The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers

The way male writers describe women

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Mr. Death:
Murphy's also spent most of her life in a male-dominated field and, as she might put it, speaks Martian. It would not be at all surprising to me if the attitudes she was used to dealing with day-to-day affected her thinking as well.

A Murphy who'd been a florist her whole life might not be saying the same things about those women.

Dina:
Why? Because florist are like delicate flowers?  ;D

LordDresden2:
The thing about Harry is that almost all males really do think like that...sort of.  Where Harry is a little different is that he's more conscious of it.  A guy seeing a woman he finds attractive is noticing all the same stuff Harry is, as a rule, but one you're past early teens or so it's usually so much a part of the daily background of thought that it's just...background, unless he finds her exceptionally appealing, or he's got semi-immediate plans involving her, or she's coming on to him or he thinks she is.  Otherwise, those thoughts are going in parallel with other thoughts as well.  Harry, though, tends to dwell on it more specifically, more consciously.

As Kurtin St. George observed, that particular trait is common to the classic/stereotypical noir detective archetype, too.

The comparison to Thomas is interesting, because it's actually natural for Thomas to be different.  For one thing, he has to guard his thoughts more carefully to keep his Appetite under control, and for another, it's crude but true to say that Thomas can have almost any woman he wants, if he decides he wants her.  The women who will say 'no' to him and stick to it are the exception, and he knows that, too.

So he's less motivated by 'what he can't have'.  His frustrations are basically different than Harry's.

LordDresden2:

--- Quote from: knnn on April 13, 2018, 03:09:30 AM ---Interesting.

I have never been sure about Murphy's internal dialogue in Aftermath.  I always thought she came off as a little petty.

Examples:

In both cases, this is Murphy feeling more than unkindly at other women apparently simply because they appear in her mind to look better than her (male-y tropes as a well I believe -- bigger breasts and longer legs). 
--- End quote ---

But she's not lusting after the breasts and legs, as such, like Harry would be.  She's jealous (at least a bit, and probably rueful/sardonic as much as angry) of the power and attention they give the women who have them.  The male equivalent would be Harry being jealous of a rich, handsome quarterback or movie star with women throwing themselves at him, or being jealous of Thomas' looks, if he didn't know the hidden cost.

LordDresden2:

--- Quote from: Griffyn612 on April 13, 2018, 03:55:15 AM ---I don't think it's really petty, but I guess it's up to interpretation.  I could see where someone could read that and think she was being hauty, a la Housewives of Never-Never.  But I read it as being said with more of an amused sardonic tone.  Like Sam and Dean Winchester calling each other jerk and bitch.

--- End quote ---

And note that she didn't say it out loud.  Lots of people think lots of things best not said, it's a human trait.

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