“While reluctant to go, she’s compelled to keep everyone she knows out of this, and more importantly, prevent her mother having to live with the stigma.”

After Ruth’s invasive medical exam and the doctor’s finding that she is “moderately” infected with syphilis despite her utter lack of sexual activity, Ruth is averse to the idea of going to the State Industrial Farm Colony. However, her thoughts reveal her keen understanding of the social issues involved, for she is more concerned about protecting her family from “shame” than she is about her own physical and emotional well-being, which are very much under threat. Her dilemma highlights society’s habit of Weaponizing Respectability to Persecute Poor and Unmarried Women.

“Baker’s experience with girls of this age is that they sometimes behave in a wanton fashion, seeking attention. They don’t understand the power they wield.”

This statement shows considerable irony, given that Stella, as a target of her father’s rape, has not behaved wantonly at all; she is the survivor of repeated sexual abuse. However, the characters in the novel never describe men’s misdeeds as “wanton” or “shameful.” In fact, even though both the doctor and Baker know full well that Cordell impregnated Stella, the criminality of his behavior is never addressed. Instead, Stella’s pregnant state condemns her in the eyes of a community that subscribes to The Patriarchal Construction of “Good” and “Bad” Femininity.

“Ruth’s curious to know every woman’s story who ended up at the Colony.”

Ruth’s time at the Colony is marked by her willingness to forge bonds with the other women there and learn their backgrounds, and in this way, she manages to hold onto her vaunted independence despite the cruelty of captivity. Her interactions with the other women also serve as a narrative device that allows Everhart to emphasize the degree to which the women are infantilized and overworked to exhaust them and ensure their compliance. They are even subjected to gaslighting and abuse from cruel authority figures like Mrs. Maynard. As a result, the women depend upon one another for support to mitigate their relative powerlessness, and this pattern illustrates their reliance on Female Solidarity as a Form of Rebellion.

“Some, like Lucy, were suspected of prostitution, or of nothing other than being suspicious-looking. Many complain of sorry husbands and no money to buy food for their families. Most weren’t doing anything except living their lives, only to find themselves accused of depravity, disease, or both.”

In this passage, Ruth learns that the stated purpose of the facility is a fiction. Although a few women may have engaged in sex work, the vast majority were sent to the facility by their husbands or for engaging in an innocent activity, like eating alone at a restaurant, that created suspicion in this patriarchal society. Thus, Ruth begins to suspect that the “reform” facility is actually a function of patriarchal state power, which seeks to punish and isolate women who do not conform to rigid standards of “ideal” feminine behavior.

“I guess they can toss me into the slammer for what I do, but you? What did you do? What do you reckon most of these women did? Look at ‘em. You ask ‘em how it happened to them and what they’ll say is they did nothing wrong. They’re ordinary women, somebody’s mother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt.”

Lucy makes this statement in recognition of the fact that most of the women at the Colony have done nothing illegal. As many of their stories show, they merely grew frustrated with their circumstances or expressed a bit too much freedom for the tastes of the men in their lives. This disparity highlights the prevalence of State Power as a Tool of Misogynistic Oppression.

“Why are women the only ones locked away? Ruth knows better than to ask this question again […] What she’s gathered is if a woman’s behavior is outside the boundaries of society’s beliefs or expectations, it often falls under the label of promiscuous, or suspect. Women pose a threat.”

The very existence of reform facilities for women suggests that the government itself is committed to manipulating and controlling female behavior while condoning outright crimes from men. The bitterness of Ruth’s tone reflects her indignation that women are accused of being “promiscuous” while men are not, and even women’s harmless behaviors are labeled “suspect” because society itself has focused on Weaponizing Respectability to Persecute Poor and Unmarried Women.

“Likely because she’d rather you not know the truth. Women of a promiscuous nature often don’t want their families to know of this behavior.”

In this scene, Baker addresses Ruth’s mother and deftly explains Ruth’s silence regarding her behavior. Rather than providing a modicum of truth, Baker relies upon the deeply ingrained stereotypes that have led her to make a career of perpetuating patriarchal controls on her fellow women. Here, she discredits Ruth in her mother’s eyes by implying Ruth and other independent women understand and seek to hide the shamefulness of their choices. However, this explanation conceals the fact that none of Ruth’s behavior has been wrong or shameful. When faced with a choice between Ruth’s word that she has never had sexual relationships and Baker’s claim that that Ruth has been silent on this topic because she has sought to hide shameful behavior, Ruth’s mother bows to the pressure of social expectations by abandoning her daughter to her fate, exhibiting the degree to which patriarchal expectations govern her own life as well.

“I’ve always worried what people might think with you living off on your own instead of getting married. Remember what your father said. People talk. Word gets out. They make assumptions. I don’t know what to think!”

Mrs. Foster’s confusion about who to believe—Ruth or Baker—shows just how easily harmed a woman’s reputation can be by society’s determination to punish her for any behavior that deviates from mainstream expectations. Ruth’s choice to live alone and support herself makes her suspicious in a society where women are expected to marry young and have babies, remaining dependent upon their husbands. The women who do this and whose husbands never complain about their behavior are more likely to be viewed as reputable. With Ruth’s deviation from this pattern, she runs afoul of society’s penchant for Weaponizing Respectability to Persecute Poor and Unmarried Women.

“Opal and Sally raise their voices in greeting, grinning at her from across the room, each of them looking like they’ve seen better days too, but in this moment, those are the sweetest faces she’s seen all day. She goes toward them, grateful at least for their friendly, warm presence.”

Ruth has a difficult time at the Colony because Baker dislikes her and often mentally compares her to the woman with whom she caught her husband cheating. Faced with Ruth’s beauty, Baker resorts to questioning her morality. Ruth is also confident and intelligent enough to disobey when she perceives injustice, becoming a threat to the establishment when her peers rally around her.

“She vaguely remembers one of her teachers in school talking about feminism and women’s rights. At that time, she listened in disbelief and not a little incredulity at the idea of women having an equal say in important matters. How is that even possible when women can’t own bank accounts, secure loans, or much of anything?”

After the doctors force-feed Stella, she is struck by Baker’s inability to stop them and finally realizes that even though Baker is the superintendent, the men can do whatever they want, overruling her simply because they are men. This disillusionment leads to Stella’s newfound understanding that the same pattern holds true in the world at large, not just at the Colony. Her thought process illuminates the nuances of State Power as a Tool of Misogynistic Oppression.

“Ruth Foster is a perfect reminder of the sort he liked: flamboyant, carefree, and lovely to look at. Ed’s egregious behavior, his philandering and propensity toward this very type of woman she’s trying to conform to society’s expectations has always given her an extra sour taste in her mouth.”

Baker quickly links Ruth to the woman with whom her husband had an affair; she condemns Ruth for being beautiful and for disregarding others’ disapproval of her choices. Baker wants all women to seek society’s approval and conform to a host of patriarchal expectations. Baker’s thoughts demonstrate her approach to Weaponizing Respectability to Persecute Poor and Unmarried Women.

“Ruth experiences the intended swell of hope from the way Lucy speaks of him, like he’d be an ally […] They exchanged a look and it delivered everything worth saying right then.”

Before Lucy escapes, she wants to give Ruth some hope that she, too, will one day be free of the Colony. Lucy tells Ruth about her friend, Stanley Newell, who can help them obtain freedom and hold the Colony authorities responsible for their abuses. Lucy’s desire to impart this hope gives rise to Ruth’s gratitude and highlights the benefits of Female Solidarity as a Form of Rebellion.

“A woman living independently, like she was, means she wasn’t properly aligned to their idea of what society expects, and immediately categorizes her as depraved, corrupt, or immoral. She’s a woman who must be changed, made to behave and live in an acceptable manner in order to earn her freedom.”

Ruth realizes that society controls women’s behavior by deploying the expectation that all women should marry and bury themselves in their roles as wives and mothers, which will compel them to behave according to community norms. In short, independence and self-reliance are valued in men but are seen as liabilities in women, who are labeled as threats when they are not dependent on men. This pattern provides the foundation for Weaponizing Respectability to Persecute Poor and Unmarried Women.

“Baker writes of her admiration for [the work of other women running similar facilities] and what stands out to Ruth is that all of them believe in what they’re doing.”

Although Baker and women like her are complicit in the patriarchal system that governs society and sanctions the reform facilities, Ruth is shocked to learn that Baker actually believes in these institutions’ stated goals. Women living in patriarchal societies often internalize misogyny and seek to gain their own small share of power by supporting patriarchal goals. This dynamic emphasizes State Power as a Tool of Misogynistic Oppression.

“As Ruth reads the rules, ‘She’s absorbing this information, the first rule underscoring her thoughts on their restricted movement and the second as a way to further dominate every facet of their emotional state. She can’t believe this ridiculous little book. They’re grown women, after all. She’s growing angry again, even though it’s useless.’”

Ruth realizes that the rigid Colony schedule and granular rules are designed to infantilize the women, and this structure mimics society’s goals for women as well. In this era, the ideal woman is married with children, and her movements are likewise determined and circumscribed by these limited roles.

“Frances is the only one who isn’t holding an arm or a leg. Instead, she squats by her head, glaring at Mrs. Maynard. Every now and again, she pats Stella’s arm.”

Frances’s behavior during Stella’s group punishment demonstrates Female Solidarity as a Form of Rebellion. When the women are forced to participate in their peers’ corporal punishment, this tactic is meant to scare them into obedience. For Frances and Ruth, however, their bonds with their fellow residence supersedes this attempt at control; they would rather risk punishment than assist in the unjust punishment of another woman.

“Society requires young women such as yourself to be helped so the mistake that brought you here to begin with isn’t repeated. It’s hard for the general public, those who lead proper lives, to understand this sort of trouble. While training can take place, it’s also believed there’s always the chance improper behavior might happen again. To avoid unwanted pregnancies, sometimes extra measures might be advised to prevent this from happening over and over.”

Speaking in a series of vague euphemisms, Baker indirectly explains to Stella that the “mistake” that resulted in her arrival at the Colony cannot be repeated because she has been surgically sterilized. Baker also suggests that the primary issue is that Stella got pregnant, not that her father raped her. Furthermore, she blames Stella for failing to lead a “proper” life. Baker never places blame on Stella’s father, the true perpetrator of “[im]proper” behavior, but instead implies that Stella is culpable. Her words highlight the issue of Weaponizing Respectability to Persecute Poor and Unmarried Women.

“And with that, I suppose, comes a reputable future, one in which you could be content. That’s as good as happy in my book.”

When Stella asks if she will ever be happy, Baker suggests that “reputab[ility]” is a precondition for contentment, and she likewise equates this far milder emotion with happiness, implying that Stella should be willing to conform to society’s rigid standards and settle for the bare minimum. The association Baker makes between happiness, reputability, and goodness emphasizes The Patriarchal Construction of “Good” and “Bad” Femininity.

“Of course Baker has a way of turning explanations around so it was like I’d done something wrong. Even if any of us were, to use her words, loose, immoral, degenerate, or harboring some disease, is there a law that’s been broken?”

Ruth tells Stanley Newell about Baker’s success at manipulating her mother into leaving Ruth at the Colony instead of taking her home. She emphasizes that Baker distorted the facts to suggest that Ruth had behaved shamefully. Ruth points out that even if she had behaved “immoral[ly]” or had contracted a disease, she never broke the law and did not deserve to have her rights and freedom stripped from her.

“It’s because of what happened in WW One. Hundreds of thousands of men were infected with syphilis and gonorrhea and couldn’t go into battle. The government fears the same thing happening and wants to nip it in the bud.”

Stanley Newell’s summation of the rationale for condoning institutions like the Colony makes it clear that the government blames women for the spread of venereal diseases among servicemen. Rather than ordering servicemen not to sleep with women out of wedlock, the authorities seek to control female behavior, wielding State Power as a Tool of Misogynistic Oppression.

“Oh honey, the government’s been involved in efforts to improve humanity for years. Your father and I went to a few educational sessions. The argument was about desirable and undesirable traits, and if animals and plants are bred selectively, why not humans?”

Mrs. Foster’s recollection of the government’s attempts to “improve humanity” underscore the real reasons behind the sterilization of women like Frances and Stella. As Mrs. Foster defends the idea that humans can be “bred selectively,” Everhart uses this scene to indict the United States’ periodic flirtations with eugenics.

“Ain’t nothing any of us can do. It’s out of our hands because people with a lot more clout are the ones in charge. It don’t matter what we think or say.”

Another resident of the Colony gives voice to the women’s collective belief that they are effectively powerless to overcome these systemic injustices. Because the people in charge are so powerful, they can exploit and control the women without suffering any consequences. The best these women can hope for is to survive the experience and go on living. The ungrammatical format of the dialogue also suggests that the speaker comes from a disadvantaged segment of society and is therefore less empowered to resist these systemic controls.

“The couple of times she ventures into public results in overheard whispers of ‘It’s her,’ and ‘I can’t believe she’d be seen in public!’”

After Ruth’s discharge from the Colony, she cannot go out in public without others judging her and whispering about her. Although she has done nothing but retain gainful employment, support herself, and live independently, she is convicted in the court of public opinion for those choices. This judgment highlights The Patriarchal Construction of “Good” and “Bad” Femininity.