Comments on: According to feminist critic Andrea Dworkin, we should interpret the text of Margaret Atwood’s Novel ‘Alias Grace’ to the maxim that “all men are rapists” http://akerue.net/blog/2006/10/does-atwoods-novel-alias-grace-present-all-men-as-rapists/ Communications & Design Sat, 19 Feb 2011 18:44:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Jon Walsh http://akerue.net/blog/2006/10/does-atwoods-novel-alias-grace-present-all-men-as-rapists/comment-page-1/#comment-24 Jon Walsh Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:26:19 +0000 http://akerue.net/2007/07/15/according-to-feminist-critic-andrea-dworkin-we-should-interpret-the-text-of-margaret-atwoods-novel-alias-grace-to-the-maxim-that-%e2%80%9call-men-are-rapists%e2%80%9d/#comment-24 I think that Dworkin has misinterpreted Atwood's purpose in writing the novel. She wanted to take Grace and turn her as the heroine in the story, the wronged protagonist, which she evidently was. By all means, the men in the story proved very cruel, but Atwood always has an interesting agenda of her own. Consider another of her novels- "The Handmaids Tale". Two of the crucial underlying messages are that in a patriarchal society mixed with totalitarianism, the men would suffer just as much, and through the character of Moira, she demonstrates that radical feminism is a very foolish concept-as Moira discovers when she ends up working as a concubine. Atwood has always been a very moderate feminist, and as such, in my opinion, would never advocate an idea that ALL men were anything. I think that Dworkin has misinterpreted Atwood’s purpose in writing the novel. She wanted to take Grace and turn her as the heroine in the story, the wronged protagonist, which she evidently was. By all means, the men in the story proved very cruel, but Atwood always has an interesting agenda of her own.

Consider another of her novels- “The Handmaids Tale”. Two of the crucial underlying messages are that in a patriarchal society mixed with totalitarianism, the men would suffer just as much, and through the character of Moira, she demonstrates that radical feminism is a very foolish concept-as Moira discovers when she ends up working as a concubine.

Atwood has always been a very moderate feminist, and as such, in my opinion, would never advocate an idea that ALL men were anything.

]]> By: Julian Real http://akerue.net/blog/2006/10/does-atwoods-novel-alias-grace-present-all-men-as-rapists/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Julian Real Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:31:03 +0000 http://akerue.net/2007/07/15/according-to-feminist-critic-andrea-dworkin-we-should-interpret-the-text-of-margaret-atwoods-novel-alias-grace-to-the-maxim-that-%e2%80%9call-men-are-rapists%e2%80%9d/#comment-2 Are not most men who rape both self-absorbed AND predatory and dangerous to women's welfare and human rights, individually and collectively? Why these either/or distinctions? Whose interests are served by reducing rapists to poor souls who are self-absorbed? Not women's. Men of any color are adults, after all, and like women, ought to be responsible AS ADULTS for any form of coercion or violation we perpetrate. To let us men off the hook because, well, really, we haven't grown up yet (and, according to some estimates, never will--which might very well be true) is to turn the notion of "justice" into a fantasy. Should white people too--women and men--only be seen as spiritually immature, and therefore not adult enough to hold accountable for being in charge of a white supremacist society? Are not most men who rape both self-absorbed AND predatory and dangerous to women’s welfare and human rights, individually and collectively? Why these either/or distinctions? Whose interests are served by reducing rapists to poor souls who are self-absorbed? Not women’s. Men of any color are adults, after all, and like women, ought to be responsible AS ADULTS for any form of coercion or violation we perpetrate. To let us men off the hook because, well, really, we haven’t grown up yet (and, according to some estimates, never will–which might very well be true) is to turn the notion of “justice” into a fantasy. Should white people too–women and men–only be seen as spiritually immature, and therefore not adult enough to hold accountable for being in charge of a white supremacist society?

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