Feminism and The Human Stain

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the novel "The Human Stain" and explores how Philip Roth masterfully uses his own voice and the voice of his narrator, Nathan Zuckerman, to critique the feminism which has begun to overtake the world. It analyzes Roth's depictions of women and how they are only described in relation to men, instead of as their own independent entities.

From the Paper:

"Ernestine, the domestic sage, is perhaps the one woman in the novel which the readers are allowed to believe is without weakness. Because Zuckerman allows Ernestine's wisdom to punctuate the meaning of the novel, " 'One can do only so much to control one's life,' Ernestine said" (337) he seems to contradict all of the descriptions of the women he had thus far described. However, she is also defined by her relationship as sister to Coleman. Her wisdom is only achieved after having lived through the devastation of dealing with the loss of her brother while he was still alive. Unlike Faunia she is not hiding her loss, she simply accepts it and acknowledges that the roles people play in life cannot be controlled and therefore accepts the weakness of her sex and can be wise in Zuckerman's eyes."

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