Feminism and Becoming a Woman

The author uses this theme to narrate Lucy's coming-of-age as she observes the different female role models in her life and attempts to determine what kind of woman she wishes to be. Lucy has a naturally feminist sensibility, likely molded in part by her mother and her cousin Violet, but over the course of the novel she probes the various benefits and limitations inherent in being a woman in the late 20th century.

Lucy's discussion of the Falconer statue in Central Park is pivotal to understanding her view of feminism. She sees the figure of the boy releasing the falcon and wonders why there are no statues featuring girls doing similar activities. “Statues of girls are always doing something feminine or unfun,” she explains, “like lounging half-naked by a spring, gently dipping elegant fingertips in the water, or standing stone-faced for Justice...