Theme Of Masculinity In The Novel Niko

Masculinity in Kayti Raet’s Novel: Niko Ninety percent of assault victims are women (Tough Guise: Violence, Media & the Crisis in Masculinity). Masculine characteristics are evident, and the key to survival, for most, if not all heroes within literature and contemporary media. Masculinity is often times ascribed to male characters in the form of hegemonic masculinity and the women act primarily as the victim or damsel in distress. The history of subordination towards women has sparked themes regarding this inequality in literature. Raet tackles this theme in her novel Niko, which follows the protagonist, Niko, on her violent tirade in search for her lost brother, slaying Slithers with her masculine prowess along the way. After analyzing Niko’s masculine characteristics and the choices she makes, I argue that Niko carries these traits in order to revitalize the theme of hegemonic masculinity and gender roles in literature, as well as to emphasize on the idea that women can be equally as strong as men. These traits are often over-dramatized, creating the opposite effect for the intended course

Employing these new roles for women can impact our culture’s views and even how future adaptations attempt to tackle the complex issue of gender and machismo. Niko clearly presents the extreme characteristics of hegemonic masculinity based on the in-text evidence provided. Currently, this issue of masculinity and the disparity of women, and men, is at an all time high in our culture, especially considering that only ten percent of assault victims are men (Tough Guise). The question then becomes: is the presentation of masculine men, or women, the