Sex Complexity and Politics in Black Dogs by Ian McEwan

Abstract

Ian McEwan’s Black Dogs (BD) is a story of socio-political conflict during the critical era of the Cold War. Black Dogs is riddled with party (political) domination and its outcomes in society. Europe is still suffering the consequences of the Second World War, perhaps the biggest war of the twentieth century. In the aftermath of such worldwide upheaval, the conflicts that were in tandem with the scramble for political domination emerged in diverse ways, affecting nations and their human populations. Systematic sexual assault during the war years showed that sex was used both for intimidation and humiliation. This study attempts to picture the multidimensional aspects of politics which are practically related to the most intimate human relationship, that is, sex. It pictures how personal is equated with the political and vice versa. The theory of sexual politics is the theoretical framework used to scrutinize power-structure relationship. By reviewing the major conflicts in such a scenario, as the Cold War, and societal restriction, this study concludes that conflict in the macrocosm (world and society) affects the microcosm (individual) in McEwan’s Black Dogs. It provides a rather broad picture of politics and sexuality and highlights the stresses of wider society on human dysfunctional relationships. Rape as a tactic of war for a political goal demonstrates another aspect of sex. Reviewing the period in which the story takes place and relating it to the conflicts in society, the study goes beyond simple cause and effect problems among individuals and portrays a holistic view of sexuality and society.

Appendix

Black Dogs is a story told by Jeremy, the son-in-law of June and Bernard 43 years after the substantial accident on their honeymoon. While June is in the nursing home Jeremy follows his parents-in-law story. June recalls the past events, how she meets Bernard and their marriage. Both of them were young and inexperienced and attracted to the communist party, since they thought this is the only way to amend the devastating world. After the Second World War they join the party the same week they get married. Both come from English upper class society, Bernard’s belittling attitudes towards lower class people, overwhelm June and generate a sort of conflict between them. There is the historical moment which describes the falling down of Berlin Wall, when Bernard and Jeremy fly to Berlin to see the event with their own eyes. Bernard is attacked by a bunch of young racist while watching the fall of Berlin wall. He can escape the brutal moment with the help of a stranger woman. The last chapter explains the horrible event in the past. While on their honeymoon, Bernard and June are hiking across the war-torn Europe and June encounters two unusually huge black dogs determined to attack her. She desperately defends herself, and escapes the situation. When she informs Bernard, he is unable to understand the gravity of the situations. June’s emotionally collapses when later someone who lives in that area reveals that the dogs are not normal dogs, they were trained dogs to rape women by Gestapo, and left there even after Gestapo has left the area. This is the beginning of the emotional separation of the two souls. Although they love each other, they cannot come along with each other and live separately.