13 Jan 2023

156

Themes of Gender Inequality in Gillian Flynn's A Howl

Format: MLA

Academic level: College

Paper type: Essay (Any Type)

Words: 733

Pages: 3

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Each time people think about the topic of equality, they come to a conclusion that the status has been achieved. Indeed, the fight for gender equality has come a long way and one might be tempted to think that it has been worn. However, this fight is far from over. In addition to being considered the minority in every corner of the world, women still face other evils associated with their gender such as rape. No place is safe for the womenfolk, including the workplace. It is these reasons that make Gillian Flynn almost angry at the world, as she writes her most recent article, A Howl . Flynn (2017) gives her perception of the modern man in regards to the degradation of women. This paper will give an analysis of Flynn’s article as well as analyze her specific intentions with the article. 

Gillian Flynn is a novelist, with a number of best-selling books out there, such as Gone Girl. She spent most of her youthful years perusing through books, which ultimately led her to being an author. In her most recent article, A Howl , Flynn talks about the horrors women go through as rape victims and the tough decisions they have to make at the workplaces. On the other hand, men, who are actually the perpetrators of these evils, go home without a charge on their backs. For the women who are courageous enough to speak up, they end up being loathed by a majority of the male population (Flynn, 2017). Flynn does not fail to point out that yes, there exists a number of good men out there. However, she is not oblivious to the fact that some men, others who are great, are behind the evils that happen to women. 

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In A Howl, Flynn (2017) draws her motivation from the women who come out and speak against abusive men. However, her reaction, or rather, the reaction that these women receive ultimately is not triumphant as it should be. Women are always encouraged to report any kind of harassment that comes their way. Truth be told, that is the right thing to do. However, are the results of these reports making an impact anywhere? Are men really changing their ways to become better? Flynn points out that this is far from the truth. If it were so, the number of rape cases would be going down. As for equality, women would not feel the pressure of having to work twice as hard. As if to add salt to injury, the men that belittle and rape women almost always forget their actions and the victim. To them, the woman body is an item to play with and toss away. And their voices? Not to be heard. 

At work, women suffer with dilemmas of not knowing if they are good enough, or the male boss is just eying them. If an inappropriate thing were to happen to them, they are still faced with the dilemma of whether to report or not to report. If they report, they become stigmatized and risk the opportunity for growth. On the other hand, if they do not report, they risk being raped at the workplace. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, the blame is still shifted to the women (Flynn, 2017). After hearing some of the arguments men bring up when it comes to rape, one is left to wonder where self-control went to. Women are accused of dressing inappropriately or walking alone at night, yet, isn’t it supposed to be a safe world? The idea of self-control seems to be fading away. 

The author further gets emotional by the fact that despite women coming out and reporting men who have assaulted them, these same men get elevated in the society, and the women remain a part of their forgotten history (Flynn, 2017). People have been awarded superior positions despite the fact that there is evidence all over the media of the evils they have committed. Flynn argues that it is the society that is to blame for the lack of equality and discrimination against women. It is not forgivable to knowingly elevate the status of rapists and other criminals. Nevertheless, this has become the norm in the society. It is for this reason that the fight for equality will remain a far-fetched dream. 

Flynn concludes by speaking about her two children, a 7-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter (Flynn, 2017). Both are presented as confident young children with a bright future. The author talks proudly about her daughter and seems like she is almost sure the daughter will be a strong woman in the society. The perplexing thing is that Flynn is more concerned about the outcome of her son. This should be the concern of all parent out there. The battle for equality and against rape all lies in the upbringing of the boy child. Parents should raise men with good morals, who are ready to respect their female counterparts and see them as equals. Then and only then will the battle be worn. 

Reference 

Flynn, G. (2017, December 6). Gillian Flynn: A Howl. Time . Retrieved from http://time.com/5050757/gillian-flynn-on-women-speaking-out-sexual-harassment/ 

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 15). Themes of Gender Inequality in Gillian Flynn's A Howl.
https://studybounty.com/themes-of-gender-inequality-in-gillian-flynns-a-howl-essay

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