GENDER AND RELATIONSHIPS

how do both writers present marriage

• In Dickens' 1854 satirical ‘Condition of England' novel,‘Hard Times’ and Walker's 1982 epistolary novel ‘The Colour Purple’, both writers present marriage as an institution of entrapment.

• Dickens critiques the hopelessness of Victorian marriage, presented as a hapless extension of utilitarian philosophy through loveless unions endured by Louisa and Stephen

• Walker utilises the intimate epistolary form to expose the intersection of patriarchal and racial oppression within domestic abuse as experienced by Celie and other female characters.

• Ultimately, both authors suggest that oppressive marriages necessitate a strenuous journey towards reclaiming voice and identity, challenging the reader to confront the systemic inequalities embedded within their respective societies.

how do both writers present female empowerment

• In Dickens' 1854 satirical ‘Condition of England' novel,‘Hard Times’ and Walker's 1982 epistolary novel ‘The Colour Purple’, both writers construct female empowerment and friendship as transformative force in the face of patriarchal constraint.

• Dickens presents patriarchal limitations through Louisa's emotional repression as a result of utilitarian philosophy yet suggests independence can be gained through resistance, aided by female solidarity between her and Sissy.

• Conversely, Walker utilises the intimate epistolary form to depict empowerment as a gradual process of self-discovery fostered through the supportive relationships between women, most notably Celie's bond with Shug and Sofia.

• Ultimately, both authors suggest that while oppressive systems try to silence women, female solidarity enables the reclamation of identity and voice, prompting the reader to challenge gender inequality within society.

how do both writers present femininity

• In Dickens' 1854 satirical ‘Condition of England' novel,‘Hard Times’ and Walker's 1982 epistolary novel ‘The Colour Purple’, both writers present femininity as a site of struggle between domestic entrapment and a force of empowerment.

• Dickens critiques the stifling of the ‘fanciful’ female spirit through Sissy and the stunted development of Louisa, whose repression serves as a direct consequence of Victorian utilitarianism.

• Conversely, Walker utilises the intimacy of epistolary form to explore the journey of celie whose feminine identity is reclaimed against the patriarchy, aided by female solidarity.

• Ultimately, both authors suggest that while oppressive structures seek to silence females, the reclamation of voice remains essential in challenging them.

how do both writers present masculinity

• In Dickens' 1854 satirical ‘Condition of England' novel,‘Hard Times’ and Walker's 1982 epistolary novel ‘The Colour Purple’, both writers present the harshness of masculinity, exposing how expectations and roles are shaped by and reinforced by oppressive systems.

• Dickens presents masculinity as mechanical and cold through figures associated with industrial and rigid power, often at the expense of emotional sensitivity.

• Conversely, Walker presents masculinity as performative and fragile rooted in the need to dominate and control in order to exhibit power.

• Ultimately, both authors suggest that gender stereotypes are deeply flawed, prompting the reader to challenge and question traditional notions of male power.