Killing Me Softly Analysis

Silence is a major theme in Killing Me Softly. The main character lack of audibility leads her to believe that death is the only way she can escape her current predicament. Her willingness to silence herself forever is a manifestation of the silence that was force upon her while she was alive. This story shows what can happen when people voices are suppressed and the inner self is locked away. The concept of being voiceless or overshadowed by the dominant group is an example of the Muted Group theory, and I’ll use this story to show why this theory is still relevant, who it effects, and how the creation of language can be a double-edged sword for those who are in the subordinate group.
The word muted for this theory comes from the concept that people who hold power can decide how and what is said, and those in subordinate roles have muted voices an are or not taken seriously. Kramarae tried to explain that in society

Ardener stated, that muting done by the dominant group is maintain through the control of dominant disclosure. Their power is rooted in the culture and social spaces (2005). Rin had said, “That she wasn’t able to pursue her own ambition because Sesshomaru wouldn’t allow her to leave her room and when she could, it was for a purpose that he deem fit.” This illustration how the silencing of someone can be done by restricting their movements. If the dominant group can creation the space in with conversation takes place than they can effectively maintain their control over the spoken language. This is relevant because Rin couldn’t interact affectively with the other people in the castle, causing her great psychological pain, but this serve as a tool for the dominant person, in this case Sesshomaru, who wanted to preserve his control over her. If women can’t interact freely they will eventually become silence and complicit to the will of the central