Maggie: A Girl of the Streets "Heroism in Suffering"

Abstract

The present study of the novel, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, examines the struggles and sufferings of Maggie because of her own self-created system; that is her individual choice, makes her stand opposite to what the society expects from her. Maggie suffers because choices made by her are entirely her own. She does not go according to the choices of average or typical man in society. She is, however, both within and without society. Physically, she lives in the society, but her individual value takes her beyond that. Maggie owes to Sartre's belief that man makes himself and is entirely responsible for his actions. What she thinks, does and expects from others are only her own which are contradicted by social agents like father, mother , Jiemmie and Pete. She suffers and meets death simply, because she not only creates choice for herself but also tries to do that for others. She acts and reacts naively and idealistically against unfavourable odds throughout the novel to maitain dignity and nobility and ultimately dies rejecting the labels of the society that try to control her free will and in this process, she gains heroism.