“Women on the Edge of Time” is basically a novel written by Marge Piercy. This book is an indictment of some fundamental assumptions of our society. It also presents the intriguing portrayal of the Utopian alternatives. In this novel, a woman named Connie in the age of 37 has been declared as insane. However, the woman is overwhelmingly sane. She had merely turned into future and is able to communicate with the future year 1937. This paper presents the book review of “Woman on the Edge of Time” written by Marge Percy. This paper reviews the book in three themes Gender Matrix, Sexual Binaries, and Dichotomy.
Connie has been confined in a mental hospital for the purpose of mind control treatment. This narrative of realism provides the plausible picture of society that has actually institutionalized the oppression of weak people. The story of the novel ends with the resolution of Connie to fight back considering it to be a war for the recognition on behalf of other women as well as for herself. Utopia is basically the feeling one has about the society. It usually presents the way people think that something is lacking in the society. This book has been presented as a Utopian theory because the overall story of the book presents the lacks in society in current as well as in future world. Connie was heavenly drugged in the New York hospital. As a result, she starts to communicate with a figure that can or cannot be imaginary. She starts communicating with Luciente who is the form of future. It tells that women in the society will be treated miserably. The main purpose of the women shown in the novel is for a sexual purpose. Women in the society as shown in the book are considered to be a sympathetic audience. The forced use of women in the society is becoming a habit which is expected to grow in future as well. The following table shows the Gender Matrix Analysis of the book. Labor Time Resources Culture Women No longer need to participate in the current events. Women are currently suffering. In future, the women will be having an important role due to their sufferings in today’s world. Women currently do not possess as many resources. The culture is oppressive towards women. Women are solely valued for their appearance. Men Acquire skills for their dominance which is exhibited several times. Men and women will be having equal status and rights. Men possess all the resources in the society. The culture also supports men dominant society. Table 1: Gender Matrix Analysis Most of the Utopian novels written by women are quite different than this one. This novel represents the social and political agenda of the late sixties and seventies during the period of radical movements. The novel also presents that homophobia, phallogocentrism, racism, consumerism, totalitarianism, imperialism, class subordination will no longer exist in the future community. However, the death penalty will remain as the same. Connie considers herself at the important stage and believes that her actions will determine the course of history. The women …show more content…
The author presents a twofold theory in his novel that future has a dystopian effect. It states that elite and wealthier people will start living on the space platform. Similarly the majority of the population will be having surgical controls and psychotropic drugs. They will harvest the human beings of earth. This comparison of elites and poor people in the society presents the current thinking as well as future prospects that ultimately affect the human beings.
This theory presents that elite class is becoming more and more powerful while poor people become less powerful. Poor people are becoming the victims of rich people while rich people are grasping the rights of poor people. It means that the society is becoming miserable. Poor people have to live their lives in the conditions imposed by rich people. Similarly, they will also have to compromise their women for the desires of the elite class. The confrontation of Connie with the technology of “Mind Control” inspires her for the violent actions that aim at preventing the mind control technology. She wants to disseminate this technology because she perceives the miserable future of the
Connie has been confined in a mental hospital for the purpose of mind control treatment. This narrative of realism provides the plausible picture of society that has actually institutionalized the oppression of weak people. The story of the novel ends with the resolution of Connie to fight back considering it to be a war for the recognition on behalf of other women as well as for herself. Utopia is basically the feeling one has about the society. It usually presents the way people think that something is lacking in the society. This book has been presented as a Utopian theory because the overall story of the book presents the lacks in society in current as well as in future world. Connie was heavenly drugged in the New York hospital. As a result, she starts to communicate with a figure that can or cannot be imaginary. She starts communicating with Luciente who is the form of future. It tells that women in the society will be treated miserably. The main purpose of the women shown in the novel is for a sexual purpose. Women in the society as shown in the book are considered to be a sympathetic audience. The forced use of women in the society is becoming a habit which is expected to grow in future as well. The following table shows the Gender Matrix Analysis of the book. Labor Time Resources Culture Women No longer need to participate in the current events. Women are currently suffering. In future, the women will be having an important role due to their sufferings in today’s world. Women currently do not possess as many resources. The culture is oppressive towards women. Women are solely valued for their appearance. Men Acquire skills for their dominance which is exhibited several times. Men and women will be having equal status and rights. Men possess all the resources in the society. The culture also supports men dominant society. Table 1: Gender Matrix Analysis Most of the Utopian novels written by women are quite different than this one. This novel represents the social and political agenda of the late sixties and seventies during the period of radical movements. The novel also presents that homophobia, phallogocentrism, racism, consumerism, totalitarianism, imperialism, class subordination will no longer exist in the future community. However, the death penalty will remain as the same. Connie considers herself at the important stage and believes that her actions will determine the course of history. The women …show more content…
The author presents a twofold theory in his novel that future has a dystopian effect. It states that elite and wealthier people will start living on the space platform. Similarly the majority of the population will be having surgical controls and psychotropic drugs. They will harvest the human beings of earth. This comparison of elites and poor people in the society presents the current thinking as well as future prospects that ultimately affect the human beings.
This theory presents that elite class is becoming more and more powerful while poor people become less powerful. Poor people are becoming the victims of rich people while rich people are grasping the rights of poor people. It means that the society is becoming miserable. Poor people have to live their lives in the conditions imposed by rich people. Similarly, they will also have to compromise their women for the desires of the elite class. The confrontation of Connie with the technology of “Mind Control” inspires her for the violent actions that aim at preventing the mind control technology. She wants to disseminate this technology because she perceives the miserable future of the