Beneath the Surface : An Examination of Masculinity and Femininity in Dennis Lehane's Mystic River

• Main Author: Chivungu, Vimbai
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Umeå universitet, Institutionen för språkstudier 2016
• Subjects: Gender; Feminism; Deconstruction; Masculine and Feminine Values
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-131707

On the surface, Dennis Lehane’s novel Mystic River appears quite fascinated and occupied with macho ideals and ideas of heroism, vengeance, vigilantism, violence, and blind loyalty. The novel might even be said to paint a picture of a world ultimately ruled and controlled by men, who are expected to set the terms and encouraged to take charge. This points to an overt message stating that attributes such as strength, cold practicality, efficiency, action, decisiveness, and rationality – all stereo-typically masculine values – ultimately pay off and are rewarded. However, such an initial analysis may be meaningfully countered, overturned, and distrusted. Making use of feminist deconstruction, this essay argues that Mystic River’s superficial praise of stereotypical gender ideals is in fact undermined by tensions and contradictions beneath the surface of the text. This undermining in turn serves to criticize binary hierarchies at the very core of patriarchal ideology.