Distopias de crítica feminista : análise das sociedades patriarcais em “O ano da graça" e "Vox”

Abstract

In Feminist Critique Dystopias, authoritarian and totalitarian futures depict environments in which women’s rights are severely restricted, creating social spaces marked by absolute control over female bodies and voices. It is within this context of extreme patriarchal oppression that the female characters of the novels The Grace Year (2019) by Kim Liggett and Vox (2018) by Christina Dalcher seek strategies for survival and resistance. These narratives highlight the challenges faced by women under theocratic totalitarian regimes, where their civil rights are not recognized, placing them in a constant struggle to preserve their autonomy and identity. This thesis analyzes these characters from the perspectives of Utopia, Dystopia, and Feminist Critique Dystopia, drawing on scholars such as Chris Ferns (1999), Fátima Vieira (2022), and Ildney Cavalcanti (1999; 2003; 2019). The analysis of representations of power and gender in these novels engages with Feminist Theories by Gerda Lerner (2019; 2022), Simone de Beauvoir (2019), bell hooks (2019; 2021), and Carole Pateman (1988), and also incorporates Pierre Bourdieu’s (2020) concepts of male domination and symbolic violence, as well as Michel Foucault’s (2022) theories on surveillance and power, to understand the tensions between oppression and resistance experienced by the protagonists. The analysis demonstrates how Feminist Critique Dystopias reveal patriarchal oppressive structures while simultaneously highlighting the forms of agency and contestation that emerge from the protagonists. Thus, dystopian literature also serves as a space for reflecting on gender dynamics, bringing to light various forms of female resistance. Ultimately, this study contributes to the broader social debate about patriarchy and the importance of Feminism for resistance and transformation. By emphasizing female characters as active agents in challenging patriarchy in dystopian contexts, this thesis reinforces the role of literature in questioning power relations and fostering reflections that go beyond literature, impacting the understanding of and fight for equality in contemporary society.