| dc.contributor.author | Froslie, Alexandra Dawn | |
| dc.description.abstract | Naomi Alderman’s 2016 novel The Power details the events that occur after women develop the ability to produce an electrical current throughout their bodies. This new physical power allows a matriarchal power structure to take the place of a patriarchy. Judith Butler’s theories regarding pastiche and drag help conceptualize Alderman’s portrayal of gender. Alderman essentializes gender roles but switches our common conception of them—in The Power, women are authoritative and violent, and men are submissive and passive. The discussion of gender performativity transitions into a discussion of gender in religious power structures. The character Allie employs ritual performativity to gain power in a manner that mimics Jesus Christ’s performativity in the gospel stories. I discuss the importance of male religious figures in the formation of the patriarchy, and I draw on feminist theological writing to describe the impact of Allie’s theological teachings, which name God as feminine. | en_US |
| dc.publisher | North Dakota State University | en_US |
| dc.rights | NDSU Policy 190.6.2 | |
| dc.title | Blessed Is She: Gender Critique Through Performativity and Portrayals of the Divine in Naomi Alderman’s The Power | en_US |
| dc.type | Master's paper | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-05-19T21:38:01Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-05-19T21:38:01Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2020 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10365/31497 | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Alderman, Naomi. Power. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Alderman, Naomi -- Criticism and interpretation. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Sex role in literature. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Gender identity in literature. | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Feminist theology. | |
| dc.rights.uri | https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf | en_US |
| ndsu.degree | Master of Arts (MA) | en_US |
| ndsu.college | Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences | en_US |
| ndsu.department | English | en_US |
| ndsu.program | English | en_US |
| ndsu.advisor | Burt, Sean | |
