Essay Outline: Looking deeper into the relationship between men and women

"The relationship between men and women, and the differences in their role in society, are central considerations in many works of literature. Discuss the part they plan in Wide Sargasso Sea."

Thesis Statement: The work of Jean Rhys aims to depict the struggle of the dominated to make their voices heard in a hostile context against which they find themselves in a position where they are powerless. Throughout Wide Sargasso Sea, the relationship between men and women and their different roles in society are central considerations throughout the novel, as these varied voices engage in an enriching sense-producing experience. Hence, it can be said that Rhys confronts her readers with a world where the male dominates, yet female characters take a stance and embody strength and agency, therefore creating an aspect of post-modernism literature that remains outside these common social norms and societal structures. 

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Topic Sentence: The power struggle that the female gender faces throughout Wide Sargasso Sea is created through the appropriation of women by the dominant male gender through characters such as Rochester versus female protagonists such as Antoinette. 

 Evidence: 

• "So it was all over..." and "Everything was finished" --> related to hopelessness and immobility that is felt by Rochester. 
• "Her pleading expressions annoyed me" --> contrary to Antoinette who is seen as naive about their marriage and their love. 
• "She was a stranger to me, a stranger who did not think or feel as I did" wha the says about Antoinette. 
• When Antoinette fails to reach Rochester's 19th century standards of beauty, he begins to see her beauty as deceitful and almost alien like. 
• Antoinette is presented as "crazy" to a certain extent. --> " She'd be silent and angry for no reason and chatter to Christophine in Patois. 
• Her behavior is labeled as deficient, illogical, mad --> she is marginalized. 
• He renames her and turns her into his puppet, and uses his dominance to imprison her. 
• Exercise Control over reality 

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Topic Sentence: While female independence throughout the novel is shown to be somewhat temporary, many of the female characters throughout Wide Sargasso Sea embody strength and unity, thus creating a significant contrast between commonly held gender stereotypes. 

 Evidence: 

• Notable example of Christophine, a powerful and well respected figure in her community.
• Christophine derives from many of the stereotypes that labeled women of the 19th century.
• She is a benevolent driving force in Antoinette's life --> looks after Antoinette when her mother seems to go off the deep end. 
• When Rochester and Antoinette's marriage begins to disintegrate, she says "A man don't treat you good, pick up your skirt and walk out" --> represents the truth and the reality of the situation. 
• She is comfortable with her racial identity, "All women, all colors, nothing but fools

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Topic Sentence: Throughout Wide Sargasso Sea, Rhys's strategic and unique use of stream of consciousness when conveying the thoughts and desires of both Rochester and Antoinette, further portrays a sense of neutrality between the two narrative voices. 

 Evidence: 

• Feminist Lens --> viewing Antoinette as a more naive character and Rochester's narrative voice as one that is more poetic and critical of his surroundings and of Antoinette. 
• Rochester’s stream of consciousness ends with alienation and distance from a world in which he does not belong and which he is incapable of comprehending. --> Distance from Antoinette, alienating his "fake" expectations of her gender and identity.
• Rochester only sees her for her beauty, but does not truly understand her --> objectification of women through narration.
• Specific use of diction to clearly represent both narrative voices and perspectives (Antoinette VS Rochester)
• Two different cultural worlds incapable of reciprocal understanding.