Brain Pain discussion
The Spine 2016
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Discussion questions for the Female Protagonists project
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The first four or so questions basically constitute the Bechdel test. We might consider asking "Could a male character seamlessly replace the female character?" For example, is the entire purpose of the character's gender to stand out (the only woman in a world of men) or get pregnant?
This ties in with "does the female protagonist seem to be representative of the women of her time and place", although we should probably consider the replacement in a retrospective, modern sense rather than in a strict "a woman could never do that back then, so no" sense.
In regards to "Does the female protagonist have a career/occupation outside of the home?", I'm assuming that we can include writing (even when unsuccessful) as an "occupation"? Otherwise, a good third of novels about male protagonists would fail this one. Ditto for "idle rich".
Mod
We might consider asking "Could a male character seamlessly replace the female character?" For example, is the entire purpose..."
Thanks for reminding me about the Bechdel test. I couldn't remember that one.
I don't understand your last point.
Jim wrote: "I don't understand your last point. Just that many male protagonists don't have an occupation outside the home, either.
Mod
Just that many male protagonists don't have an occupation outside the home, either."
Ah, okay. So what I meant was, "Does the female protagonist have a career/occupation outside the role of wife/mother? " i.e. the domestic sphere of influence over the home.
Mkfs wrote: "The first four or so questions basically constitute the Bechdel test. We might consider asking "Could a male character seamlessly replace the female character?" For example, is the entire purpose..."
I usually frame it as "does the female character participate in some or all of the domains of public and private life, in addition to her role within the domestic sphere as caretaker of others (i.e., wife, mother, daughter) when I am talking about it.
Male characters nearly universally have a public role that is independent of a caretaking relationship of another person, even if that role is nothing more than going to their social club and betting on horses and inheriting property & a title, three things that one would never see a woman, well-bred or otherwise, doing.
For example, while Fitzwilliam Darcy doesn't "have a career or an occupation" in the sense that we now think of it, he does have a very public role as a landowner and man of business. Georgiana Darcy, his younger sister, on the other hand, has no public role at all, aside from being the younger, cherished and protected sister of Mr. Darcy. It's a question of agency and who has it.
Some general discussion questions for the project. Feel free to add to the list…
Is the female protagonist believable? Can we imagine a woman like this could exist?
Are the other female characters also believable?
(Note: “believable” is of course subjective. For the sake of the project, maybe we could modify that to “generally believable”)
Does the female protagonist have female friends and confidantes?
Are the female protagonist’s conversations with other female characters about topics other than relationships with men, husbands, children?
Does the female protagonist have a career/occupation outside of the home?
Since we are reading books from many historical eras, does the female protagonist seem to be representative of the women of her time and place? Or does she go against the norms of her era?
Does the female protagonist seem to represent a particular archetype? a particular stereotype? Or is she a new type of woman for her era?
Does the author – male or female – use the female protagonist to represent/support an ideology? or to go against an ideology?
Is the female protagonist portrayed as an independent person, socially, psychologically, or otherwise? Or is the protagonist portrayed as dependent on and/or controlled by a male character – father, husband, other male? or controlled by another female character?
Naturally, for a project like this, the questions can be numerous. Please share your ideas for other discussion questions.