The Helpless Male: Breaking with the Traditional Male/Female Roles in the Novels Pride of Chanur and Foreigner by Carolyn Janice Cherryh
The Helpless Male: Breaking with the Traditional Male/Female Roles in the Novels Pride of Chanur and Foreigner by Carolyn Janice Cherryh

Summary/Abstract: For decades science fiction literature was almost entirely dominated by men. Female authors, such as C. L. Moore or Leigh Brackett, usually hid behind male pen-names or initials that did not reveal their gender. The prejudices of the period were reflected in the characterization of the principal male and female characters. The typical male hero possessed mostly positive qualities, while the main female character was characterized by passivity and weakness, both physical and psychological. Carolyn Janice (C. J.) Cherryh is one of the authors that have changed the traditional representation of male-female relationships in science fiction. In her novels Pride of Chanur and Foreigner, we can discern at least four levels of subversion of traditional male-female relationships: a) The powerless man is dependent on the woman who is in a position of power. b) The woman is not transformed into the traditional male hero; she retains many of her female qualities. c) The man is not described as useless and stupid, but as intelligent and capable. d) Inter-species sexual intercourse is allowed. Cherryh's work proves that it is possible to speak of contemporary gender related issues in science fiction literature even while following the genre conventions.

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