How radical are the changes to the gender roles Essay Example

protagonist in the story "The Company of Wolves" does not exhibit typical female behavior by weeping or shrieking following her grandmother's death. Rather, she uses the experience to increase her understanding and knowledge to ensure her safety. This is significant because women are often expected to be overly emotional and out of control. However, the protagonist's lack of awareness ultimately leads to her downfall. She ignores crucial warning signs despite noting differences in her grandmother's appearance. Nevertheless, author Carter challenges gender norms by depicting a female character capable of taking action rather than being utterly helpless. The portrayal of men in the story is also noteworthy, as the wolf embodies darkness and cunning. The protagonist uses her purity and feminine charm to avoid his fate, contrasting with his darkness and the forest that surrounds him. Overall, "The Company of Wolves" offers a unique perspective on gender roles and power dynamics.

The protagonist is described as bringing a flurry of snow that melts into tears on the tiles, which symbolizes her purity. As a result, her purity washes over the darkness of the wolf and merges with it, creating an image of purity and darkness combining. This portrays the male as less powerful, possibly consenting to sex with the protagonist instead of killing her, suggesting a radical mindset. However, a conservative viewpoint may still view the wolf as highly significant, as the female protagonist may still be seen as being taken advantage of in either scenario.