Analysis of Patriarchical Stereotypes and Control of Women's Identity

Literary Analysis: Patriarchical Stereotypes and Control of Women's Identity

Works Analyzed:

  • Literary Body of Work: Carol Ann Duffy's poem "Little Red Cap" from "The World's Wife"

  • Non-Literary Body of Work: Liza Donnelly's cartoons

Key Issue:

  • Exploration of how patriarchal expectations and stereotypes influence and shape girls, forcing them to conform to being either pure or rebellious.

Literary Analysis: Little Red Cap by Carol Ann Duffy

  • Focus: How patriarchal societies control women by viewing them through male desire and societal stereotypes.

  • Synopsis: The poem follows a young girl's transition from childhood to adulthood through an explicit relationship with an older man, framed within the structure of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale.

Analysis of Specific Lines

  1. "I crawled in his wake"

    • Implies a submissive role for the main character, following the male figure.

    • The word "crawled" suggests vulnerability, indicating she's changing herself to please the wolf.

    • Relates to the global issue of how women's identities are shaped by patriarchal ideology.

  2. "My stockings ripped to shreds, scraps of red from my blazer"

    • The words "ripped" and "scraps" evoke violent imagery.

    • Allusion to the original fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood.

    • Symbolism of red: Symbolizes sexuality, implying she's being forced or conditioned by patriarchal values to seek male validation.

  3. "I clung till dawn to his thrashing fur"

    • Animalistic imagery depicting the man's power.

    • "Thrashing" suggests masculine dominance.

    • Implies a forced situation, not romantic, suggesting she's doing it for male approval due to patriarchal ideology.

  4. "What girl doesn't dearly love a wolf?"

    • Rhetorical question that relates back to the original fairy tale.

    • Irony: Girls are not supposed to love wolves (scary creatures), but this line glamorizes the situation.

    • Connects to how society glamorizes dangerous situations for young girls being with older men (the wolf).

    • Highlights how stereotypes are ingrained into media, demonstrating how patriarchal stereotypes are pushed onto young kids from a young age.

Connection to Other Poems in "The World's Wife"

  1. Beautiful: Demonstrates themes of male gaze, how women are shaped by it and patriarchal society, and how they perceive themselves by changing themselves to fit into male stereotypes.

  2. Salem: Demonstrates societal pressures and stereotypes regarding sexuality and how women are instructed to behave related to this.

  3. Map Woman: Demonstrates how societal and internal pressures affect women.

  • All three poems contribute to the global issue of how patriarchal society shapes women's identities.

Non-Literary Analysis: Liza Donnelly's Cartoons

  • Focus: How patriarchal stereotypes influence young girls and their future identities.

Analysis of Specific Cartoon

  • Text: "I can't decide what I want to be when I grow up, a good girl or a slut."

    • Dramatic Irony: The statement is unexpected from a young girl, emphasizing how young girls change their ideas of their future selves to fit into patriarchal stereotypes.

    • Juxtaposition: The innocence of young girls playing with dolls contrasts with the harsh, sexualized words "good girl" or "slut."

    • Internalized Stereotypes: Demonstrates how these young girls internalize stereotypes.

    • Intertextuality: Connects to the common childhood phrase "I can't decide what I'm gonna be when I grow up."

    • Pastel Room: Symbolizes femininity, purity, and childhood innocence, further emphasizing the "good girl" stereotype.

    • Doll Representation: One doll is dressed (good girl), and one is undressed (slut), representing the extremes of the stereotypes.

    • Ingrained Stereotypes: Shows how these stereotypes are pushed on kids and acted out in their play, possibly as a coping mechanism.

    • Dark Humor: The juxtaposition between childhood and adult/sexual language creates dark humor.

    • Symbolism: The dolls represent feminine stereotypes and reinforce gender roles, shaped by patriarchal society.

    • Irony: Society is supposed to protect young kids, but it puts labels on them early, potentially determining their future paths.

Connection to Other Cartoons by Liza Donnelly

  1. How to Testify as a Woman: A woman is surrounded by text detailing how she must act to be taken seriously in court, forcing women to conform to being feminine and to be put into this good girl stereotype, to be taken seriously by a male society. Showing how they have to change their identity to fit into the stereotypes, to be believed.

  2. When I Grow Up, I Hope My Rape Allegations Are Believed: Two girls sitting on a bed having a discussion. Shows how girls internalize and normalize traumatic and violent behavior from men.

  3. Am I Getting Raped Checklist: A checklist that women have to consider to avoid rape, demonstrating how they don't fully own their identity and must alter their behavior.

  • All three cartoons connect to the global issue of how women have to change their identity to conform to patriarchal ideology and stereotypes.

Conclusion

  • Both authors reveal how women's identities are influenced by patriarchal stereotypes, forcing them to view themselves through the male gaze.

  • Through irony, juxtaposition, and symbolism, both texts demonstrate how patriarchal stereotypes shape and control the identity of women.