Professor Gonzalez pointed out that if her gender were disregarded, even though her treatment of her suitors were somewhat callous it would be socially acceptable for a person to want a choice in who they have relationships with. Women were held to a higher sexual commitment while men were not which is why there is no equivalent to the word slut for men.  I think this very evident of society.  We were all criticizing and saying that Lucy was devious when in fact it can be seen that Lucy just wants her free sexuality to be socially accepted just as men’s sexuality is.  Lucy is quickly judged as a highly sexualized impure woman just because she is open with their sexuality like men and a little bit more callous like a man.  The same way that a man can be labeled with the positive connotation of a “player” if he sleeps around with many women is the same way Lucy wants to be with three different men without being negatively labeled. Due to her blurring the line of gender roles, she seems threatening to the men in the novel, and clearly still a problem for the class as well. Her free sexuality is actually a very progressive thought because instead of accepting the role of the traditional pure submissive woman she does not want to be held to a double standard.




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