My Fifty Shades of Grey: The Ambivalenceof Sexism in E.L. James Erotica

Abstract

This paper focuses on the manifestation of two forms of sexism in the popular novel of E.L. James. By making use of content analysis, a method used to obtain the objective, systematic, and content manifest of communication, this research seeks to find a weave of similar patterns present in the literary work. The representation of patriarchy, sexism, and gender stereotypes through the characters, plot, setting, theme, and literary symbols employed in the story were used as coding categories in the novel. The author made use of Glick and Fiske’s concept of hostile and benevolent sexism to create a distinction between two forms of sexism that were present in two literary works. The former is the most common and antagonistic way of discriminating and dominating women, while the other can elicit positive responses and is usually attributed to a display of good character like chivalry. Through this distinction, the study explores how this popular literature continues to propagate gender stereotypes. It examines how different media such as film, television, and popular literature, in particular, continue to serve as powerful platforms of ideology/models on how women willcome to define themselves in relation to the “other.”