Gender and Exploitation

Women in the novel, such as Katie and Mary McPhillip, are often exploited, marginalized, or used as emotional pawns by men, reflecting their limited agency in a patriarchal society, yet they also display resilience and complex loyalties.

Katie Fox's character illustrates the exploitation and degradation of women in the slums, from factory work to prostitution and drug addiction, as well as her expulsion from the revolutionary movement.

The brothel setting highlights the commodification of women's bodies, with the women's reactions driven by money and class, and Gypo's pursuit of the indifferent woman in the fur coat.

Mary McPhillip's physical and verbal resistance is overpowered by Gallagher and the sentries, illustrating the exploitation and silencing of women in the conflict.