When Women Were Dragons

Throughout the novel, women’s bodies become literally larger than life through repressed rage or desire. Because societal constraints bind them tightly until they burst—in this case, into dragons—the transformation becomes an expression of their “natural” identity, as opposed to the unnatural lives they lead before they turn. The choice to transform is easier if women are freely given the option to do so, but in this imagined world—as in the real world it mimics—a restrictive society denies women this freedom of choice, at least at first.

In connection with this larger conflict, the battle over familial responsibilities and gender roles plays out in a variety of ways. Bertha Green, for example, is married to a man who prefers her to stay at home and raise their child. To both Alex Green and Bertha Green, Mr. Green often mentions that a college degree means nothing “for a person who is perfectly happy keeping a lovely home” (30). His restrictive sentiments about a woman’s “proper” role in society completely dismiss both his wife and his daughter’s mathematical genius—to say nothing of their dreams and passions. He is not alone in this either; Mr. Alphonse, the school principal, constantly expresses his preference to speak to Mr.