What is Deviance? Deviance is often described as doing something that does not follow social norms. It can be positive or negative. In the book, “ The Round House” by Louise Erdrich, deviance is portrayed throughout the book in several negative ways. It is especially used against the main character 's mother named Geraldine when she is brutally raped by a white male. This act of violence brought out a main theme of this book which is gender inequality. In short, this novel shows the deviant act a white male commits and the reality of how difficult it is to be a indian woman in the 1980’s in North Dakota.
To begin with, Geraldine’s rape defines deviance to a great extent because her rights as a woman are violated. The act of violence happened on a Sunday afternoon when Geraldine was out by herself picking up a file from work. Joe, her son and her husband Basil were at home when they began to worry about how long …show more content…
The fact that Geraldine was a woman influenced the rape in multiple ways because she was considered an easy target. For example, when Joe is talking to Linda who is Linden Larks sister she tells him “He hated your family, I mean, your father mostly” (299). In other words, Linden Lark especially hated Geraldine 's husband but he still choose to attack Geraldine because he knew she was weaker. Also, in one instance Linden Lark talks down to Geraldine and Mayla who are both indian woman during the attack where Geraldine says said to them, “ He said we have no standing under the law for a good reason and yet have continued to diminish the white man and take his honor” (161). In other words, Linden basically told them that they don’t have as much power as a white male but they still try to ruin him. I felt that this showed the way Linden felt that woman would never be as powerful or better than him. In short, Linden attacked Geraldine because she was a woman and he believes women are
To begin with, Geraldine’s rape defines deviance to a great extent because her rights as a woman are violated. The act of violence happened on a Sunday afternoon when Geraldine was out by herself picking up a file from work. Joe, her son and her husband Basil were at home when they began to worry about how long …show more content…
The fact that Geraldine was a woman influenced the rape in multiple ways because she was considered an easy target. For example, when Joe is talking to Linda who is Linden Larks sister she tells him “He hated your family, I mean, your father mostly” (299). In other words, Linden Lark especially hated Geraldine 's husband but he still choose to attack Geraldine because he knew she was weaker. Also, in one instance Linden Lark talks down to Geraldine and Mayla who are both indian woman during the attack where Geraldine says said to them, “ He said we have no standing under the law for a good reason and yet have continued to diminish the white man and take his honor” (161). In other words, Linden basically told them that they don’t have as much power as a white male but they still try to ruin him. I felt that this showed the way Linden felt that woman would never be as powerful or better than him. In short, Linden attacked Geraldine because she was a woman and he believes women are