Sexual Assault Theme in Firekeeper's Daughter Essay Sample
📌Category: | Books |
📌Words: | 522 |
📌Pages: | 2 |
📌Published: | 13 April 2022 |
Society silences victims. Victims of rape and sexual assault are deeply influenced by society. From young ages, it is brought to people’s attention that over and over again, victims are silenced and invalidated. Because of this, nearly 80 percent of rapes and sexual assaults are not reported. Victims also often don’t feel like their stories are valid and it can take a long time to fully process everything. In the book Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, the main character, Daunis, who is a half Anishinaabe woman, is affected by society’s views on sexual assault victims.
On page 371, Daunis went back to the party after she was raped by Grant Edwards. At the end of the page, Boulley writes, “ ‘Holy,’ Stormy says. ‘Didn’t think you were one of them girls who takes forever in a bathroom.’ Ignoring Stormy, I shine my widest smile on my date.” Daunis was pretending that everything was okay and nothing happened. She didn’t tell Stormy or Jamie that she wasn’t in the bathroom even though they were both right there. She had many opportunities to tell them, but she chose not to. Daunis was most likely scared of what they would think and didn’t want to have to deal with the hardship of being blamed for something that was in no way her fault. This is something that a lot of other sexual assault victims struggle with, as well.
On page 372, Daunis continued to pretend nothing was wrong at the party. She told herself “Don’t think about it, Daunis. Nothing happened. Just dance.” Daunis felt that her situation was insignificant at that moment. She could have also been thinking that it wasn’t believable and that there were more important things going on. This thought process that followed her sexual assault is directly related to society’s outlook. Daunis was probably very overwhelmed and still in shock because it only happened a short time ago. She may also have been thinking ahead about telling someone, and if she did, would anyone believe her? In her mind, it was easier to try to convince herself that it didn’t happen.
On page 420, Mike speaks to Daunis when she and Jamie were kidnapped in the trailer. On that same page, the author wrote, “ ‘My dad can be extremely persistent when he wants something.’ He smiles. ‘But you know all about that, don't you, Dauny Defence?’ My chest tightens. Mike knows what his dad did to me.“ After Mike left, Daunis got very panicky and anxious. She started catching on that Jamie may be starting to figure out what Mike’s dad did to Daunis. On page 421, the author wrote, “I watch for a recriminating glance, a tsk-tsk, a lecture.” Daunis was thinking that Jamie would be disappointed in her and blame this on her, even though she did nothing wrong and it wasn’t her fault. Again, this is in response to society’s standpoint on these topics. There is so much stigma and shame surrounding the subject that is very unnecessary and unhelpful to victims.
In the end, Daunis was able to accept what had happened to her and tell people about it. Even though she ultimately was able tell people, you can still see how society’s views on rape and sexual assault influenced the process. In conclusion, the book, Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley presents the societal issue of invalidating and blaming victims.