The novel Fifty Shades of Grey has become a worldwide phenomenon, if a person hasn’t read this book they certainly have heard of it. The book was so popular that it was recently made into a movie as well, further contributing to the Fifty Shades culture and broadening its audience. The book “has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide…and emerged as one of the biggest-selling series in publishing history” (Bosman 1). When the film version of this book came out earlier this year it raked in “over $400 million worldwide” (Mansfield 1). The only other series’ to come close to these sales were Harry Potter, Twilight, and Nancy Drew (Bosman 1). What does it say about our culture and society that we praise a book that’s main focus is a man and
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Throughout the entire book the woman is treated as if her purpose is to please the man in everything she does, even going so far as to accept physical beatings that essentially are designed to arouse the man. Not only does this book display this type of violence in a way that is demeaning towards women, but it also makes it seem like it is okay by disguising it in a way that makes it seem like something sexy. An example of this would be a report of “A college student who has been accused of raping a classmate [who] told authorities he was reenacting scenes from ’50 Shades of Grey’” (Holley 1). The book makes violence towards women seem sexy because Christian, the leading male character, cares for her by taking care of her, lavishing her with expensive gifts, dates, and anything else she may want or need. However, while her needs may be met in some ways, he does nothing in the department of her emotional needs. Throughout the entire extent of their relationship, Anastasia, the female lead, is an emotional mess. She is constantly crying and on an emotional roller coaster because the man she has fallen in love with can only seem to have a functioning relationship if he brings physical pain to his partners for sexual pleasure. Ultimately, the book makes all of this seem acceptable because she loves him and against his own personal rules he falls in love with her
Throughout the entire book the woman is treated as if her purpose is to please the man in everything she does, even going so far as to accept physical beatings that essentially are designed to arouse the man. Not only does this book display this type of violence in a way that is demeaning towards women, but it also makes it seem like it is okay by disguising it in a way that makes it seem like something sexy. An example of this would be a report of “A college student who has been accused of raping a classmate [who] told authorities he was reenacting scenes from ’50 Shades of Grey’” (Holley 1). The book makes violence towards women seem sexy because Christian, the leading male character, cares for her by taking care of her, lavishing her with expensive gifts, dates, and anything else she may want or need. However, while her needs may be met in some ways, he does nothing in the department of her emotional needs. Throughout the entire extent of their relationship, Anastasia, the female lead, is an emotional mess. She is constantly crying and on an emotional roller coaster because the man she has fallen in love with can only seem to have a functioning relationship if he brings physical pain to his partners for sexual pleasure. Ultimately, the book makes all of this seem acceptable because she loves him and against his own personal rules he falls in love with her