Depiction of domestic violence in Nicholas Sparks' "Safe Haven": A feminist approach

Abstract

The study examines how the novel Safe Haven discloses several representations of woman as well as relevant gender-related issues that we are recurrently facing today. The dissection is made complete through the approach of feminist criticism particularly using Duluth model by Pence & Paymar (1993) and the three phases to descry multiple representations of the character as a woman, the role of domestic violence depicted in the story, and the impact of domestic violence to the main character. A feminist analysis of the novel reveals various themes such as domestic violence as an effect of gender inequality, domestic violence as a motivation to repel the abuse, and domestic violence as an effect of male extreme imbibition of alcohol. This analysis invites the readers for a feminist perception by highlighting the representations of the female character and dilating the violence, and gender patterns that led to domestic violence to women.