As I have stated in my proposal, I want to analyze selected legal fiction novels written by John Grisham through a feminist theory lens to demonstrate the underlying stereotypical, subtle/passive assumptions regarding the treatment of women, along with the consequences outside of the legal fiction realm. To do this, I had to compile research on John Grisham’s novels and strategies, female legal fiction writers, feminist legal theory and law and literature movements, effects in real life from Grisham’s rhetoric, and narrow down his list of books that will be useful in narrowly yet holistically showing his treatment of women in general in his legal fiction novels.
There are two crucial ways in which to approach Grisham’s novels through the lens of feminist theory: first, the near absence of female heroines in his novels, and second,
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She claims that at the core of it all, Grisham is enforcing the stereotypical belief that women’s nature and genes are “the force which prevents them from becoming fully integrated individuals and attorneys” (78). There are several ways in which Grisham stereotypes women, but Coffman points out the main categories that spawn throughout his legal fiction writing career regarding depiction of women: “’In the workplace, women remain constricted by men’s images of them: the ‘good mother,” the ‘superwoman,’ ‘the frivolous uncommitted professional,’ or the ‘temptress.” (80). There are also other types that we can see in the books The Client, The Pelican Brief, and The Partner such as the chameleon type (Eva Mendez), victim (Darby Shaw), and nurturer (Reggie
In conclusion, most of the female character are often isolated, victimized and ultimately killed by the male characters. Furthermore, it is rather ironic how Mary Shelly, the daughter Mary Wollestonecraft who wrote the Vindication of the Right of Women chooses to portray women. In this novel, the female characters are the exact opposite of the male characters; they are passive, weak and extremely limited. Mary Shelly repeatedly shows women in a victimized position exhibiting to the audience how things should not be. In conclusion, Mary Shelly’s novel is a reflection of how women were treated in the 1800’s.
The Feminist Legal Theory closely looks at women and their position as legal subjects throughout history, and how these aspects have changed in regards to women as legal persons and the coorelating laws on gender themselves. The p...
However, it wasn’t her education, but watching her father, who was a judge and lawyer, handle his cases, that cause her to become involved in various movements because it was in court with her father that she saw firsthand how women suffered legal discrimination. It was here that she realized that the laws were unfair and resolved to do whatever she could to change them. She used her unique ability to draw from wide-ranging sources in legal areas as well as in political and literary areas. With her knowledge of literature, he created narratives that produced a variety of emotions ranging from delight to destruction.
John Grisham uses personal experience and cause and effect strategies for emotional appeals or also known as pathos to show the audience how movies greatly influence people and their decisions.
The article, “Why We Still Need Feminism”, written by Casey Cavanaugh (2014), describes how women are treated and why feminism is looked at in such a negative light. She focuses on how the feminism movement doesn’t only concentrate on women and what concerns them, she also talks about how the movement can positively impact all humans. Cavanaugh explains how the treatment of women can go on for generations and how many women are simply dealing with the ill-treatment (Cavanaugh, 2014). The writer gives a few examples of how women are treated and the different ways that it can be changed for the better.
Despite legislation for equal opportunities, sexism is still evident in the workplace. Women have made great advancements in the workforce and have become an integral part of the labor market. They have greater access to higher education and as a result, greater access to traditionally male dominated professions such as law. While statistics show that women are equal to men in terms of their numbers in the law profession, it is clear however, that they have not yet achieved equality in all other areas of their employment. Discrimination in the form of gender, sex and sexual harassment continues to be a problem in today’s society.
Feminism in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. There are many different definitions of feminism. Some people regard feminism as the idea that women deserve the same amount of respect that men deserve. There are the other schools of feminist thought that hold women superior to men.
The feminist perspective of looking at a work of literature includes examining how both sexes are portrayed
Starting off as a criminal defense attorney himself, John Grisham had a very valuable grasp of law before writing the novel. When writing his books, he likes to make lawyers the major characters (“GJ”). John Grisham can connect his real life
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author who has received numerous awards and distinctions. Her main argument is that everyone should be a feminist not because of our gender, but because it is what is right. Adichie has been featured in Beyonce’s song, “Flawless”, spreading awareness to the idea of feminism. “We Should All Be Feminists” is a book about her experiences in Nigeria, where men are more powerful than women. The intended audience of the passage is each and every person residing in heavily patriarchal societies. Hesr thesis is “we should all be feminists”.
“It is better to die as a wolf than living like a dog,” stated Herbert Wehner, which was the way Okonkwo felt towards the Igbo village becoming feminized, in the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Okonkwo expresses anger and stress as his wife disobeys him, his son leaves the clan, and when the men in Umuofia stop defending themselves. In all these cases, Okonkwo found everyone weak and feminized, because the Igbo society was very male dominated.
Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” shows in society how a woman should be placed and what it means to be a woman. A women doesn’t question her partner, instead she is subservient to him. A woman’s duties include staying at home taking care of the children and cooking; while the man works and brings home the money. A feministic approach to Kincaid’s “Girl” points to the idea of the stereotypes that women can only be what they do in the home, they should only be pure and virtuous, and their main focus should be satisfying their husband.
In the book Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center written by bell hooks, an African-American author, social activist and feminist first published in 1984 the author explains what she believes are the core principles of feminism. Throughout the book the author examines the early feminist theory and goes on to criticize it saying that it did not aim for a systematic change also that the movement has the potential to improve the lives of both men and women immensely. In the book the author investigates the performance of African-American women in the movement and what is needed to drive the movement towards ending oppression of all kinds.
Treichler, Paula A. "Escaping the Sentence." The Captive Imagination.Ed. Cathrine Golden. New York: The Feminist Press, 1992. 191-210
The feeling of not being heard or not being allowed to do what you want is placed upon women in the 1930s. Harper Lee’s depiction of women, in her novel To Kill A Mockingbird, is they should be able to have an important voice in society, make changes they feel are important, and do certain actions without conforming to gender normalities.