ipl-logo

Systematic Oppression In N. K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season

935 Words4 Pages

Systematic oppression dehumanizes and marginalizes individuals or groups, removing their sense of self and identity while also perpetuating widespread inequality and injustice across society. Systemic oppression is a prominent theme in N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season, as individuals with geo-kinetic powers, known as Orogenes, are marginalized by those who do not possess such powers. Jemisin’s use of a broken narrative structure by dividing the story into three intertwined timelines of the various stages in the protagonist's life reflects the traumatic experiences that she experiences in a world where her orogeny is despised. Additionally, the story is enhanced by shifting points of view for the protagonist. The third-person narratives of Damaya …show more content…

Innon, with his graceful, strong hands weaker and clumsier for having been broken. Not an “Innon” (145). This passage sheds light on the impact of the Fulcrum on individuals, specifically how Syenite views its impact. It breaks her heart to think about how someone's true essence and personality could be stripped away by such a controlling institution. The vivid description of Innon without his usual traits puts into perspective the extent of the damage that Orogenes face caused by the Fulcrum. With this way of narration, the readers can understand the impact of oppression on an individual's sense of self and how the struggle for identity persists across different timelines. Jemisin uses shifting points of view to enhance the storytelling and the reader's comprehension throughout. The narrative shifts between a third-person perspective for Damaya and Syenite and a second-person perspective for Essun, creating an immersive experience. Emphasizing the second-person perspective for Essun creates an intimate connection between the reader and the character, drawing the reader into Essun's experiences and …show more content…

How dare you expect anything else? You’re just another filthy, rusty-souled rogga, just another agent of the Evil Earth... You should never have had children in the first place, and you shouldn’t have expected to keep them once you did” (104). By addressing the reader as "you", it creates a powerful connection between the reader and Essun, making her pain and internal conflict feel immediate and personal. By forcing the reader to experience these harsh and dehumanizing thoughts, Jemisin effectively expresses the psychological impact of systemic oppression on Essun's identity and self-worth. The third-person perspective in the novel of Damaya provides insight into the systemic oppression within the Fulcrum. This is evident in the instructor’s lecture to the Grits about their collective responsibility and the consequences of one of them acting out of line: "You are representatives of us all, the instructors say, if any grit dares to protest this treatment. When you’re dirty, all the orogenes are dirty. When you’re lazy, we’re all lazy. We hurt you so you’ll do the rest of us no harm" (73). The third-person perspective allows readers to witness the Fulcrum's strict control over

Show More
Related
127 Words | 1 Pages

The worst bearing of both Rowlandson and Equiano has to face was being separated from their own love ones. Rowlandson was separated from her family and relations when her village was attacked then eventually lost her only child that was with her. Nevertheless, Equiano also endured tormented pain when he was parted from his sister while she was the only comfort to him at once. He was a young boy in a fearful atmosphere with nothing to convey a positive perspective. “It was vain that [they] besought than not to part us; she was torn from [him], and immediately carried away, while [he] was left in a state of distraction not to be describe”.

Read More
634 Words | 3 Pages

This is how the vantage point of the narrator strongly affects the meaning of the

Read More
1339 Words | 6 Pages

Idhaant Bhosle Ms.Morgan EN 100 (H) 8 March 2023 The Role of Language, Power, and Societal Status in Confronting Racism and Inequality in To Kill a Mockingbird Race has always been a defining factor in American society, shaping the way people interact with each other and the world around them. Similarly, In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee explores how race structures relationships in terms of power, language, and social status. To Kill A Mockingbird is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, the novel is told from the eyes of Jean Louise Finch, Scout Finch, a young girl growing up in a world where society is divided by the prejudices of others. Scout is the daughter of Atticus Finch, a lawyer, defending an African

Read More
538 Words | 3 Pages

Observing each character, the book draws attention to the inner dialogue and struggles they

Read More
933 Words | 4 Pages

Pervagatus Oppressio “Oh! Come and see the violence inherent in the system! Help, help, I'm being repressed!” -Dennis Literature exists to express, and thus is tied to the oldest and finest art in human expression, complaining. Complaints can take many levels, from the trivial to the hefty and legitimate. Literature then is often used to illustrate some issue, be it political, social, antisocial, intrinsic, extrinsic, people not being friendly enough, people being overbearing, people being people, men being men, imagined, concrete, abstract, modern, postmodern, post-postmodern, meta-post-postmodern, timeless, classical, the faults of the young, the faults of the old, the faults of the very old and now dead, endemic, exdemic, tenacious,

Read More
1380 Words | 6 Pages

Essential to uncovering the plot, the third person omniscient point of view enables the reader to access the internal struggles that beleaguer the Lee Family and also to witness the variation in perception between characters: a primary instigator of tension and a source of dramatic irony. Exemplified in the passage, Ng demonstrates dramatic and

Read More
1411 Words | 6 Pages

The importance of point of view Considering different points of views within a novel is an important aspect that allows the reader to connect with the character more elaborately as well as helping the reader get a general understanding of a situation. The reader perceives the characters’ experiences and where their aspirations originated. The authors use point of view to show Marji and Amir’s lost of innocence and define their coming of age in their respective novels. In The Kite Runner and Persepolis, both Khaled Hosseini and Marjane Satrapi use first person point of view to illustrate the protagonist’s belief and the reason behind their motives.

Read More
667 Words | 3 Pages

Shori is discriminated against by the Ina’s because of the color of her skin. Her point of view shows us how hurtful this is to her, but also how she overcomes this. Shori is a strong woman and leader, and defies female gender discrimination. The novel gives us a view of her quick thinking and impulsive actions through her narration. Additionally, Shori and her symbionts explore polygamy and homosexuality.

Read More
579 Words | 3 Pages

“Now don’t you be so confident, Mr. Jem, I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man…” (Lee 179). This quote from Reverend Sykes in To Kill a Mockingbird is a sort of summary of how and why Tom Robinson was wrongly convicted guilty. It also gives a lot of insight on race relations in this time period. Unfortunately, racism has yet to leave society.

Read More
1164 Words | 5 Pages

Changing the point of view in a story can have a significant impact on the plot, characters, and themes, altering the way readers perceive and interpret the narrative. A change in a narrative's point of view can affect how the plot, characters, and themes are interpreted, resulting in new perspectives and views that may change the reader's comprehension and connection to the story. Changing the point of view of a story can affect the theme by shifting the direction of how the reader perceives the story. The plot of the story can be affected the point of view by altering the upcoming events of the story. The character is widely affected by the point of view if it changes since it could affect the reader’s perception of the character

Read More
849 Words | 4 Pages

In the analysis of “Geraldine Moore the Poet” by Toni Cade Bambara the reader can see how the three aspects tie into the theme. The point of view of a story in the angle in which it is written. It shows the reader the opinions or feelings of an individual. First person, second person, and third person are the three major kinds of point of view in which a story can be told. Third person can sometimes break off into third person omniscient or limited.

Read More
1336 Words | 6 Pages

Readers may not always be aware of the careful consideration involved in the narrative aspect of literature, but its significance should not be overlooked, for narration can play an enormous role in the development and reception of a novel. First, second, or third person. Limited or omniscient. Objective or subjective. All are components of that which constitutes a narrator, and all have the ability to dramatically alter the manner in which a story is relayed to the audience.

Read More
1317 Words | 6 Pages

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes place in the town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. The author Lee demonstrates some major themes such as social inequality, intolerance, education, legal justice and bravery through this character. The title To Kill a Mockingbird symbolises innocence where Lee explores this through the eyes of Jem and Scout who are kids of Atticus Finch. He is one of the most honest, patient, kind, fair, respected and admired men in Maycomb during the Great Depression. Atticus is known for his moral character throughout the book.

Read More
1013 Words | 5 Pages

There are many instances in life when someone is made fun of, or someone makes fun of another person. Most of the time whenever these situations occur there is usually a group of people participating, though there is likely only one person truly taking the lead. While it has the potential to happen, not many people will stand up for the person who is facing oppression. In the novel Carrie by Stephen King, Carrie White is someone who is not popular and is made fun of regularly by her schoolmates. Eventually Carrie grows tired of this and decides to take matters into her own hands.

Read More
1042 Words | 5 Pages

Some readers also have a hard time connecting with certain characters, therefore creating a lack of interest when the story is focused on that person. While the story is told in the third person, the narrator gives the thoughts of the characters to the reader as if the characters themselves are telling it. This also helps to keep the flow of the story. Sarah J. Maas also uses different storytelling techniques to help the impact

Read More

More about Systematic Oppression In N. K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season

Open Document