(Excerpt is the Mrs Kidd and Marlene talky thing and Angie being like "wow thats so cool")
Works of literature encourage discourse in the prevailing social and political movements of their generation, often drawing on supporters to develop and question their beliefs. In the extract from Caryl Churchill's Top Girls, readers of the 1980s are led to contemplate how feminism has shifted the dynamics of power in both social and workplace environments. Churchill portrays the 1980s workplace as being dominated by ambitious women, with the disenfranchising of both women and men now prevailing.
The conversation between Marlene and Mrs Kidd indicates to readers that the rise of women to positions of power has not changed the existing power imbalance and inequality present in the workplace. While Mrs Kidd asks "What's it gonna do to him working for a woman? I think if it was a man he'd get over as something normal.", Marlene bluntly remarks that she thinks "he's going to have to get over it." Through Mrs Kidd, Churchill uses demeaning vernacular to represent the idea of having a female boss as abnormal and unnatural, while establishing a clear binary between men and women from Mrs Kidd's perspective. While this perspective on gender is portrayed, Marlene refutes it through using short syntax to establish a mocking and blunt tone. The reader understands that Marlene holds the power in the conversation, and that she is using it to dismiss Mrs Kidd's opinion. As readers observe the clear power imbalance, Churchill calls on readers to reflect on whether feminism addresses the problematic power imbalance that dominated prior patriarchal society. Mrs Kidd insults Marlene by calling her "one of these ballbreakers", and that she'll "end up miserable and lonely". Churchill directly informs the reader that by acting as a "ballbreaker", i.e. women who take mens' positions of power, they'll end up as emotionally unsatisfied. Hence, Churchill portrays the mere position of being a boss of others as draining on their emotional health, and in doing so asks readers to question whether advances for feminist causes are helping women from disenfranchisement.
Churchill gives the reader insights into Mrs Kidd's perspective as the housewife of one of Marlene's male colleagues, suggesting that despite ambitious women rising to power, women are still sidelined and lack agency. Mrs Kidd points out that Howard "hasn't slept for three nights. I haven't slept". Churchill establish a dichotomy between Howard and Mrs Kidd, indicating that Howard's misery is detrimental to Mrs Kidd. Churchill presents to readers an unfortunate situation where Mrs Kidd suffers while Marlene thrives, and thus readers are left contemplating whether the feminist movement has improved the lives of women, or merely continued a power inequality. Mrs Kidd further laments on her situation, indicating how "It's me that bears the brunt. I'm not the one that's been promoted. I put him first every inch of the way. And now what do I get? You women this, you women that." By using an emotive vocabulary, Churchill presents Mrs Kidd as a victim of her husband's misfortune in his career due to Marlene. Howard represents the backlash to advances in the feminist cause, of which common women like Mrs Kidd are inflicted by. Thus, Readers are left to question whether the feminist movement should be focused on the progression female agency in positions of power, instead of on the power dynamics of the family unit.
