Patriarchy, Power, Property Through feminist theory, we experience this story as something greater than a tragic tale of slavery; rather, we can examine how power intersects with gender in the production of a woman's experience. Valerie Martin's novel Property explores the ongoing struggle for power and the complexities of society's moral structure, which is based on the oppression of women in a patriarchal society. These societies include “any culture that privileges men by promoting traditional gender roles” (Tyson 85), roles that have been used to validate inequalities between men and women. Patriarchy by definition is sexist, promoting the belief that women are inherently inferior to men. This dichotomized thinking has created a patriarchal order throughout the Western (Anglo-European) world, objectifying and marginalizing women and viewing them only for what they lack in comparison to men (Tyson 92). The property demonstrates the stratification of power during the era of slavery and the struggles to abandon femininity to achieve masculinity and, therefore, gain power. The main character's efforts to control are manifested through his desire to marry, own property, and achieve sexual dominance. The year is 1828 and slavery dominates the United States. Manon Gaudet, a beautiful and intelligent woman, is engaged in a hellish marriage to a failing owner of a Louisiana sugar plantation. Manon occupies a privileged position within the plantation but is at the same time at the mercy of the Victorian ideal of the true woman, “submissive, fragile and sexually pure” (Tyson 106). During this period, power was heavily stratified along gender lines; so a woman is nothing without a man. Manon's terrible marriage began because of her middle of paper...... power and masculinity. While ownership reveals the corrupting and dehumanizing power of property over those who own, it also explores the stratification of power. between femininity and masculinity. The novel leads readers to think about post-slavery constructions of gender and how patriarchal systems are still in effect today. Manon is an unlikeable heroine and her moral blindness and occasional cruelty make it difficult to connect with her. However, she is a product of her society, and without harming others to gain power, she would be forced into submission. The stand she takes against the patriarchal order is to be commended, but the steps she must take to achieve her goal are repugnant. Manon is an example of the many women who are caught in the vicious cycle of being seen as weak and powerless, but who are ridiculed for their attempts to rise above..