A work of feminist literature or film is in my opinion, a work that emphasizes on women. It is a work that should represent women in ways that are not so often shown. It would show women, outside of their social role, and show them in their intimate life. It would paint them in their relationship with men but also with other women, but more importantly, it would paint their reflections, their point of views on any aspect of life. A feminist work would be a work that gives a voice to women in society, that would be a space of free expression for women, regardless of what should be said or shown. It would empower them to be free, even if they are not always in society.
One book that represents for me a great example of that is The golden notebook by Doris Lessing. She tells about the life of two women, Anna and Molly, in the fifties, as what she calls « free women ». There are five notebooks, each representing Anna's personal and intimate understanding of the world. The first notebook where she talks with Molly about ex-husbands, and children is entitled « Free Women », the black notebook is about Anna's trip to Africa, the red one is about her experience in the Communist party, the yellow one is the novel Anna is writing, and the blue one is about Anna's personal experience, it is her diary.
A feminist text may be "intimate", but it may also be more socially activist and about the social drama exterior to women's lives. It can be both. Good comments. I haven't read Lessing's book for awhile, but you inspire me to read it again.
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