Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Argument Profile
Argument Profile
Claim:
Red Queen is Marxist reading that explores and highlights the problems with social class and power divides in society.
Red Queen is Marxist reading that explores and highlights the problems with social class and power divides in society.
Clarifier:
Karl Marx believed that a perfect society was a classless one, and until that occurred, social revolutions would always occur. According to the Purdue Owl, “Marx asserts that “…stable societies develop sites of resistance: contradictions build into the social system that ultimately lead to social revolution and the development of a new society upon the old” (1088). This cycle of contradiction, tension, and revolution must continue: there will always be conflict between the upper, middle, and lower (working) classes and this conflict will be reflected in literature and other forms of expression – art, music, movies, etc.” This conflict is present in Red Queen, Mare is part of the working, impoverished class of ‘Reds’ in the novel. Her fate is changed when she crosses paths with the powerful and wealthy prince who is a ‘Silver’. The Silvers possess supernatural abilities and wealth.
Karl Marx believed that a perfect society was a classless one, and until that occurred, social revolutions would always occur. According to the Purdue Owl, “Marx asserts that “…stable societies develop sites of resistance: contradictions build into the social system that ultimately lead to social revolution and the development of a new society upon the old” (1088). This cycle of contradiction, tension, and revolution must continue: there will always be conflict between the upper, middle, and lower (working) classes and this conflict will be reflected in literature and other forms of expression – art, music, movies, etc.” This conflict is present in Red Queen, Mare is part of the working, impoverished class of ‘Reds’ in the novel. Her fate is changed when she crosses paths with the powerful and wealthy prince who is a ‘Silver’. The Silvers possess supernatural abilities and wealth.
Grounds:
In Red Queen, there are the Reds who are the working class. The Reds are supposedly below and less than the Silvers who are the ruling class, with special powers. They are expendable to the Silvers, who sends the Reds off to fight wars that they have nothing to do with, while the silvers are living lavish, smug lives, unconcerned with the upheaval around them. This social divide is further aggravated by the Red Guard, who are revolting against the Silvers in the novel.
In Red Queen, there are the Reds who are the working class. The Reds are supposedly below and less than the Silvers who are the ruling class, with special powers. They are expendable to the Silvers, who sends the Reds off to fight wars that they have nothing to do with, while the silvers are living lavish, smug lives, unconcerned with the upheaval around them. This social divide is further aggravated by the Red Guard, who are revolting against the Silvers in the novel.
Warrant:
The Red Guard is a rebel group of Reds who are fed up with the social class divide between the Silvers and Reds. As a result, the group is revolting until this class system is destroyed. This supports the fact that this novel is a Marxist reading and Marx’s belief that social revolutions will occur until class in society is dissolved.
The Red Guard is a rebel group of Reds who are fed up with the social class divide between the Silvers and Reds. As a result, the group is revolting until this class system is destroyed. This supports the fact that this novel is a Marxist reading and Marx’s belief that social revolutions will occur until class in society is dissolved.
Counterargument:
Another reader may argue that this novel is not a Marxist reading, but a feminist reading with Mare and other female characters exerting power throughout the novel.
Another reader may argue that this novel is not a Marxist reading, but a feminist reading with Mare and other female characters exerting power throughout the novel.
Rebuttal:
One may critique it that way, however the evidence at hand points to a Marxist reading. The social class divide between the Reds and Silvers are forcing them into a revolution.
One may critique it that way, however the evidence at hand points to a Marxist reading. The social class divide between the Reds and Silvers are forcing them into a revolution.
No comments:
Post a Comment