Dystopia & Gender in Gather the Daughters

 

Dystopia & Gender in Gather the Daughters

Cathryn Longstreet

"Gather the Daughters" is a science-fiction novel written by Jennie Melamed in 2017. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting, where the descendants of a handful of families reside on a remote island far away from the rest of the world. On this island, there is no connection to the outside world (which is called "The Wastelands") and there is no technology outside of pen and paper. The island is controlled by a group of men (who are referred to as "The Wanderers") who develop the strict and oppressive system that the society must follow under the guise of worshipping ancestors. Women are not allowed to work, and can only leave the house with a male chaperone with them. Girls are supposed to marry after they get their periods, and are usually exposed to sexual violence during this process. 

     Jennie Melamed, author of "Gather the Daughters"

"Gather the Daughters" can be considered a dystopia because of the setting in which it takes place. The setting of the novel is an island far from civilization that is ruled by a select group of people who have complete and total control over the inhabitants. In this society, there is a strict hierarchy of who has power and who does not. Additionally, the setting is post-apocalyptic, where there are limited resources that are also controlled and distributed by the men in charge. In terms of work, only a few jobs are offered and are only given to the men. Once the inhabitants reach their forties, they must surrender their jobs for their relatives. Furthermore, there is no technology, and the citizens of the island must rebuild their civilization from the ground up. 

This novel also touches on topics such as feminism and the oppression of women. On this island, women are not allowed to work, must stay home with their children, and their daughters are required to be married off as soon as they get their period. On top of this, they are also forced to have children even if they do not want to. When they do have children, there is a strict two-child-only law, and if any of their children have physical or mental disabilities of any sort, they are to be killed. The women are often sexually assaulted and subjected to other disturbing and abusive sexual acts. Women are left with less resources than the men, and must make do with what they have whilst being exploited and taken advantage of by the men in charge of them. 

In conclusion, "Gather the Daughters" by Jennie Melamed would be a perfect addition to the course readings for future semesters. The book is a dystopian, science-fiction novel that follows a post-apocalyptic society where women are oppressed and under the control of an elite group of male inhabitants that determine how everyone else on the island survives and how accessible resources are for everyone. 

Works Cited:

Melamed, J. (2018). Gather the daughters. W F Howes Ltd.