Peace Like A River Sexism Essay

Fusing the allure of the Wild West with the heartache of a coming-of-age loss, Leif Enger tells the fateful tale of the Land family in his novel, Peace Like a River. Of the various motifs explored in this work, none shine brighter than the theme of sexism. Whether intentional or unintentional, Enger writes his men full of brawn and bravery, marvelously developing their characters to exude bravery. Conversely, the females in Peace Like a River stand out as displaying the traits of prey: fearful, submissive, imprisoned, and victimized. While Enger expounds upon the male characters in his novel, he limits the women to their roles in relation to the men in the novel. By focusing on the heroic actions and internal struggles of the male characters only, Enger reduces the females in Peace Like a River to mere plot devices.
Without Dolly, the storyline of the novel ends before page ten, yet Enger gives no insight into her character— aside from her romantic position in regard to Davy and a brief reference to the sexual assault attempted upon her. …show more content…
He also traps his male characters by forming them to fit the mold of typical masculinity, complete with enlarged egos, exaggerated sex drives, and an animalistic protective instinct. By keeping his characters in these boxes, Leif Enger perpetuates sexist ideals for both genders. As an American author, Enger holds a responsibility to represent males and females equally in his writing. Holding to traditional stereotypes of gender encourages not only sexism, but fully contributes to the concept of stereotyping all people, whether for their appearance, handicaps, or social status. Modern social leaders, such as authors, directors, and musicians must comprehend the importance of representing the ideal that despite gender or ethnicity, all humans warrant fair