Power Struggle In Literature - 1339 Words

Power Struggles â€Å"A measure of a man is what he does with power.† These wise words were once said by the classical greek philosopher Plato, and can be applied to our society and fictional societies to this day. In literature, it can be applied to the societies of â€Å"Lamb to the Slaughter† by Roald Dahl, â€Å"Ponies† by Kij Johnson, and â€Å"Honor to Us All† from Disney’s Mulan. Marxism (the theory that is used to look at conflicts and imbalances of power in literature/societies) and Feminism (the study/advocacy of equality for men and women rights) can be used to implement this quote into fiction. An examination of these three stories reveals that sexism causes power struggles in societies. Each story shows a power struggle because of sexism†¦show more content†¦Each pony represents a girls spirit: their voice, their freedom (wings), and their ability to fight back (horns). When they go to a cutting out party, they get these things taken away from them, leaving them powerless. This is important because there is a power imbalance and struggle between those who get their power taken away from them and those who don t. The author is showing what could happen if expectations are deeply ingrained into a community making it hard to break away. In these societies, girls are objectified and have their power taken away, which creates a struggle between the sexes. A power struggle can also be proved when characters try to defy authority. When characters defy authority, there are often consequences. An example of this is when Sunny shows defiance in â€Å"Ponies. â€Å"Sunny spins and runs†¦. but there are more of the others and they are bigger, and Sunny doesnâ₠¬â„¢t have her wings to fly or her horn to fight. They pull her down before she can jump the fence into the woods beyond. Sunny cries, and there is nothing, only the sound if pounding hooves from the tight circle.† (Kij Johnson, p.3). Sunny is defying the authority, which are the girls and their ponies, so the ponies kill her. This is significant because it shows that of anything threatens the ponies/girls control, they immediately put out the rebellion. The GirlsShow MoreRelatedPower Struggle In Literature1279 Words   |  6 PagesPower Struggles Within Literature â€Å"A measure of a man is what he does with power.† These wise words said once by the classical Greek philosopher Plato can be applied to our society and fictional societies to this day. Marxism (the theory used to look at conflicts and imbalances of power in literature/societies) and Feminism (the study/advocacy of equality for men and women rights) can be used to implement this quote into certain works of fiction to show struggles and imbalances of power. An examinationRead MoreThe Marxist Theory Of Marxist Criticism757 Words   |  4 Pagesso far has been pushed forward by these class struggles. 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