Men and Women: Dogs and Sheep The Wasp Factory is a novel that focuses heavily on the power of gender. It is a novel that associates masculine power and feminine weakness to animality. Within the novel, males are characterized as skilled, cunning, smart, and powerful; they are associated with dogs. On the other hand, women are viewed as stupid, docile, and frightened; they are associated as sheep. Each of these characterizations is made clear by viewing what Francis Cauldhame is (sheep), and what she desires to be (dog).Women are one of two of Frances Cauldhame’s greatest enemies. According to Frances, women are weak and stupid. Because they are weak and stupid (pg.43), they will always be inferior. In Frances’s mind, women posses no power.In regards to animality, this same view about women is directly associated with sheep. Frances believes that sheep are also stupid and weak. He claims that he “used to despise sheep for being so profoundly stupid”(pg.145). Since both women and sheep are stupid, weak, and powerless, then it is clear to presume that women are sheep. Each creature contains the same attributes, and in the mind of Frances they are no different (other than appearance). So therefore, women can easily be viewed as sheep.Frances hates sheep. Since sheep are women, then this partially explains Frances’s hatred toward women. This hatred is the cause of great conflict. Frances is a woman. Therefore since Frances is a woman, then because of the similar characteristics then she is a sheep as well. She becomes associated with weakness, therefore becoming associated with sheep. Being both a woman and a sheep, Frances is what she hates. So therefore, Frances not only hates women and sheep, but she hates herself as well. In regards to Frances being a sheep, it is clear to state that the island in which Frances is confined is a pasture. It is a place that she can gaze, wonder, and exp...
