Making the system work for you

Though Teena Maguire is brutally raped by a gang of drug addled boys and is told by everyone around her that it must be her fault, she and her twelve year old daughter find a way to make the very system that betrayed them work for them. Rape: A Love Story shows in a series of subtle maneuvers how it is possible for a person with seemingly little power to influence circumstances around them in an effort to achieve great things. Through their actions, both intentional and accidental, Teena and Bethel lure officer Dromoor onto their side and use him as their tool of justice. Since Dromoor works for the male dominated justice system, the women are able to use his standing as the perfect cover for their revenge without having fingers point back to them accusingly. This proves an interesting plot twist as the rage and violence often portrayed against women by men is now being inflicted on men by another man at the will of a woman. Teena and Bethel prey on Dromoor in a way, taking advantage of his male need to play the white knight, but because of willingness to fill this role, both women love him. This disturbing tale is certainly not your typical love story, but it does show a love born out of necessity and circumstance... a love orchestrated by women who understand the very male attitudes that were turned brutally against them can be skillfully turned to work for them as well. Through this, Oates demonstrates that the social beliefs that turn women into victims are the very same ones that can be turned to make women strong, even if that cannot be voiced as loudly.



Aside from telling the story of Teena's rape, the beginning of the book sets up many important ideas for the reader. One of the first things Oates tells us about Dromoor (before we even know his name) is "he liked the idea of justice... putting-things-back-to-right he liked. Such abstractions as law, good conduct, valor in service, eye-for-an-eye, tooth-for-a-tooth" (7). The next important bit of information Oates conveys is about the correlation between life and luck. She writes, "How a life is decided. How a life is ended. Good luck, bad luck. Purely luck" (16) which begins to erode the concept of accountability. After all, is something is purely luck, than nobody is truly at fault for a thing gone wrong. In direct opposition to that is the argument that simply by her behavior or style of dress, Teena "had it coming. Asked for it" (19). While there cannot be an argument in which someone is to blame and yet nobody is to blame since it is only a matter of luck, this confused pattern of thought allows the rest of the story to make sense.





The first sign of weakness seen in women is the simple fact of their womanhood. By being feminine, enjoying her body, and exhibiting herself as a woman, Teena became a target. The rapists, their lawyer, and even the judge use the fact that Teena was wearing short shorts, high heels, and make-up to justify the argument that she provoked her attack. Since her daughter is female and related to her, she must have also been asking for it despite the fact that she is only twelve years old; "like mother, like daughter in that family" people think (22).



The next strike used against Teena and Bethel by the system is youth. Though Teena is thirty-five, she behaves in a more youthful manner. Bethie is of course not even a teenager, but yet her childhood has been stolen from her. Nevertheless, and despite the fact that she is old enough to have been the target of a violent sexual attack, it is argued that she is too young to reliably testify about what happened to her and her mother. "How can the child be sure? How can we believe her? How can a child of twelve swear? How can a child of twelve testify" (43)? These are the questions posed by a corrupt lawyer attempting to prove his rapist clients not guilty.



Related to youth is the idea of women as vulnerable and helpless. It was fairly obvious to the men at the scene of the crime that these two women would not be able to stop them from having their fun. These women, even coupled with their female lawyer would never have the power to stop them from getting away with any crime they chose to commit. After all, women have no power in this male dominated society and the entire court process seems like a way of reminding every woman in the courtroom of that fact.



These very points that serve to turn women into victims and objects are the points that work in their favor when it is time to seek their revenge. When Dromoor was called to the scene of the rape, "there was the girl dazed sitting on the grass, and Dromoor saw the look of her, the torn clothing, bloodied face, the way one of her arms hung wrongly, and he knew it must be rape" (35). From the moment he sees this young, vulnerable girl, he is drawn into their saga. He thinks about them, checks on Teena in the hospital, and even ensures that they have his phone number should they need him. Dromoor's male driven knight-in-shining-armor complex gets the best of him and the Maguire women are not above using it to their advantage.

When Dromoor attends the initial court case against the men who raped Teena, his sense of justice is brutally battered. He feels that the law as failed, and as a man who likes the idea of right, he feels compelled to help these women who seem too helpless to do anything for themselves against the powerful system. As Dromoor comes to their rescue more and more often, especially as he starts killing the rapists in a vigilante way, Teena and Bethel begin to love him because he allows them to feel safe again. This love is returned in a way because it allows Dromoor to feel needed and as if he is providing real justice. While the men who abused and raped Teena and her daughter took advantage of a perceived weakness in their victims, Teena and Bethel also take advantage of Dromoor's need to play the savior.

Although he is not a victim, Dromoor is certainly prey to feminine stereotypes that led Teena to be victimized. The parts of women that are exploited as weaknesses by the legal system and by the town are used as strengths to get a man on their side. Without Dromoor being drawn to the idea of female vulnerability and need, he would not have felt so compelled to come to their rescue. While it is not spoken that Bethel and Teena are intentionally playing into Dromoor's white knight complex, they both seem to act just a bit more needy when he is around; it is he they call when they are afraid; it is he who Bethel gives distressed eyes to while she is throwing the female lawyer out of their home.

Perhaps it is all coincidence within the plot of Oates' story, but nevertheless, the message exists: the things that appear to make women weak can easily be turned into strengths when framed in the right light.