Shackled : female criminality, aggression, and gender-power

93 Pages·2015·2.55 MB·English

by  Cirihn H. Malpocher

Lehigh University
Lehigh Preserve
Theses and Dissertations
2004
Shackled : female criminality, aggression, and
gender-power, "craziness," and implication in
representations of violent women
Cirihn H. Malpocher
Lehigh University
Follow this and additional works at:http://preserve.lehigh.edu/etd
Recommended Citation
Malpocher, Cirihn H., "Shackled : female criminality, aggression, and gender-power, "craziness," and implication in representations of
violent women " (2004).Theses and Dissertations.Paper 867.
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Malpocher, Cirihn
.A
H.
Shackled:
II
Female
Criminality,
Aggression, and
Gender - Power,
'Craziness: ...
September 2004
"Shackled: Female Criminality, Aggression, and Gender- Power, 'Crazinds,'
and Implication in Representations ofViolent Women"
by
Cirihn H. Malpocher
AThesis
Presented to the Graduate and Research Committee
ofLehigh University
in Candidacy for the Degree of
Master ofArts
In
American Studics
Lehigh Univcrsity
July. 2004

Acknowledgements:
My Three Ring Circus
Ring One:
Iwould like to thank Professors John Pettegrew and Dawn Keetley for their
patience, guidance, and encouragement (you are more than
advisors/educators/professors to me, thanks, Ilearned agreat deal from you both).
Iwould also like to thank Professor Heather Beth Johnson, for her support in my
first thesis and IRB review attempt.
Ring Two:
You all know what you mean to me. So, let m~ tell you what you meant to me
using this project as a lens. And, as adisclaimer, let me offer the following: In
my gratitude, Idon't mean to make it sound like Iwent through the hunger pains
ofthe potato famine, the duress ofpersonifying Achilles, only to have my
vulnerable heel punctured by an arrow, andthe emotional or spiritual haunts of
Ichabod Crane's pumpkin-headed ghost (and no, not the fake one in the remake
movie with Christina Ricci) at once, all three ripping me to pieces. I'm only
writing this, not in guilt influenced, obligatory false profession, but because, in
case one ofyou happens to read this, I'd want you to know how thankful Iam that
you are in my life. Really.
Momuska PearTree and Daddy-a: thank you for your unwavering support and
your guidance. Never losing confidence in me helped me to not "lose it" (haha).
Even when no one else is there, Iknow Ican count on you two watch my back.
Adam: your ambition and work ethic is something that I'm proud ofand inspired
by. Us becoming friends gave me encouragement. Heath: In many ways, you are
a living, breathing conscience within me. Your voice reminded me about what
this was and wasn't for me. In somc ways, you are the only rcason Iam ablc to
feel good about this projcct's outcome. Beth: In thc midst ofyour own drama,
you fclt for me. You asked for updates. Uncle John: Simply put, you emailcd.
Nana: You brought me humor. Richie: Ialways look for your namc on cards, too.
So, thanks for signing it. Willow: You're my star. T&D and Adam W.:
Somehow. thc idea that you werc probably thinking Iwas out thcirdoing
somcthing grcat, and, that regardless ofhow great it really was, you wcrc proud of
mc anyway brought comfort. Erin R.: Knowing that you wcrc quickly bccoming
onc ofNYC's many circlcs' nC\\'-hot-"it" thang,just by being you, gavc mc a
\\'onderful chuckle (!)- and your random, rambling voicemails always madc mc
smilc. Charlcs: Brcak timcs, ofcoursc! You havc probably had thc most direct
influence. You were thc only person who read this other than my advisor/reader
and you did so on aFriday night. Ihope you know what that means to me. You
111
also gave great advice, encouraged me to make phone calls and stand up for
myself. You let me "carry on" without grudge and without reminding me ofthe
time. Nicci: You gave me something to think about without even knowing
it/trying. Lori, Mitchell, Audrey, Becca, Miro, Erin G., and Tess: Glad you're in
my heart. Bumpkin Jim: I've saved you for the end because, not only did you
suffer the brunt ofall my madnessfirsthand, but, Iike your place on this list, the
way you have transformed my life with your wisdom, patience, kindness, and
love, will, forever last. Excluding the ways in which Idragged you into it, you
stayed out ofthis whole thing, really. That made it my own experience to
experience, which is what Ithink you wanted. I'll agree with what you might
now be thinking- Yes, Idid know that ifIneeded help Icould've asked you. But,
Iknow you wanted me to own this, whatever this would entail. You had my best
interests in mind, even when they contradicted your own best interests (or desires
orwhatever). You helped me to stick with it (and you held my hand, too!) maybe
because in times ofabandon, you stuck with me. Ithank you for that, and, Ilove
you.
Ring Three:
Meredith: since you kinda started it all. Rob. Tom. Sandra. Kristin: for something
to look up to. Gelsey. Tom. Kate. Jan. Alex. Alex. Kim. Deep: inspiring. Patty.
Mehnaz. Erica. Paul. Hillary. Coty. Becki. Charlie. Abby. Nicole. Alex. Will.
Sam: asound ear, for atime. Gordon. Donald. Roger. Monica. Courtney. Sunny.
Meescha. Stephanie. Quinn. Faye. Tasha. Monju. Anita. Jen: thanks. Wes: you're
nice. Jess. John. Chris. Lisa. Nicole. Bob. Erica. Sarah. Christianne. Eki. Matt.
len: good luck. Rita. Pam. Lauren. Leah. Rick. Tina. Bill. Jack. Ken. Sarah. Lisa.
Ethan. Hannah. Kim: my gym bunny. Betsey. Jessy. Sam: thanks for listening and
instilling rationale. Alice. Tim: mint. Jessica. Eva. Meredith. Lauren. Kelly. Nate.
Josh. Josh. Tom. Aaron. Chelsea. Mel. Julie. Frankenstein. Abby. Tommy. Erin.
Dan. Jen. Ed. Oscar. Andrew: you're agood kid. Jim. Elizabeth. Zack. Seth:
thanks. Ajita. Ruth. Paul. Janet. Jean. Jean. Pam. Raymond. Pat. The
McMonagle's: for amakeshift, beautiful family for me, for atime. Mr. & Mrs. H:
for the same. John & Jane. John & Jane. John. John. Dianna. Lois. Brian. Anne
Claire. Michele. Michele. Sarah. Cecilia. Scott, Kierstin, KT, Joel.
You all touched (influenced) me in some way while Iwas here - perhaps
unknowingly, perhaps forever.
1\"
/
Table ofContents:
Title Page i
Certificate ofApproval : ii
• ....
AcknowIedgments 111 - IV
Table ofContents v
Abstract I
Introduction 2- 7
Section I: Relevant historical trends in criminal theory, the women's
liberation hypothesis, and responses to the hypothesis 8- 12
Section 2: The three themes ofsecond wave feminism, and "craziness.".... 13 - 18
Section 3: "Aggressive" or criminal women and the naming of"crazy.".... 19 - 40
Section 4: Sylvia Plath's The BellJar, Susanna Kaysen's, Girl, Inter
rupted, and Elizabeth Wurtzel's, Prozac Nation; female depres-
sion and the labeling of"psychosis." 41 - 56
Section 5: Investigating the implications 57 - 75
Section 6: Conclusion, and further thoughts 76 - 81
List ofSelected References 82 -84
Vita 85
Abstract:
This paper uses the women's liberation hypothesis- acriminological
theory that suggests apositive relationship between increases in women's
"liberation" and women's involv~ment in criminal activity - as a starting point to
learn more about the influences ofsecond-wave feminism and female
representations ofaggressive, violent, and lor criminal activity. These influences
and representations were located in second-wave literature, as well as anumberof
visual and literary cultural productions. In the paper, the contradistinction oftwo
identified responses ofthe female characters depicted in the films "Born In
Flames" (1983), "Set It Off' (1996), "Thelma and Louise" (1991), and the texts
Foxfire (1994), by Joyce Carol Oates, The BellJar (1971), by Sylvia Plath, Girl,
Interrupted(1993), by Susanna Kaysen, and Prozac Nation (1994), by Elizabeth
Wurtzel, as well as their plot lines, and subtexts are analyzed in search ofthese
kinds ofmessages. As aresult ofthis exploration, several cultural messages
about concepts such as feminism, women and violence, depression, and
"craziness,"and their meanings, uses, and implications are revealed, and,
consequently, critiqued.
Introduction:
During the "second wave" ofthe feminist movement, atheory referred to
as "the women's liberation hypothesis" surfaced among criminal the()~ists. This
theory, which is still cited today, suggested that there was apositive relationship
between female liberation and female crime. Specifically, as women were
increasingly released from their gender-roles ofdomesticity into the public
workplaces ofmen, they would be exposed to the same stresses and frustrations as
their counterparts, thus simultaneously increasing their potential to engage in the
criminal practices most common to men.
The women's liberation hypothesis, clearly, is abold assertion with many
implications. It not only presumes motivations for criminal activity and males'
assumed predisposition to crime, but, also, women's responses to "liberation".
Perhaps the most obvious assertion ofthe hypothesis is that it attributes second
wave feminism with having arather substantial influence on female crime.
The hypothesis does not indicate adirect influence ofsecond-wave
feminism on female crime rates. Rather, the theory suggests that it is feminism's
implicit effect on women's changing gender roles in society that consequently
encouraged their migration into the public sphere ofmale work, thus increasing
their exposure to stress. It is important to remember that eyen the women who did
not abandon their gcndcrcd domestic duties were experiencing more stress during
the time period ofthe 1960's and 1970's in another way: womcn, and \\'omcn's
issues. had bccomc much more public in general. and thcir social responsibilitics
.,
drastically increased. As popular criminological "strain" theories detailing the
effects ofstress on crime rates have long purported, this shift in itselfcould easily
have led to crime, or at the very least the inclination for risk taking.
By using the women's liberation hypothesis simply as astarting point, this
paper seeks to do three things. First, identify specific elements within second-
wave feminism that seemed to be rather influential on women. Second, locate
those elements in U.S. culture in order to see ifthe women's liberation hypothesis
contains credibility and to examine the ways in which the public was responding
to these identified aspects offeminism through characterrepresentation. The
third goal ofthis paper, and that which is probably the most important, is to
analyze what the character representations mean. In other words, what can we
discern, what are we learning about the intersections ofwomen, feminism, and
criminal behavior in American culture? What ideological insights regarding the
cultural attitudes about these areas are deduced orunveiled?
To begin the first task ofidentifying specific elements within second-wave
feminism that the hypothesis indirectly purports to be rather influential on
women, second-wave primary sources needed to be reviewed. Upon commencing
this exploration, three particularthemes surfaced: separatist rhetoric and female
unification, women's depression due to their assigned domestic sex-roles, and
man-hating. FurthernlOre, amuch more general theme highlighting varied
definitions and consequent labelings of"craziness" was also apparent. Lastly, at a
somewhat homogenizing first glance. women seemed to fall into one oftwo
categories: women who were anxiety-ridden and depressed their expectation
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