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The above stories can be viewed as masterpieces in terms of giving an introspection into the fate of women in the United States. More specifically, the stories each have a unique setting but they bear notable semblances in the mode of discourse. The two protagonists in the stories are females who are subjected to uncalled for forms of violence as they go bout their normal duties. The following discourse is an expository analysis that compares the forms of violence as brought out in the two narrations.
More particularly, the analysis delves into forms of gender violence as the two characters are females who are subjected to sufferings a the hands of males. Violence as Portrayed in both stories Violence is an act that is despicable. It should not be encouraged especially when perpetrated against the vulnerable members of society. The two stories in focus bring out violence as meted out on different members of the society to varying degrees. The story, Leslie in California, is about Leslie. From a broader perspective, the story espouses what can be termed as gender violence.
In this case, the violence is meted on Leslie by the husband. Domestic violence is a form of violence that should be abhorred. This is because it contravenes the anticipations of a fruitful relationship in a marriage. Besides, it also demeans the person who falls victim to such inhumane acts. Normally, it is the female gender who always falls victim to acts of violence. When viewed analytically, the story of Leslie just espouses the problem that bedevils the larger part of the society. Domestic violence exists in some marriages despite females being made aware of their rights.
There are those who have stood up against the vice while there are those who are still held by the shackles of violence. The awareness should be for both the males and the females. This is what the author tries in the above narration which is christened Leslie in California. The only undoing on the part of Leslie is condoning the violence meted on her by her husband. As a woman who represents the female gender, Leslie should have to stoop up against her husband. Instead, she lets him abuse her on several occasions.
This is very disheartening and it reveals the vulnerability of the female gender at the hands of uncaring males like Leslie’s husband. Just like Leslie in Leslie in California, Carla is a girl who goes through many odds. The challenges that she faces are related to her being female. She is subjected to verbal as well as sexual abuse because of her body. Being a female who is a teenager, she definitely has the body of a blossomed woman. This makes her the target of ridicule, verbal, as well as sexual abuse.
This happens at the playground where some boys describe her body in very demeaning words. In the narration, it alludes that the way they talk makes Carla almost believe that they have the spell to make her body disfigured from the words that they speak (153). Violence can take many forms. The kind of verbal abuse that Carla is subjected to is even worse since it affects a person’s psychological as well as emotional state. This is because abuse abuses bear a sentimental aspect. In this case, it is even worse than the people carrying out the act are of the opposite sex.
All these actions sum up to portray the challenges that a girl child faces daily. Some of the challenges are related to her sexuality which is viewed from her physical appearance like the case of Carla. Besides, it also shows the biases and discriminative acts that are still present in society. The work of the author is laudable since it sheds light on some of the unwarranted social behaviors in society. By doing this, the author somehow helps in emancipating the discrimination by creating awareness of their plight.
According to Lindner (35) trespass is a multilayered and terrific story that tells how childhood inflicted pain can determine the adult desires in one's life. Carla is secretly wishing that they would go back to their home country, Dominica. This shows that she is different from Leslie in that she has the will to stand up against violence. This is the attitude that women should embrace in fighting violence. In conclusion, both the two women are violated in different ways. Leslie is physically violated by her husband who beats her up from time to time and Carla is violated by the perverted men who expose sexual experiences to her when she does not comprehend what it is the man is engaged in.
Carla does not even have a name for the genitalia in both English and Spanish which makes her cross the distance to make the police understand what she may be implying. Since Carla is a teenager, she comes to understand her changing body by the boys who abuse her concerning her body changes which deny her own private understanding of the changes of puberty.
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