Language & Literature

The Subjugation of Women in Elmer Gantry
Amy L. Shipp
Dr. Alanna Preussner, Faculty Mentor

The purpose of this paper is to explore the connections between Sinclair Lewis’s title character, Elmer Gantry, and the women around him through a feminist lens. I examine Elmer and his interactions with the three main women in the novel. Through my analysis, I conclude that Elmer Gantry is an egotistical and self-interested man who treats all women as sexual objects, and that Elmer’s personal hypocrisies are enhanced by his dominance and oppression of women.

Keywords: Elmer Gantry, Feminism, Literature, Women, Oppression, Sinclair Lewis

Topic(s):English

Presentation Type: Oral Paper

Session: 26-3
Location: VH 1428
Time: 10:15 am

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