Red Harvest is a man's world, but that doesn't mean that women have to move aside for the men. Quite the contrary, we do have one female character who exerts such a hold over the men that she pretty much has a whole theme devoted almost entirely to her. Dinah Brand carries some similarities to the stereotypical figure of the "femme fatale." As for the Op, he ignores women for the most part and has no actual love interest, but Dinah does seem to get under his skin.
Questions About Women and Femininity
- What is the Op's attitude toward women, particularly Dinah Brand?
- Does Dinah manipulate the men around her to get what she wants? If so, how does she exercise her influence over men?
- Are the women characters in Red Harvest presented as morally corrupt individuals equally deserving of punishment as their male counterparts?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Red Harvest is dominated by men and masculine aggression, but women do manage to exert some power through the use of their femininity.
Dinah Brand's death is a tragedy because not only did she not deserve to die, but the Op is morally culpable for her murder.