Rubyfrtui Jungle Sparknotes

The past couple of decades has brought about huge changes in the way certain groups have been viewed in society, particularly women. In the book, Rubyfrtui Jungle by Rita Mae Brown, the main character, Molly Bolt, is a queer woman navigating her life. Molly Bolt isn’t ashamed to be queer or a woman despite the challenges she faces because of this. The novel tackles how both the LGBT community and women are treated due to their existence. The 1960s, probably around when Brown started writing her novel, was a huge explosion of activism. Not only were black people fighting for their right to be equal, but queer people and women were fighting. Women were expected to be docile wives that took care of the house and children. Gay people were thought

Inspired by Civil Rights Activists, these groups started to stand up for themselves. Brown uses her character Molly Bolt to speak out against these injustices and show how queer women are treated in society. The author uses many different ways to criticize homophobia and unjust gender roles. She shows how parents treat young girls versus young men, how society and women treat them, and how the queer community is treated.

The novel starts in rural Pennsylvania. Molly Bolt is an orphan, adopted by the couple Carl and Carrie. Carl is very supportive of Molly and considers her to be his daughter. He knows that she has a lot of potential, and even though she is a girl, he wants her to get an education. Carrie, however, is very different. She wants to turn Molly into a proper woman, ignoring her husband. “‘You big-mouthed brat. Can’t play nice, can you? Cant act like a lady, no way.’” (Brown, 32). Carrie and Molly’s relationship is strained because of their differences of opinion. From a reader’s perspective, we can see Carrie as a cruel mother figure. But, if you infer based on context clues and the views of society at the time, you can conclude

Homosexuality in this age was classified as a mental illness, with homosexual acts being illegal up until 1962. There is an incredible amount of stigma and propaganda against queer people, men in particular. Molly Bolt is not ashamed of being sapphic and does not feel the need to hide who she is when confronted. Molly is accepted into a college in the south where she meets Faye. They fall in love with each other and spend most of their time together, save for classes. Due to their relationship, they receive backlash from other students which eventually reaches the administrative office. “‘I think with some hard work on your part and professional assistance, you can uncover these blocks and find the way to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with a man.” (Brown, 127). Due to the nature of the relationship that Molly has with Faye, she is sent to a psychiatric ward where she spends a couple of days. When she is released, she finds out that both she and Faye have been kicked out of the university and that Faye’s father has forbidden her and Molly from seeing each other. Molly takes a bus home where she meets her mother. “‘A queer, I raised a queer, that what I know. You’re lower than them dirty fruit pickers in the grove.’” (Brown, 135). When she was hoping to find compassion within her mother during a difficult time, she was only met with dehumanizing hatred. Thus, Molly leaves for New York City.