Throughout history the differences between the sexes have always been an im-
portant and controversial issue. In our society it has usually been the male who owned the power, the one who is in charge – the pater familias. Even though today, when women are regarded as of equal status, in politics and business, men still tend to achieve more and receive higher wages. But what is this particular power based on anyway? How is it constituted and how is it maintained? Is it justifiable to think only in terms of binary genders and sexes? Is power generally something that is only determined to be masculine? Or is there such a thing as female power? What is this power like? In this paper, answers to these questions shall be found and discussed furthermore. The first section of the paper will give a short introduction and an historical overview of the ideas of gender and sex. Then, in the following, a connection shall be drawn to the notion of power and its relation to sexuality and gender in general. The last part of the first chapter will investigate the importance of the family environment with regard to the initiation of sexually deviant behaviour. Family environment, sexual deviance and gendered power are issues which form major part of A.M. Homes’ controversial novel The End of Alice, which was published in 1996. The further discussion will focus on the characters of the novel as well as on the representation of the sexes and their struggle for power. Eventually, the significance of one particular woman, the mother, as a very influential and powerful character in the book shall be analysed. The author of this paper is absolutely aware of the fact, that the novel is based on rather controversial elements, as for instance the narrator’s glorifying attitude concerning the sexual abuse of children. Since the children characters in the novel are usually not younger than twelve and do show typically male or female attributes, they shall be included in the discussion of female and male power, although they are not considered to be adults and are victims of crime actions within the novel.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- I. Introduction
- II. Sexuality & Power – a theoretical approach
- i. The Construction of Gender & Sex Roles
- ii. Gendered Power
- iii. Childhood Trauma and Sexual Deviance
- III. Sex & Gender: Instruments of power in Homes' The End of Alice
- i. Watching Chappy – A view on male power and masculinity
- ii. Watching the Girl – A view on female power and femininity
- iii. "The Mother": origin of sexually deviant behaviour
- IV. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to analyze the connection between sexuality, power, and gender, with a particular focus on A.M. Homes' controversial novel The End of Alice. The paper will examine the construction of gender and sex roles, explore the notion of gendered power, and investigate the role of childhood trauma in the development of sexually deviant behavior.
- The construction of gender and sex roles
- The relationship between power and sexuality
- The influence of childhood trauma on sexual deviance
- The representation of gendered power in The End of Alice
- The role of "The Mother" in shaping the characters' lives
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter provides an introduction to the topic of gender and sex roles, outlining historical perspectives and highlighting key concepts from psychoanalysis and feminist theory. It discusses the development of gender roles and the social construction of both sex and gender. The second chapter delves deeper into the theoretical framework of sexuality and power, exploring the interplay of these concepts and their impact on social hierarchies and relationships. This chapter also examines the role of childhood trauma in shaping the individual's understanding of sexuality and power.
The third chapter focuses on the representation of sex and gender as instruments of power in The End of Alice. This chapter analyzes the portrayal of male power and masculinity through the character of "Chappy," while also exploring the complexities of female power and femininity as represented by the other characters. It particularly examines the role of "The Mother" as a powerful and influential figure in the novel, investigating her impact on the characters' lives and their relationships.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key words and concepts explored in this paper include: gender, sex, power, sexuality, childhood trauma, sexual deviance, The End of Alice, A.M. Homes, "The Mother," masculine, feminine, patriarchal society, feminist theory, psychoanalysis, social construction, performativity, and gendered power.
- Citar trabajo
- Carsten Krumdiek (Autor), 2007, The power of sex - the sex of power: a gendered approach to A.M. Homes' "The End of Alice", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/79509
