“Tricks” and Wenlock Edge” by Alive Munro both depict two female characters who are shamed by a male figure. The two female characters, Robin and the narrator, both deal with their feelings of shame in different ways but both wish to conform to societal norms. According to the article “The Lives of Women who Experience Male Violence” written by Helen Baker, “shame concerns the relationship of the self with others in society” (5). These two characters feel shame because they went against societal norms, and isolate themselves in order to prevent their shame from going public. Robin and the narrator’s shame comes from societal expectations that are detrimental to women.
Baker’s article is about how the legal system does not take into account …show more content…
One way in doing so is to blame the women for their abuse rather than blaming themselves which is detrimental to their mental state and their self-esteem. These consequences leads to women trying to “achieve these norms […] set by the perpetrator, which often become the woman’s sole reference point as she becomes isolated from her family and friends by the perpetrator’s tactics of control” (9). Shame creates an environment in which women are taken advantage of and perpetrators can easily get away with it. “Wenlock Edge” portrays two characters that become isolated and dominated because of a male perpetrator. Nina has had a hard life and doesn’t have any friends or family to help her out. As a result, she continually goes to Mr. Purvis to get the help she needs to provide for herself in order to survive. In return, Mr. Purvis uses her for sex and keeps an eye on her at all time using Mrs. Winner, woman who follows her in a black car. Nina tries to get out of her situation but uses the narrator as bait instead of asking for help from actual official. As Baker suggested, women will isolate themselves and avoid help in order to appease the perpetrators, or in this case, Mr. Purvis’ norms. The narrator ends up eating dinner with Mr. Purvis and reciting a poem to him completely naked, and at first she blames herself for her
Baker’s article is about how the legal system does not take into account …show more content…
One way in doing so is to blame the women for their abuse rather than blaming themselves which is detrimental to their mental state and their self-esteem. These consequences leads to women trying to “achieve these norms […] set by the perpetrator, which often become the woman’s sole reference point as she becomes isolated from her family and friends by the perpetrator’s tactics of control” (9). Shame creates an environment in which women are taken advantage of and perpetrators can easily get away with it. “Wenlock Edge” portrays two characters that become isolated and dominated because of a male perpetrator. Nina has had a hard life and doesn’t have any friends or family to help her out. As a result, she continually goes to Mr. Purvis to get the help she needs to provide for herself in order to survive. In return, Mr. Purvis uses her for sex and keeps an eye on her at all time using Mrs. Winner, woman who follows her in a black car. Nina tries to get out of her situation but uses the narrator as bait instead of asking for help from actual official. As Baker suggested, women will isolate themselves and avoid help in order to appease the perpetrators, or in this case, Mr. Purvis’ norms. The narrator ends up eating dinner with Mr. Purvis and reciting a poem to him completely naked, and at first she blames herself for her