Black Water: Voiceless Victims
Voiceless Victims: A Woman in a Man's WorldCarol Oates invites readers to consider an issue many would rather avoid, because Kelly is someone easy to identify with; she could be our daughter, sister, or even ourselves. Kelly, a young, intelligent, woman, in Oates' novella, Black Water, explores the affect a male dominated society has on the upbringing, life, and eventually, the death of the woman. She is not only the physical victim, but also a victim of social attitudes and perpetuated gender scripts. Kelly is the product of a misogynistic world that not only leads to her death, but, also, to her ambiguity as a person. Kelly represents all the women who are overshadowed and led by the men they admire down paths that result to their demise. Based on a true story of Mary Jo Kopechne, Kelly represents a woman of obscurity. By this I mean her name and life are never brought out accurately or long enough for the public to have a collective sense of who she was; her name was never a household word. Her name is eventually forgotten, and her life was never known. Newspapers mentioned her name here and there, deeming her an "unworldly" and "unsophisticated" woman. The reader does not learn anything of who and what she was; sh
She is afraid that if she does not do as he says there will not be a later for them. At one point Kelly's inability to attract a man made her feel as if she had failed in life, as if it was her mission to be physically attractive to the men around her. The horoscope reads:Too much caution in revealing your impulses and desires to others! For once demand YOUR wishes and get YOUR own way! Your stars are wildly romantic now, Scorpio, after a period of disappointment - GO FOR IT! (13) A horoscope is geared to the general person, not exclusively to Kelly. Not only does she allow him to take her integrity, but also her life. The author uses a variety of techniques to emphasize the importance of these woman's lives. Kelly is a strong woman but not strong enough to break free of the gender roles created by the social attitudes of her family and the media. She aptly follows the choices prompted by socially implied gender roles rather than follow her own instincts to protect herself. Kelly tries to defend a woman's position, knowing her stance is important, but soon gives in to the intimacy between her and the Senator, and eventually loses her thought. Things she wants to believe and things she knows are true. Instead of rebelling in any systematic way, she humbly follows a man to her death. By placing herself whole heartily into the capable hands of a man, Kelly would be provided for, and taken care of. She wants to tell the Senator to pull over, that they are lost, but is frightened to admit that she is disagreeing with a man. The news engraves upon us the life stories and !the futures of the men who have victimized a woman. As a child, and in following the footsteps of her mother, Kelly views women, as objects for men's enjoyment.
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