A Feminist Reading of Updike's Rabbit, Run Essay

“If my generation was too naïve, the generations that have followed may be too practical. We knew too little, and now girls know too much.” (Sandberg. Pg. 646) In the past, the call for women’s rights was heated as much as it was alive; many women today believe that they no longer need feminism in their lives. The misconception that feminist ideals are outdated has lead modern women to fall short in their desire to accomplish more. Sheryl Sandberg refuels feminist goals in the article “Lean In: What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid.” She addresses lack of females in the work force, as well as, the way society prompts boys compared to girls. Bell Hook, in contrast, provides a deeper understanding of feminist ideals, along with, an in depth analysis of Sandberg’s work. The articles written by Bell Hook and Sheryl Sandberg express each woman’s perspective on modern feminism; although they both call for action, Sandberg focuses on the inequality between the sexes, while Hook broadens the overall argument to include topics such as race, sexuality and class equality.

He wants to make sure that Rabbit does not experience the same things that Old

The Puritans were a religious group who left the Church of England because they wanted to have more freedom with their religion. They thought the Church of England was “too Catholic”. They believed the Bible and its rules were the number one thing to go by and that all humans were evil and had to overcome their sin. Women had to cover their whole bodies in clothing. They couldn’t show their ankles or wrists. They also had to wear their hair up and out of their face at all times, except if they were in a room alone with only their husband. They always were on one side of the church away from the men or in the back on the church. These women in the society that will be talked about have broken laws and have been misjudged.

Depression has the ability to control one’s behavior. In Rabbit Run, John Updike uses Janice and Rabbit to portray depression’s manipulative way of destroying a person. Through many articles, it is explained how the effects of depression cause a downwards spiral of self destruction. Many authors have explored the effects of depression and linked it alcohol abuse as well. This can be easily compared to Janice’s alcohol consumption throughout the book and how it lead her to her downfall and eventual murder of her daughter as well as Rabbit’s indecisive mind. As Rabbit runs from Janice in an attempt to chase his youth, he is just as numb as his wife. Janice drinks her pain away. However, this does not only affect Janice, but her whole family. Her kids are dragged into this situation as well. As one character struggles through depression and all that results from it, the rest of her family is dragged through it with her.

Rabbit also hates being interrupted in his daily life because he is so focused on his ritual of cleaning and organizing and when people try to visit him, he tries to shoo them away negatively impacting his social life as it is harder for him to meet his friends be

She refers to herself as the rabbit, because she believes she doesn’t have that much of power in front of others, like Diester’s wife, which is a snake.

In Ken Kesey’s ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’, the setting confines the reader to a small ward of an asylum. With most patients fearing what is beyond the white walls, the Head Nurse, Miss Ratched is claimed to be the ‘wolf’. The Head Nurse asserts her power over her ward through emasculating, manipulating and controlling her patients and staff. One patient nicknamed Harding, realizes this while explaining to a new patient how Miss Ratched maintains her power. Through the monologue, the patient uses an analogy of the world of rabbits, wherein the strongest are the wolves. Introducing the boundaries of this society, Harding says “All of us here are rabbits of varying ages and degrees” (62). He is belittling all but Miss Ratched by stating

As young children, girls and boys are taught to be very different from the clothing worn to the way to speak. Females have always been treated more fragile than males for the simple fact that is what children are taught from an early age. The short story, “A&P,” by John Updike shows this in the best of ways. Updike’s message in the short story is that women are meant to be admired and protected. The admiration and protection of the women is evident because when Sammy admires the beauty of the girls and protects them from Lengel after he embarrasses them.

Experiencing the horrible and panful misfortune that many people faced in the 1930s due to the great depression John Steinbeck wrote one of the most critically acclaimed novellas Of Mice and Men. The novella follows the story of two migrant ranch workers George and Lennie who while trying to find work develop a close friendship and share a dream of one day owning their own land. But beneath the surface of what seems like a simple tale of two unlikely friends is a much deeper story and inside of those who were accepted and those who were marginalised. John Steinbeck has ability in his writing to touch the readers and convey his messages of friendship, race, alienation and misogyny that were very present in the 1930s throw his characters Crooks,

Controversy in Rabbit Run The novel, Rabbit Run by John Updike, commences by describing Harry (“Rabbit”) Angstrom’s background. He was a high school basketball player and now is married to a woman named Janice Springer. Rabbit discovers that his wife is pregnant and he mentions to his wife that he is going to pick up his son, Nelson, but instead drives far away when he gets frustrated with his wife’s behavior.

There ain’t no more harm in him than a kid neither, except he’s so strong”’ (Steinbeck 43). While his mind is generally unfocused, he has tunnel vision for rabbits. The lengths that Lennie would go in order to tend his rabbits are both frightening and alarming. Lennie perceives only the consequences of his actions, not the effect they have on others.

He has been diagnosed with dissociative personality disorder (King, 2016, pg. 459-460), as he has many different personalities living inside his body. Throughout his adult life he has believed himself to be many different females, each one has a specific style and a distinct personality. These women have a tendency to appear when Mr. Bunny feels distressed, and are possibly protective of him, as he seems to be the only male personality. He had a probably traumatic childhood, as he describes his youth as a “mostly fun-filled time playing with all my siblings, even though my father was at times rather angry” and did not show any signs of a disorder until he was well into his adult years.

Have you ever wondered how rabbits lived? How they get food or sleep or live? This book tells you about that and it also tells of an adventure of a couple rabbits trying to find a new Warren.

Rabbit, Run is a guilt and blame-fest. This starts at the beginning of the novel when the main character, Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, runs away from his pregnant wife and his son. But when newborn Rebecca June Angstrom drowns in a bathtub, things get messy. Rabbit’s wife Janice admits she drowned the baby while drunk. Yet Rabbit is a prime suspect, especially to himself. He is a suspect precisely because he was not there when the baby died. All of the other characters in the novel are suspects too – everybody simultaneously feels guilty and wants to blame others. Even the novel’s setting, America of 1959, is a suspect.

In the film, Hopps endures extensive, superfluous obstacles to prove herself worthy and capable of working as a police officer in the big city. She is surrounded by characters and circumstances that subtly (and not so subtly) underscore antiquated traditions and ideologies on women participating in the workforce, and employ belittling nicknames and phrases that stereotype and ridicule females. When Hopps enters Zootopia for the first time as an officer, she is frequently told by her male colleagues to “go back to the carrot farm,” a gleaming reference to the antiquated, but still existing notion of “go back to the kitchen(39:25).” In addition, Judy is also asked by her male counterpart, “So, are all bunnies bad drivers?”, directly alluding to the stereotype that all females are incapable of properly operating a car (13:16). Further illuminating the direct connection between “bunny” references and female stereotypes, a male in the film comments, “Oh you bunnies. You’re so emotional (27:04).” These not-so-subtle allusions sprinkled throughout the