Sexual Agency

This week I was particularly intrigued by the interplay of sexuality and power in both Almanac of the Dead and Bedwin Hacker. While Almanac is rife with sex, I didn't really consider how all of that sex related to the power dynamics of the various plots until a particular scene in Bedwin Hacker. Towards the end of the film, there is a scene when Kalt and Marianne are discussing what has happened while the little girl continues working on the computer. Chams walks in, attempts to join the conversation, and ends up looking utterly confused. He eventually wanders out of the house in a daze.

Chams' reaction to seeing his two lovers exerting their latent power was very interesting. While their ability with computers was nothing new, he was not used to confronting the idea that they were very much his betters, at least in this aspect. The effect is further emphasized by the fact that the girl is sitting there, working. Even a small child has more power than this fully grown man. However, while the girl makes for a powerful effect, the relationships between the three adults are what makes the situation interesting. Marianne and Kalt have a past that Chams was unaware of, even while he was intimately involved with both of them. This control of information gave the women power over Chams, which they both promptly exploited. The womens' relationship with each other was apparently more influential and more equal than either of their relationships with Chams. This particular scene is interesting because is shows Chams becoming aware of his insignificance and powerlessness.

Almanac of the Dead also explores the interplay of sex and power in many of its various permutations through the convoluted relationships of the characters. At times it seems like each character is romantically, or at least physically, involved with at least three other characters. This is, technically, an exaggeration, but promiscuity is certainly an issue well explored. One relationship I'd like to examine is the Ferro, Jamey, and Paulie. While Ferro denies being remotely interested in Paulie, the attraction between them gives him a great amount of power over Paulie. In contrast, his relationship with Jamey gives Jamey the majority of the power. The difference is that because Ferro is not physically involved with Paulie, he has a clearer understanding of the sway he holds.

Another obvious example of sex being tied with power is complicated story of David, Eric, Seese, Beaufrey, and Serlo. David held power over Eric and Seese through their relationships. However, those relationships existed in part because of the psychological games Beaufrey was playing. However, had Beaufrey not been attracted to David, there would be no power struggle between the two, and thus no use of Eric and Seese as pawns. David used those two to make Beaufrey jealous and to exert his sexual power over someone else. Serlo is a very interesting character because while his presence greatly increases the sexual tension of the plot line, he denies that he is a sexual being at all. This gives him the greatest power because he is withholding sex indefinitely from all those who are attracted to him. He exerts control over himself as well as Beaufrey and David by remaining abstinent.

One could certainly take this analysis further, applying the concept of sexual agency to Angelita, Lecha, Zeta, Root, Trigg, Calabazas, Menardo, Alegria, and Leah Blue. They all exploited, or were exploited through, power gained through sexual relations or the lack thereof. By making sex such a pervasive part of the book, Silko shows how important it is in understanding human relations. In Almanac of the Dead and Bedwin Hacker, sex makes the world go round.