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Scarlet Letter. Not only does the book capture the darker side of society during this time, but it
also demonstrates the inferiority women faced. Hesters feminist values are clearly represented
throughout the novel. For example, the letter As meaning is reassigned when the narrator
explains that [M]any people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They
said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength (Hawthorne 134).
The narrator continues to mention that the very nature of the opposite sex, or its long hereditary
habit, which has become like nature, is to be essentially modified, before [women] can be
allowed to assume what seems fair and suitable position (Hawthorne 137). Hawthorne most
likely wrote the character of Hester to reflect this outbreak of new feminist ideas and show how
society began to change because of them.
These thoughts about womens rights are also reflected in the Realistic short story, The
Story of an Hour. Characteristics of Realism, including accurate representations of the middle
class authentic thoughts, paved the way for an accurate view of the worlds thoughts about
womens rights. The story entails a woman who has just heard of the new of her husbands death.
While she is overcome with sadness, she explains that she saw beyond that bitter moment a
long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely (Chopin 2). She is
relieved from the controlling vibes that her husband often possessed and becomes overwhelmed
with the amount of new freedoms she obtains. For this woman to feel so relieved about
someones death speaks for the amount of constriction she was feeling, which truly reflects the
conflicts women had to face in their fight for freedom. Chopin clearly was a strong believer of
womens rights and wanted to demonstrate that throughout her story. Many other works of
Realism show this communication about womens rights vividly and accurately.
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Naturalism also displays these idealistic values, while bringing in the concept of nature to
enhance them. To Build a Fire is a key example of Naturalistic story that contains elements
that expose the world honestly and as straightforward as possible with a lack of happy endings.
The prominent concept seen in the other literary movements is that men are superior to
everything, especially women. While this may be true of Dark Romanticism and Realism,
Naturalism twists this thought, making nature superior to everything. For instance, in Jack
Londons To Build a Fire, the man believes that he can prevail in hypothermic weather, but
ultimately gets crushed by the power of the nature. The narrator makes clear that he [did not]
think about mans general weakness, able to live only within narrow limits of heat and cold
(London 65). Contrasting to the previous literary works and social roles during the time of
Naturalism, men are deemed inferior to all in the story. In the early twentieth century, women
started the push for their finalized freedoms and this story is a reflection that men can be
conquered by something, whether it is nature or women.
The uniqueness of each story brings out the true characteristics of each literary work they
represent. The idea that women are inferior to all is especially eye-catching in the works of
Hawthorne and Chopin. Conflicting to the time period when it was written, Londons story
shows that man can be conquered and does not reign superior. Only twelve years after the story
was written did women receive the right to vote in America, marking a revolutionary time in the
United States history. Womens inferiority and mens superiority are key elements to success in
the works of all literary movements during this time. The Scarlet Letter, The Story of an Hour,
and To Build a Fire, all reflect and contrast the gender roles in the time periods of which they
were composed.
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