Sarah Waters And Novel Fingersmith: Gender Identities In A Society

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Fingersmith
In the past few years, Sarah Waters has received so much attention due to her construction of a historical narrative. Her Victorian novel Fingersmith deconstructs patriarchal norms with the characters struggle to establish their gender identities in a society where heterosexist codes are the norm. The protagonists get involved in a saga that makes them discover their sexual feelings to each other. Waters’ story reflects the perceptions we have about ourselves through some of the imposed narratives. It also demonstrates the homosexual relationships and the struggle the victims undergo to have a position in the society. Homosexual has been used as a catalyst that deconstructs some of the patriarchal structures in the society. This encourages us to view the past through a contemporary lens to give us a new perspective of the present. Waters’ Fingersmith is related to the current society, thus the reason why I chose to write about it.
Waters’ Fingersmith opens up a new path for reconstructing the norms about gender identity and sexuality in the society. In general, she questions the beliefs surrounding gender identity and sexuality. Therefore, based on Waters’ queerness, I will argue that the novel embarks on deconstructing the patriarchally constructed norms about the formation of gender identity as well as their existence. Through this, Waters’ Fingersmith gives those who have been traditionally oppressed an opportunity to voice their position in the society. The following questions will guide in analyzing the text, first, how is gender identity and sexuality portrayed in the novel; how do the protagonists overcome the patriarchally constructed norms and how is the novel related to the current society? In doing the analysis, Adrienne Rich’s lesbian continuum theory will be used to analyze the novel especially the queerness and subversion themes. In order to have a comprehensive analysis of the text, I will use some techniques such as close reading, data classification, and supporting analyses from academic journals and books.
The protagonists live a double life of false identity that motivates them to participate in the patriarchal plans and account for their obedience. The paper will analyze various texts to portray how they live in double lives and how they deconstruct it to live a single live. Some of the texts that I will analyze include:
It made me giddy. It made me blush, worse than before. It was like liquor. It made me drunk. I drew away. When her breath came now upon my mouth, it came very cold. My mouth ...