We first began going over our homework about the different kinds of feminism. After discussing this we came to the conclusion that:
- 1st feminism was all about equality in terms of suffrage (voting)
- 2nd feminism addresses the domestic inequalities towards women. Women during the Victorian era ,wanted independence from their husbands in terms of having the right to choose their own fate/destiny-they wanted to have the right to the contraceptive pill, which would enable them greater control over their lives
- 3rd feminism involved everybody, not just women. Ethnic groups started to protest for equality and this kind of feminism tried to make a success of the failed attempts of the 2nd feminism.
The class then came across the term `hegemony` which means that there is an accepted belief which isn't necessarily true. For example: Religion is perhaps the most known one, as people accept that God exists but nobody actually knows if it is true. We then related this to the wolf stories we have read and in general, but mainly towards sexuality and gender. In addition to this task, Sir asked us to write down traditional views of women and the real facts of how women actually are.
Traditional:
- Caretaker within the home- Victorian belief.
- Beautiful
- pure/innocent
- More emotional then intellectual
- Hysterical
Real facts about women:
- They are beautiful
- Intellectual (not just emotional)
- Career women
- They have balanced lives (follow their career's and look after the children)
The class was then brought to the situation of sexuality within all the stories we have read so far. We decided that women are discovering their sexuality, but men already have it and also that objects define sexuality. For example in The Bloody Chamber story: the opal necklace is present during sexual encounters, as are the lilies, the mirrors absolutely show sexuality as they are personified to show all types of girls (even though they show the same young girl in different angles).
A couple of questions were then put on the board, in which we all had to discuss as a class. The first question was:
Why is sex bound up with fear for women traditionally?
Answers: The whole idea of physical pain endured by the girl during her first time, the consequences of their body changing whilst being pregnant, child-birth (another pain factor) and that the girl may also been seen as a "loose women".
The second question was:
Why are the Tiger's (in "The Tiger's Bride") advances rejected by the bride?
Answer: Because the girl wants more to happen. she doesn't want to be seen naked in a dark room, she wants to be seen by everybody and fully. The Bride wants the advances to turn physical (perhaps sexual)
The class read "The Werewolf" and picked out all the sexual and feminist things mentioned above. (Read and do that if you weren't present)
The last part of the lesson will help immensely towards the next lesson. It consisted of finding quotes in "The Company of Wolves" for the following:
1) The Main Character
2)Other Characters
3)Wolf Figure
4)Setting
The Main Character
"The girl burst out laughing, she knew she was nobody's meat"
"But this strong minded child insists she was off through the woods"
"She is an unbroken egg, a sealed vessel, she has insider her a magic space, to which the entrance is closed"
Other Characters
"Her father might forbid her"
"Her mother cannot deny her"
"aged and frail...ready to giving in entirely"
"she wept when her second husband beat her"
Wolf Figure
"tender wolf"
"forest assassins"
" there is so little flesh of them that you could count the starveling ribs through their pelts"
"The long-drawn, wavering howl has, for all its fearful resonance, some inherent sadness in it"
Setting
"It is winter and cold weather"
"It is very cold, poor things, she said"
"It was a white night of moon and snow...grey beats who's pointing their sharp shouts to the moon and howling as if their hearts would break"
H/W:
Read "Wolf-Alice"
Research Stock characters (their function in storytelling)
Write on this blog the answer to why you think Carter wrote female sexuality as a reaction to male sexuality...?
Thanks for reading my awesome, long blog Chris W :)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chris, this was an excellent blog and helped me immensely seeing as I was no present during this lesson. In regards to stock characters they are characters which are essentially stereotypes or archtypes such as the hero, villain, damsel ect. These types of stock characters are most famously seen in the fairy tales we were taught as children. The name itself, "stock" hints towards their nature; they are one dimensional with no character development. For example, the hero is good and brave with no flaws. There is nothing else about him.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to Carter saying that female sexuality is a reaction to male sexuality, we can refer back to a quote that Mr Chatterely showed us in a previous lesson, the one that said something along the lines of "men look at women and women watch themselves being looked at". I believe that Carters comment contains hints of her feminist nature. We know women were not equal to men during the times that the original stories were written and the whole idea of female sexuality being a reaction to the man's reinforces the idea that women could not do anything of their own free will, they may only display their desire for sexual embrace once a man has announced his for fear of being called a "loose woman" as Chris has said in his blog. We can see something similar in "The Tigers Bride" with the woman not allowing the beast to see her naked until the beast reveals himself to her and only then can she display her sexual longing for him by accepting those advances.
Sorry for the long comment, had to make up for not being there on Wednesday.
Roman A.
Thanks Chris and thanks Roman; both excellent posts.
ReplyDeleteEveryone else should be aiming to be as detailed.
The question of why did Carter write female sexuality as a reaction to male sexuality arises many views, as I'm sure we will see in the coming answers by the class. I however, think that Carter done this to show the patriarchy women had to endure for centuries, and even slightly now, as some elements of gender inequality still exists. For Example: women being payed less than men for the same job, even sexist views during the Victorian era which are still current in modern society (women should be the caretaker of the home).
ReplyDeleteCarter does this reaction of female sexuality to male sexuality to show that, yes times have chnged dramatically, but true equality has not yet been acheived. I also think that she writes this sexual scenes in such a disturbing manner, to make her views stand out more, therefore people will remember them more and hopefully change it.
Carters use of female sexuality in relation to male sexuality it does not only portray femminism and woman being free beings. But as the typical stock characters being shown/ replaced by the different genders suggesting change is still a possibility and nothing stays the same. Through their sexual dominance over the other characters e.g. The Tigers Bride where the woman gains dominance over the male however in the end gives in. Giving this shock for the audience which agreeing with Chris that these strong sexual images make the audience see that change is still a possibility.
ReplyDeleteWARNING The following paragraph contains SPOILERS:(you have been WARNED twice)
Note: After reading Wolf Alice
The character seems to have been transported into the "wonderland" of the human's instead of the usual raising that the character was used to (the mirror/ bleeding.The ending seems confusing for me as did the whole story in fact.
I think Carter wrote female sexuality as a reaction to male sexuality, because maybe she wanted to show how her characters would react to the males in these stories to highlight real female attitudes (not sure though)
ReplyDeleteTamsin
I believe that Carter was trying to show that it isn't only males that can be sexual. Carter by having her female character being the ones that seduce the males she is showing that there isn't really a difference between men and women and that they are both equal, both desiring similar things. also by going into such drastic detail she is able to attract the readers attention and get them to understand.
ReplyDeleteAwesome blog by the way Chris
Esmeralda ;)
I reckon Carter wrote this sort of female sexuality in a retalliation to male sexuality. We see so much of male sexuality in popular culture - and she probably saw the same - and many of her stories may have been a reply to them.
ReplyDeleteAnd although she's often said her stories aren't "re-works" of popular stories, it's true that she manipulates her tales so that it changes from what we are familiar with - and that includes male gender roles.
Daniel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"female sexuality is a reaction to male sexuality"
ReplyDeleteLike many of the other posts, I also agree that this quote was indicative of attitudes and values that Carter herself witnessed. In a patriarchal society it is likely that most things will be a response/reaction to what men do and in this case it is sexual feelings/desires.
Carter who was arguably a moral pornographer used her short stories to criticize the sexual relationships between males and females.
'Sonny
I think that Carter was aiming to show that males aren't the only ones that can be sexual.By showing the females in the stories as the ones that seduce the males, she is showing that there isn't really a difference between men and women and that they are both equal, both desiring similar things.
ReplyDeleteSaways xxx
I think that Carter wrote female sexuality a reaction to male sexuality to show that women could be as dominate as men and that its not always the patriarchy world. Women showing their sexuality in Carters stories is them being empowered since it at the time it was written women wanted to break free of male oppression.
ReplyDeleteRosie