Feminists beware: "Death in the Woods" features so much misogyny that it might send your head spinning like the little girl from The Exorcist. Consider yourself warned. In the story, we meet an old woman who is used and abused by just about every man she meets. There's the sleazy German farmer who sexually harasses her on a regular basis; there's her husband—an abusive drunk; and then there's her spoiled brat of a son—the less said about him the better. Although her life story is rarely pretty, it's well-worth witnessing, if only to understand the struggles that women have faced throughout American history.
Questions About Women and Femininity
- How is the idea of "feeding" related to misogyny?
- Why are old women like Mrs. Grimes ignored in general?
- In what ways is Mrs. Grimes treated as a piece of property?
- Why does Mrs. Grimes never fight back against her abuse? Explain your answer.
Chew on This
Throughout her life, Mrs. Grimes is treated like a piece of property by every man in her life, revealing uncomfortable truths about women's rights at the time.
Like the dogs that Jake mistreats, Mrs. Grimes is unable to free herself from her abusive relationship because she has nowhere else to go—she has no family and the local community has no interest in helping her out.