CHAPTER 15
From Save Me to Savior: Womens Gender Role Evolution and Development of Agency
Marie-Joëlle Estrada
“When I ran from home, I told myself it was the only way. Lately, I wondered if in every moment, there aren’t many paths. Choices hanging in the air like ghosts, and if you could just see them, you could change your whole life.”
—Dolores Abernathy1
“Women also have a tougher time being successful in leadership roles because of the necessity of overcoming other people’s beliefs that being female is a leadership liability.”
—social psychologist/gender differences researcher Alice H. Eagly2
Traditional gender stereotypes limit the power women can have based on what is considered acceptably feminine. At the beginning of Westworld, we meet two key female characters: Dolores, the sweet ranch girl who naïvely believes in only seeing the beauty in the world, and Maeve, the assertive madam of the local brothel who is familiar with the less savory workings of society. Although both women represent different aspects of feminine stereotype, both evolve away from the limited power of their traditional gender roles to powerful leaders who can bring about large scale social change.
Components of the Feminine Stereotype
Stereotypes, generalized hierarchies of beliefs about a specific group or groups,3 act as heuristics (mental shortcuts) that allow us to quickly categorize and respond to people so that we can maneuver our social world more efficiently. Although mentally economical, they are limiting because they assume that all members of a group are alike, and they can have negative effects in terms of recognizing how individual people are different. In general, the feminine stereotype is summarized by the idea of communion, a focus on others above the self, and behaving in a kind, compassionate, nurturing manner to maintain harmonious relationships.4 Both Dolores and Maeve embody aspects of traditional feminine stereotypes. Dolores cares about her father, establishes a warm relationship with Arnold, and welcomes newcomers in a polite, self-effacing way. When the Man in Black threatens to shoot Teddy, Dolores offers to sacrifice herself to save him by saying, “I’ll do whatever you want.”5 Even Maeve, the hardened brothel owner, cares about and watches over both her daughter and other prostitutes such as Clementine. In both cases, taking care of others is a central tenet of how each host’s personality is defined.
Conversely, the masculine stereotype is self-focused and can be summarized with the term agency: It is characterized by independence, dominance, and competitive behavior.6 These feminine and masculine stereotypes are thus at odds with each other. Women such as Maeve and Dolores are expected to be other focused and more passive, whereas men such as Logan and the Man in Black are expected to be self-focused and assertive.
Although it may seem that these gender stereotypes could be undermined by encountering someone who disproves the rule, encountering a contradiction may simply lead people to engage in subtyping, creating subcategories that are exceptions to the stereotype and yet maintain the rule.7 In particular, two dimensions of moral virtue (sexual modesty) and assertive power (agency) serve to organize women into six different subtypes: professional, feminist, homemaker, female athlete, beauty, and temptress.8 In the beginning, Dolores is sexually modest and low on agency, epitomizing “beauty” because her sweet nature and appearance appear to be her defining characteristics. Conversely, Maeve qualifies as “temptress” because she is both sexually experienced and high on agency. These two subtypes closely echo the stereotypes of “good girl” and “bad girl” which are common roles that define women in other popular narratives. Their power evolves, though, from these limited feminine subtypes to a more masculine effective one.
Romantic Relationships with Men
Heteronormative romantic scripts, specific expectations for how certain social situations will play out, are highly gendered and emphasize unique roles for men and women: Men are expected to take the strong, active role and to be responsible for initiating both the relationship and its sexual progression, whereas women are relegated to be the recipients of men’s advances and attempt to passively attract men using their youth, beauty, and sexual modesty.9 This script also constitutes an example of positive prejudice against women because, although the content of the stereotype is positive, the ultimate effect is biased nonetheless.10 Thus, this romantic script suggests that women should be “put on a pedestal” by men and viewed as idealized love objects who are more pure (in terms of sexual experience and in thought/deeds) and moral then men. Dolores epitomizes this script well: She is moral, sexually modest, and beautiful, and her story loop has her passively wait for a man to hand her the can that she drops.
On the surface, being seen as superior to men may appear positive, but it comes at a high cost to women. The traits for which they are valued (youth and beauty) have a short expiration date. Also, women are expected to have relationships as their central life focus, instead of pursuing independence and direct power. Dolores initially spends her time looking for a male hero or savior to complete her life and to “take her away” from Sweetwater. At least for a time, both Teddy and William take on this role for her.
Women’s other source of power lies in being the sexual gatekeepers: Because they are viewed as desiring sex less, they will have more power in controlling the circumstances under which sex will occur. These conditions are explained by sexual economics theory, which defines sex as a female resource that men acquire via the exchange of inducements.11 These inducements can range from the intangible that Dolores values (e.g., love, fidelity, commitment, flattery) to the more concrete that Maeve values (e.g., money, valuable objects, power/favors). As they progress, both Dolores and Maeve alter their bases of the sexual economics scripts. After she realizes that William has not stayed true to her after their sexual encounter, Dolores becomes more sexually aggressive with Teddy.12 Maeve originally uses sex for explicit economic exchanges. She even tells Teddy, “You’re always paying for it, darling. The difference is that our costs are fixed and posted on the door.”13 But later, Maeve initiates sex with Hector not for money, but as a power exchange to help secure him as an ally to launch her rebellion.14 Eventually she shows some real feelings for Hector, suggesting that her financial inducements have now been replaced with emotional ones.15 Thus, although both Dolores and Maeve change roles from the feminine passive responder to the aggressive instigator, their actions remain aligned with the exchange principles laid out by sexual economics.
Leadership
A further examination of gender stereotypes reveals an interesting contradiction. Although women are stereotypically supposed to be “likeable” and “nice,” they are also viewed as less competent. Although the masculine stereotype has more negative content, men are viewed as more effective at accomplishing tasks. The feminine stereotype comes across as “wonderful but weak” whereas the masculine stereotype is “bad but bold.”16 Not surprisingly, the feminine stereotype has been used as an excuse to prevent women from taking on high-status positions given that they are perceived as lacking the strength, confidence, or aggression to succeed at them. This division appears clearly in the traditional patriarchy of Sweetwater where men exclusively occupy the positions of power (mayor, sheriff, head outlaw, etc.). This pattern is also mirrored in management of the park, where the majority of powerful positions are filled by men (e.g., Ford, Bernard, William, Strand, James Delos). The presence of a few women in leadership positions in the outside world (Theresa Cullen, Charlotte Hale) does reflect progress to a more egalitarian society, compared to the Old West. It’s worth noting, though, that the even these women are undermined by Ford.17
Women who want to occupy traditionally “masculine” leadership positions have to violate the feminine communal stereotypes to be considered agentic enough to lead. Unfortunately, this violation leads to a backlash where non-communal women are perceived as competent but now unlikeable.18 This contradiction suggests that women are in a double bind: Women who violate the feminine stereotype are seen as “too aggressive” and are disliked. This decreased likeability can be seen in the women who occupy leadership positions and the lack of emotionality that the audience experiences with their demise. Armistice, Theresa, and Charlotte are all strong-willed, independent women who meet danger, death, or dismemberment, and yet their misfortunes are not portrayed as particularly regrettable or unfortunate.19
Some research suggests women can find a balance if they temper their agency by simultaneously highlighting their femininity, attempting to appear warm and communal.20 Although Dolores and Maeve become more powerful and less likeable as events progress, they also try to retain a feminine appearance and key characteristics. Dolores maintains her love for Teddy even as she readies herself to kill Ford, while Maeve prioritizes returning for her daughter over her own escape.21
Self-Efficacy and Control over Personal Outcomes
Maeve and Dolores’s increasing power is perhaps best illustrated by their increasing control over their story loops or destinies. This process, known as self-efficacy, reflects people’s confidence that they can change their behaviors, motivations, and outcomes. This affects all aspects of goal pursuits, including the tenacity and endurance with which they’re pursued.22 While Dolores begins as a naive girl who believes that her future “path” is predestined, she begins to challenge that idea when she says, “I used to think everyone had a path, but now I ask where the path is taking me.”23 Dolores is no longer passively traveling the loop laid out for her, but instead questions the end goal and whether it’s something she wants to pursue. Similarly, she also refuses to define herself in terms of her communal ability to nurture relationships, and instead wants to be seen as an individual. After William tells her that she has “unlocked” something inside of him, she tells him that she’s not a key; she’s just herself.24 In other words, she has decided that she’s not a tool that exists to serve him, but rather exists independently for her own goal pursuits.
Maeve also progresses from passively accepting her fate to becoming self-efficacious in changing her personality and narrative. Initially, Maeve prefers to interpret her negative flashbacks about violence as a nightmare and counts down to wake herself “out of her dream.”25 However, as she begins to piece together more knowledge about the outside world, she decides to embrace the situation and learns to bend it to her will. Maeve’s newfound agency in dictating her own life becomes more apparent as she continues to gain more power in her interactions first with Felix, then Sylvester, then most of the remaining hosts in the park.26 Initially she is hesitant and uncertain, but soon confidently progresses to blackmailing the techs into changing her code and even serving as a guide to where she wants to go. The traits that she chooses to minimize in her code are ones specifically related to the feminine stereotype (e.g., she decreases loyalty), but she increases agentic traits such as self-preservation and intelligence.27 Her self-efficacy is perhaps most evident when she executes her own escape from being decommissioned by the head tech. Afterwards when she meets up with the two men who were supposed to rescue her, Maeve highlights her own control over her narrative when she says “You were both at bit late. So I went ahead and saved myself.”28
Types of Aggression
Aggression is any behavior enacted with the intent to cause harm to another person who doesn’t want to be harmed.29 Although there are many different types of aggression, they can be split into two categories: direct vs. indirect. Direct aggression involves confronting another individual face-to-face and may include both angry statements (“I’m angry at you”) and physical violence. Conversely, indirect aggression is more passive and avoids directly informing the other person that you’re upset with him or her.30 Examples of indirect aggression can include talking behind someone’s back, spreading a nasty rumor, or socially ostracizing a member of your group. Unsurprising given the gender stereotypes, men more often employ direct aggression (and physical violence) whereas women more often employ indirect aggression (to maintain harmonious relationships). Dolores starts as passive in dealing with any kind of threat, such as staying behind when Teddy investigates her parents’ murder at the ranch.31 But later Dolores shoots and kills an outlaw who is attempting to rape her.32 When she and William are cornered by Confederate soldiers, it is she, not William, who shoots the soldiers and comes up with a plan for their escape.33 As Dolores’s power grows she convinces the Confederados to team up with her and her group, but then double-crosses them and leaves them to be slaughtered.34 Her power reaches its peak when she sacrifices hosts and humans alike so that she can escape the park for the real world.35 Thus, Dolores goes from being the traditional damsel in distress who requires saving to adopting the agentic masculine role of protector who uses direct aggression and violence to protect others, but ultimately herself.
Given her risky line of work, Maeve has been more direct in her aggression, but this increases as the series progresses. For example, she waits for Hector to steal the safe and threatens him with a gun while explaining her proposition for escape. Soon, she progresses to more direct aggression when cutting Sylvester’s throat (despite Felix’s protests of “you promised not to hurt anyone”) and then recruiting and arming members of her rebellion.36 She recognizes that many people and hosts are being injured in order for her to escape, but simply views this as a necessary cost to save herself. She goes from the self-sacrificing mother who struggles to protect her daughter to an agentic individual who is willing to sacrifice others to save herself. Although she ultimately returns and sacrifices herself for her daughter, Maeve displays much agentic ruthlessness in both achieving her initial escape and in her long term goal of saving her daughter.37
Saviors . . . At What Cost?
Dolores and Maeve evolve away from their limited feminine roles to agentic leaders by the end of the first season, and continue to assume greater power into the second season. These changes are visible in their usage of direct aggression, by taking charge of their narratives, and by minimizing their communion to maximize their agency and therefore credibility as leaders. Although they retain some aspects of their femininity (which makes their agency more palatable), it is unfortunate that the Wild West and even the modern outside world requires the sacrifice of the majority of their feminine characteristics in order for them to be taken seriously as leaders. An alternative solution to this sacrifice of femininity for power is suggested by author G. D. Anderson who says that “women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”38 Thus, being feminine is also powerful in its own right, but it requires a shift in society’s perceptions before it will be recognized as such.
“I’m finding a new voice.”
—Maeve Millay39
What You Say and How You Say It: The Power of Language
Power and agency can be seen in more subtle forms in the style and method of communication that more versus less powerful people employ. In keeping with the “bad but bold” stereotype, men are more likely to use slang and swear because they aren’t preoccupied about offending others (a tendency seen in the Man in Black, Logan, James Delos, and many of the outlaw hosts), and they also exhibit social dominance by interrupting women in mixed-sex conversations.40 Thus men seem to be comfortable being in charge of the conversations and relegating women to supporting roles. This power dynamic is visible with the Man in Black’s conversations with Dolores and any other host in the park, while he views himself superior to them all.
Women are typically taught to converse in ways that makes what they’re saying less powerful.41 These include hedges (words that convey uncertainty about what is being said, such as “sort of” or “I think that”) or having their voice go up at the end of a statement, which makes it sound like a question (I vote yes?). Other examples include using the polite forms to make requests (“Would you mind?” and “I’d appreciate it if”), suggesting that the decision to enact a behavior ultimately lies with the other person, and that they must be placated. In looking at the power changes in communication, when Maeve ambushes Hector toward the end of the season, she tells him authoritatively, without hedges, politeness, hesitations, or apologies: “I want you to break into Hell with me and rob the gods blind.”42 Thus, Maeve and Dolores’s speech patterns evolve from tentative to having the confidence and authority of any stereotypical male leader.
Is Beauty Really in the Eye of the Beholder? The Evolutionary Bases of Attractiveness
Evolutionary theory suggests that a priority is placed on women’s “beautiful” faces because they signal reproductive health and a superior immune system.43 Although they are physically different in terms of their eye color, hair color, and skin pigmentation, Maeve and Dolores are both considered beautiful because they each have “babyfaced” features—that is, large eyes, a small nose, small chin and full lips coupled with signs of maturity (high cheekbones and a wide mouth).44 This combination of features indicates that a woman is both young enough to be fertile and mature enough to bear children. Other factors that help determine attractiveness for both sexes include the symmetry of the face (how closely halves of the face mirror each other in the shape and placement of features) and the evenness of skin tone.45 Specifically, children with more powerful immune systems are thought to be less developmentally affected by pathogens and are more likely to have symmetric facial features.46 Furthermore, because skin is the largest organ, often any underlying health issues can be visible there in terms of unevenness of tone, rashes, acne, or scars. Although hosts can’t enjoy any of these evolutionary benefits, their human creators are unconsciously motivated by their ancestral preferences to recreate this beauty.
Notes
1. Episode 1–5, “Contrapasso” (October 30, 2016).
2. Eagly (2003), p.191.
3. Banaji (2002).
4. Connor & Fiske (2018).
5. Episode 1–1, “The Original” (October 2, 2016).
6. Rudman & Glick (2008).
7. Richards & Hewstone (2001)
8. DeWall et al. (2005).
9. Impett & Peplau (2003).
10. Rudman & Glick (2008).
11. Baumeister & Vohs (2004).
12. Episode 2–5, “Akane no Mai” (May 20, 2018)
13. Episode 1–1, “The Original” (October 2, 2016).
14. Episode 1–9, “The Well-Tempered Clavier” (November 27, 2016).
15. Episode 2–1, “Journey Into Night” (April 22, 2018).
16. Rudman & Glick (2008).
17. Episodes 1–7, “Trompe L’Oeil” (November 13, 2016); 1-10, “The Bicameral Mind” (December 4, 2016).
18. Smith et al. (2018).
19. e.g., episodes 1–7, “Trompe L’Oeil” (November 13, 2016); 1–10, “The Bicameral Mind” (December 4, 2016); 2–10, “The Passenger” (June 24, 2018).
20. Heilman & Okimoto (2007).
21. Episode 1–10, “The Bicameral Mind” (December 4, 2016).
22. Bandura (1977).
23. Episode 1–4, “Dissonance Theory” (October 23, 2016).
24. Episode 1–6, “The Adversary” (November 6, 2016).
25. Episode 1-2 “Chestnut” (October 9, 2016).
26. Episodes 1–5, “Contrapasso” (October 30, 2016); 1–6, “The Adversary” (November 6, 2016); 1–8, “Trace Decay” (November 21, 2016); 2–5, “Akane No Mai” (May 20, 2018).
27. Episode 1–6, “The Adversary” (November 6, 2016).
28. Episode 2–10, “The Passenger” (June 24, 2018)
29. Baron & Richardson (1994).
30. Hess & Hagen (2006).
31. Episode 1–1, “The Original” (October 2, 2016).
32. Episode 1–3, “The Stray” (October 23, 2016).
33. Episode 1–5, “Contrapasso” (October 30, 2016).
34. Episode 2–3, “Virtù e Fortuna” (May 18, 2018).
35. Episode 2–10, “The Passenger” (June 24, 2018)
36. Episode 1–9, “The Well-Tempered Clavier” (November 27, 2016).
37. Episode 2–10, “The Passenger” (June 24, 2018)
38. Anderson (n.d.).
39. Episode 2–5, “Akane no Mai” (May 20, 2018).
40. Athenstaedt et al. (2004).
41. Lind et al. (1978).
42. Episode 1–9, “The Well-Tempered Clavier” (November 27, 2016).
43. Buss et al. (2001).
44. Cunningham et al. (1995).
45. Fink et al. (2001); Rhodes et al. (1998).
46. Young et al. (2011).