The idea of male domination in society has always been a constant and

 

reoccurring theme woven into the relationships that people have with one another, as well

 

as the relationships humans have with non-human animals.  Patriarchy exists as an

 

avenue to establish norms within a society, and its power of implementation is broad and

 

deep, backed by years of adherence and limited recourse.  I believe that by examining

 

Ruth Ozeki’s novel My Year of Meats, while inspecting scholarly resources that define

 

and expose patriarchal roots and implementations, it is evident that Ozeki’s novel is an

 

attack to discredit and devalue the assimilation of the male gaze.  Once the parameters of

 

patriarchy are defined through articles written by Carol Adams, Kathryn George, and

 

Marlene Longenecker (among others), a close reading of Ozeki’s text reveals to the

 

audience the struggles that exist for women and non-human animals in a narrative,

 

personable fashion.

 

           Particularly striking is the transformations that the central female characters in

 

Ozeki’s novel undertake.  Not content with the submissive or derogatory limitations built

 

around them, the female characters of Lara, Dyann, Akiko, and Jane all show remarkable

 

fortitude and bravery to fight for equal status and recognition afforded their male

 

counterparts.  Ruth Ozeki is using her novel to provide a template of alternatives for

 

women and non-humans to use to help eliminate the crippling nature of male domination.

 

My Year of Meats is a practical extension to show why this equality is vital to

 

establishing and sustaining a rich, diverse, and vibrant society.