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The Running Man

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An American author by the name of Rick Riordan once wrote that, “Humans see what they want to see.” This idea that people in society choose to only see what they desire is a phenomenon that is seen all around the world today. However, in seeing only what one wants to see, it is proven that people will often miss, or look over, the deeper details within what they are analyzing. Often times upon reading Stephen King’s The Running man, this behaviour is displayed as it is believed that the main source of conflict in the novel lies within society’s division between the rich and the poor. At first glance this concept may appear to be true seeing as the story follows the journey of a poor man named Ben Richards who, due to tough economic times, …show more content…

However, upon diving deeper into the subject matter and analyzing The Running Man through a feminist perspective, truly fascinating components arise, allowing one to see how the real problem in this story lies not in the division of classes, but in the division and mistreatment between sexes. The first fascinating component that arises when studying The Running Man from a feminist point of view lies within the use of gender stereotypes throughout the novel and how they affirm and promote the traditional roles of women in society. Sexualization of women is but another shocking element within The Running Man that, when analyzed through a feminist literary theory, quickly becomes apparent to the reader. The use gender stereotypes, specifically female stereotypes, is the first striking aspect that reveals itself under the feminist lens within The Running Man as it promotes the idea of a greater conflict between the sexes. Indeed, throughout the course of the novel, King writes multiple lines that, when examined through a feminist perspective, prove to be degrading to women as they promote and affirm the traditional roles of women in society. …show more content…

Within the novel lie a plethora of sexual remarks and comments made by male characters towards women. Each of these comments add up to promote the idea that women are symbols of sex and that the society these people are living in is extremely phallocentric. Within the novel lie a plethora of sexual remarks and comments made by male characters towards women. Each of these comments add up to promote the idea that women are symbols of sex and that the society these people are living in is extremely phallocentric. The reader first witnesses these remarks when, while at the Games Building getting registered, Richards has a conversation with a young attractive women where he states bluntly, “Nice tits,” and then later, “He leaned forward and swatted her lightly on the rump,”(King 29). Here, it is shown that Richards, the “good guy” in the novel, has little to no respect for women. Indeed, the fact that even the main protagonist in the novel acts like this, proves the notion that suggests women within The Running Man are merely there for the pleasure of men. This is an example of phallocentrism, a reoccurring concept within the novel that essentially states that men consider their sexual drives and urges as the centre of the social world, thus putting their sexual desires over the feelings of women.

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