The female character, on the other hand, has complete control over almost every single situation. The male main character of Lullaby is overwhelmed by his emotions, his life is completely ruled by them, and he lacks ability to control the power of the culling song. They behave in gendered ways, such as when the leading lady of Lullaby collects fabulous jewelry, but even something as seemingly feminine as that turns out to be distinctly un-womanly-the jewels are her payment for several hundred professional assassinations. All his characters are despicable people, whether they’re men or women. WARNING-SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT, PALAHNIUK’S NOVELS JUST HAVE TOO MANY TWISTS AND TURNS TO AVOID THEM.įrom a gender analysis perspective, Palahniuk’s novels are curiously almost post-gender. The plot is driven by the need to stop this song from spreading any more, and the need to contain the damage done by the man and woman who already know the song by heart, who can cast it just by thinking it. Somehow it ended up in a book of children’s lullabies. Its an ancient Zulu spell, sung to children during famines or to injured warriors: anytime someone needed to die gently. It has a cast of only four character, two couples, and its plot hinges on a culling song. “You can’t love me…because I’m a woman and I have more power than you.”Ĭhuck Palahniuk’s novel Lullaby is as disturbing as anything else he’s ever written. “This sounds sexist, but I’ve always wanted a penis”
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