Literature and Feminism: Breaking the Conventional Norms

Running head: LITERATURE AND FEMINISM
Literature and feminism
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1LITERATURE AND FEMINISM
Consider the ways in which women authors develop in readers a critical consciousness that
is necessary in discerning gender and racial/cultural practices of discrimination in society
and inciting social change.
Introduction: Over the years, English literature has been highlighting the issue of social
discrimination through the works of great authors. Focusing their views on the issue of social
discrimination, the flock of writers articulated and presented the problem from different
perspectives. Some of the great works are even based on the real-life incidents of the authors
itself. In the form of drama, poetry and novels, social discrimination has been portrayed as a
dominant voice against the bias within the society (Gilbert, 515-543). In this regard, the
contribution of the women authors indeed deserves mention. Realizing the issue and the need of
bringing the issue into the limelight, famous women authors enriched the treasure of English
literature with the great works that subjected feminism (Collins, 12).
The objective of the works was not only to contribute to the English literature, rather the
authors, novelist and poets, especially the women authors penned down the great works with the
aim of developing a conscience within the readers or the audience regarding the need of
elimination o racial and cultural discrimination. Thus, they conveyed the message of the need for
social change through their works. Miles Franklin’s novel ‘My Brilliant Career’ is one such
work that depicts the struggle of a girl and her final realization of her self-identity (Franklin, 1).
Setting an example, Franklin showed how a girl transforms into an empowered woman who
prefers career over her marriage. The lines “accidents had no power over me” and “fear I knew
not” implies Sybylla, the protagonist’s win over the ultimate fear (Franklin, 17). Through her
novel ‘Color Purple’, Alice Walker introduces her perception regarding gender as well as the
gender with the purpose of developing a consciousness within the reader (Walker, 11). Various

2LITERATURE AND FEMINISM
characters have been employed by Walker in order to make them more engaged with the subject
of gender inequality while exclusively highlighting on the topic of sexual orientation (Walker,
11). The essay will be giving close attention to the gender identity as portrayed by Walker in his
novel. At the same time, the paper also gives reference from ‘A Room of One’s Own’ that was
written by Virginia Woolf (Virginia, 47). Therefore essay will be strictly focusing on how
Franklin, Walker and Woolf established the traditional norms breaking the gender inequality and
sexual biasness.
Discussion: Since17th century, the issue of social segregation is being featured through
the articulation of extraordinary writers. Concentrating their perspectives on the subject of social
segregation, the many of the great authors enunciated and exhibited the issue from an alternate
point of view. A portion of the significant works is even in light of the actual occurrences of the
creators itself (Gilbert, Sandra and Susan, 34). Through dramatization, verse and books, social
segregation has been depicted as a noteworthy voice against the separation inside the ordinary
people. In such manner, the commitment of the women authors to be sure merits say.
Understanding the issue and the need to acquire the issue in the spotlight, well known women
authors advanced the fortune of English writing with the extensive works that subjected women
liberation (Gilbert, 515-543).
The aim of the works was not exclusively to add to the English writing, instead the flock
of authors particularly the women section penned down the their thoughts, vision and perception
through the works with a point of building up a soul inside the readers in regards to the need of
the end of racial and social segregation (Humm, 2). Subsequently, they passed on the message of
the need for social change through their works. Miles Franklin's novel ‘My Brilliant Career’ is
one such work that portrays the battle of a young girl and her last acknowledgment of her self-