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Are Stephen King's novels sexist?
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Stephen King's female characters are frequently framed as objects

From Christine to It, women aren't seen as full people in Stephen King's novels.
Literature Sexism Stephen King

The Argument

The objectification of women occurs several times within the pages of Stephen King's books. It is often quite subtle, but offers a clear glimpse into the mind of the writer. A rather literal example of this is the book Christine. Christine is a car - a literal object - and the villain of the story. And yet, nothing more. She's an object, and a murderous one at that.[1] In It, Beverly Marsh is looked at as nothing more than a sexual being by every single male that exists in her life. She frequently is only defined by that, and nothing more despite the knowledge and mind she possesses. Though women are involved in almost all Stephen King books, they often do not serve a purpose larger than being objectified by the male characters. It's often subtle sexism, but can be pulled out of many pages.

Counter arguments

These women can be seen as being objectified, but they are also strong and powerful, emerging triumphant over the very men who put them in their negative situations. King writes them as well-rounded individuals who are more than capable of handling themselves.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Women are objectified in Stephen King books. [P2] This hints at the author's feelings toward women.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] While the women may be objectified, they are also strong and independent.

References

  1. https://www.coursehero.com/file/p75cmn7/Why-Stephen-King-may-or-not-appear-as-Misogynist-Writer-Misogynist-writer-is-an/
This page was last edited on Thursday, 5 Nov 2020 at 23:18 UTC

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