In “How did I get away with killing one of the biggest lawyers in the state? It was easy” by Alice Walker, sexual objectification plays a prominent role in the life of the view point character. She allows herself to become grounded within a complicated affair permeated of sexual objectification as a result of key aspects in her life, such as; the socio-economic status of her environment, her relationship with her mother and race. These factors reinforced her vulnerability in regards to her choices and perception of herself.
The environment that the viewpoint character dwells in is not the most productive or privileged of places. Rather a surrounding encompassed with challenging living conditions, where the abnormal is considered the norm. As stated in the article, “Where we lived people sometimes just threw pieces of furniture they didn’t want over their railing. And there was broken glass and rags everywhere. The place stunk, especially in the summer. And children were always screaming and men were always cussing and women were always yelling about something”.
The image painted, not only portrays the mistreatment of the atmosphere and people but also demonstrates the sustainment of poverty within this environment. The way situations occurred and its result, left an impression that inappropriate treatments are acceptable, especially in this society where the norm is an everyday activity. The impact of the socioeconomics present in this setting is transparent and influential in the household of the viewpoint character. She resides with her single mother, who labors as a maid; earning barley enough to maintain a household, shown in the quote, “Most of the time she didn’t that make much.
By the time she paid rent and bought milk and bananas there wasn’t anything left”. As a result of the viewpoint character’s financially crippled situation, the relationship with her mother is strained. Her mom often working, and tired whenever around; is never available to even speak to at times. While other times she is out with various men, who have no to little interest in neither her mother nor her. But her mom would fall for them. She enables herself to be an object. The example being set by the viewpoint’s mother is not secure or sound that a daughter should experience.
Since, it questions aspects such as respect, judgment and gives a false image of how women should be treated, or allow others to treat them. While, more importantly displaying how one views their own self worth. An existing lack of time for her daughter, constricted communication leads to no apparent bond between mother and daughter. This idea of brokenness is supported by the viewpoint character’s choice of not informing her mother that she was raped. She states, “It was nothing for a girl or woman to rape. I was raped myself, when I was twelve and my mama never knew… The topic of being raped is raised and discussed as if a regular occurrence, and she doesn’t even seek assistance. But speaks of it as a milestone rather than a traumatic event. She goes on stating, “For what could they do? It was just a boy”. Here she begins to surrender to sexual objectification. The viewpoint character refrains from reaching out to her mother once more, after a second rape occurred with Bubba; her mother’s white employer. She states “… he raped me… I never told mama”. The re occurrences of rapes convinces the viewpoint character that he loves her because he claims to.
While being originally reluctant to sleep with Bubba, overtime it becomes natural and willing as they continue, this is portrayed in the quote, “ he told me he loved me. I didn’t love him, but he had begun to look a little better to me”. Though their transaction included Bubba’s monetary exchange for pleasure, she justifies her actions by stating, “My body did what it is paid to do. ” Reflecting back to the viewpoint character’s relationship with her mother, she confirms to being a sex object, but is really in a conquest for true affection; which there is a lack of between the two.
Even after her mother’s discovery and disapproval of her relations with Bubba, the viewpoint character reluctantly prolongs though present issues of race and status. The viewpoint character is oblivious to the idea of being of a difference race of the man she believes loves her. Still, she identifies her self as socially and politically without care. She goes on to state, “I thought he loved me, that meant something to me. What did I know about equal rights? What did I care about integration? ” She once more naively clings to Bubba’s statement of love for her, though much older, married, with children and white.
She seeks after feeling a sense of security, acceptance, belonging, attention but most importantly love. Despite, if that means being with a man of many differences, who is really after sexual gratification. The viewpoint character mentions, “I was sixteen! I wanted somebody to tell me I was pretty and he was telling me that all the time”. There is an evident age difference but a great lack of self confidence within the viewpoint character’s life. She is letting out a cry for attention and gets it where she doesn’t have the mental capacity to understand that it isn’t genuine, but accepts it because it is offered.
She goes beyond boundaries to fill her emptiness through sexual objectification and reaches a point of satisfaction; that leads her to do the necessary to ensure that it remains that way. As a result, she commits her mother to the top asylum with the support of Bubba, all to be with him. The viewpoint character, falling a victim to unfortunate circumstances as a result of her environment, following her unhealthy ways of dealing with her rapes; eventually led her to becoming a perpetrator. Her poor background with permissive parenting style and absent father figure all contributed to her defenseless ruin.
