Cordelia Gray's An Unsuitable Job For A Woman

Within An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, written by P.D. James, Cordelia Gray a newly independent detective faces her first client after the recent death of her previous mentor. As a woman, Gray faces a multitude of already difficult tasks with an additional weight of discrimination due to her gender. By applying the feminist lens to An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, Cordelia Gray’s multi-faceted character is revealed as she is a modern feminist with a distinct, empowered personality that does not repress her feminine attributes but instead embraces them through her feminist ideals and views. The feminist lens clearly shows Cordelia's empowered personality and strength despite the lack of support and faith in her throughout her investigation. As Cordelia begins her case, it is apparent that the environment in which she will be working is against her. Her clientele, Sir Robert, wished to have Cordelia’s mentor, Bernie, however,

While women are traditionally targeted for their emotions and frail dispositions when they are in positions of power, Cordelia uses them to drive her case and ultimately empower herself. For example, women are often known for their loyalty to men; while this may seem like a repressing quality, Cordelia uses her loyalty to Bernie to drive her case as she consistently reminds herself of Bernie’s advice and tactics. Not to mention, she finds strength within his memory as when Elizabeth Leaming questions her desire to continue the business, Cordelia “ has no intention of justifying to Miss Leaming her affection and loyalty to Bernie" (225). Not only does Cordelia channel her loyalty to find strength, but she also is confident in her emotional attachment to the point where she does not feel obligated to explain