The Awakening And The Fountainhead Analysis

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When a tragedy occurs in a hospital, the overwhelming consensus is to blame the person seemingly with the most control: the doctor. The patient is the victim since the doctor is the one with the most control over the situation. In Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, and Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, the female protagonists either live their lives in the hands of others or with their own power. Those who do not have the control are harmfully guided by those around them. Due to the inadequate men around Tess, she is a victim; however, Edna and Dominique control their own destinies and are not victims. Tess’s ignorance leads to her constant manipulation by the men around her. Tess’s indolent parents exploit her beauty in an effort to profit from the feigned family relation to the D’Urbervilles. With a lack of apparent options, Tess walks into the devil’s hands. Alec Stoke takes advantage of Tess’s vulnerability. As a result, Stoke is Tess’s natural husband, hindering her ability to be pure in the eyes of anyone else. The manipulative Stoke convinces Tess that Angel Clare is never coming back, which leads to a marriage between Stoke and Tess that is built on the lack of financial stability not …show more content…

Tess’s vulnerability and inexperience allow her to be influenced by the more powerful and unscrupulous men. Edna wants independence and passion in her life, and these dormant feelings are accomplished through her own actions. Lastly, Dominique has control over every man in her life, and she influences them to achieve her desired outcome. Being manipulated determines the outcome of the individual’s future. Due to her power, a doctor can either save a life or make a fatal mistake. However, a dying patient only has the control to hope the doctor does not abuse her