold great power often become corrupt because they utilize their powers for their own selfish desires. There is a great responsibility that is attributed to possessing power, and those who fail to use their influence with good intentions tend to fall victim to their own selfish needs. Meanwhile, powerlessness is far less corruptive than power.

Read More
625 Words | 3 Pages

Girl Power and Men Global Perspective In this article, Sherri Daye Scott explains that girl power has uplifted women but has also in some way failed men. She believes that a woman can do anything a man can, and example of this is when she writes “Show me a man’s accomplishments, and I’ll raise you a woman who did the same or close to it” (Scott 2017).

Read More
1246 Words | 5 Pages

This is 2018—it is supposed to be a much more progressive time than the past few decades. Women are succeeding in many different fields such as business, arts, sciences, math, and so on. Yet, even though many areas of the world are moving in a more progressive direction, there are still many women in many parts of the world who have no rights to a basic education or even be heard. Even today, many women who face tragedies cannot be open about it due to the fear that they won’t be “heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth to the power of those men.” With the words, “power to those men,” she is stating even in this day and age that there exist many signs of male dominance.

Read More
608 Words | 3 Pages

During this week, we have covered numerous topics, none more prominent than the oppression of women. Everyone had different opinions, allowing me to take into account different views on the issue. In one of the texts we examined, “Oppression”, Marilyn Frye, a philosopher, debates the subjugation of women. She states the cultural customs that causes oppression of women. I do agree with her view that women are oppressed, but I do not agree that it is just women.

Read More
853 Words | 4 Pages

According to Roseanne Barr, “The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it” (86). In society, we have been taught that men are in charge of all the power and women are only given limited power. Women can be powerful if they are willing to take it instead of waiting for it to be granted to them. Feminism and the power of women is not only a controversial topic in society, but it is also a popular motif in one of Barbara Kingsolver’s novels.

Read More
1736 Words | 7 Pages

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”. Power is a significant concept that can be exemplified through someone having the courage to stand up to others, the influential aspects needed to control people, and the ability to maintain free will as an individual. Abraham Lincoln, in a position of power at the time, said that power can be used to “test a man’s character”. This may be true, however, his statement only referred to men and disregarded women altogether. Gender plays an important role in the development of power by creating opportunities or obstacles for those trying to obtain power.

Read More
350 Words | 2 Pages

Power is the ability to actor do something in a particular way. People who have too much power and abuse it, and turn their power into a negative power. Fear and tyranny are abused by people with power creating a negative effect on society. Leaders with a huge rule of power will abuse their role as a leader by creating a fearful environment.

Read More
686 Words | 3 Pages

The article “Power,” by Richard Schmitt, conveys the idea of power as an act of control over others with less power and being able to use your own personal power to manipulate. Having control with power can create a sense of invulnerability. In “Flawed” power is used as a weapon against flawed people, the flawed

Read More
777 Words | 4 Pages

She first mentions how coming off of the recent women’s rights movement, women all around the world are rising up, and not backing down. She relates these women to the graduating class of Mount Holyoke College, saying “Mount Holyoke is the home, to borrow Wendy Wasserstein’s phrase, of ‘uncommon women.’” By labeling the graduating class as “uncommon women”, Albright forces the listeners to view themselves as important participants in the women’s rights movement, and make them feel like they also have the ability to rise up and create change. To emotionally tie her listeners to the importance of creating change, she also states anecdotes from women around the world. From her travels to several countries, Albright tells the stories of women she has seen.

Read More
1056 Words | 5 Pages

By presenting a society where gender is not a fixed identity but a fluid aspect of biological and cultural cycles, Le Guin challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions about gender roles and power

Read More
837 Words | 4 Pages

In nearly all historical societies, sexism was prevalent. Power struggles between genders mostly ended in men being the dominant force in society, leaving women on a lower rung of the social ladder. However, this does not always mean that women have a harder existence in society. Scott Russell Sanders faces a moral dilemma in “The Men We Carry in Our Minds.” In the beginning, Sanders feels that women have a harder time in society today than men do.

Read More
1372 Words | 6 Pages

Power as conceptualized by critical theorists. Power is one of the words that holds great effect. It is defined by Webster (2015) as “the ability to control people or things; a person or organization that has a lot of control and influence over other people or organizations”. In general, a person or organization that holds power has authority over others. Thus, power is conceptualized in the organizational communication by critical theorists.

Read More

More about Gender Norms In Naomi Alderman's The Power

Open Document