Why Erin Chose This Lens

I chose the Feminist/Gender lens because quite often when I am reading a piece of literature, I am also thinking about the representation of gender in the work. Especially in historical pieces, I notice that there is an overwhelming amount of strong male characters, while women are usually stereotyped and fewer. Because I knew that the protagonist of Beloved is a woman, and the time period is also in the 19th century, I decided it would be interesting for me to explore this perspective once more. I believe it's necessary to have a wide representation of genders in literature, as not only is it often more interesting, but it also appeals to a wider audience.