The Girl who played with fire - Essay Example

Nonetheless, to a bigger extent, this novel is a mirror of the society today, and therefore, presents a challenge, and offers insightful platforms for moral transformation of individuals and whole society. Lisbeth Salander is one of the main characters who carry most of the themes in the novel. Most of the events in this novel are a representation of what happens in the society today. This therefore, plays the role of highlighting these moral concerns in society, thereby, instilling the urge of change in the people who read this novel.

The society today is faced with a high level of moral decadence, just as the case in this novel. First, the aspect of violence is rampant in the novel. The author has used different violent scenes to show this. For instance, forms of sexual violence; including rape, shoot-outs, murders, bombings, and axing, are all forms of violence present in this novel. Salander, the main character propagates some forms of violence; while on the other hand, she is also a victim of violence. She uses violence as a defence mechanism for herself and others.

As a victim of violence, Salander’s character suffers in the media and in the social welfare system. “POLICE TRACKING LESBIAN SATANIST CULT.” (20.173). . Teleborian had pretended that Salander was violent, which was not the case. The court systems and police force also propagate a form of violence when they fail to address the concerns of rape victims in a just manner. The height of violence is also manifest at the end of the novel, when Salander’s brother buries her alive, after being shot in the head by her father.

The novel therefore, highlights violence, which is highly despised in society, but still rampant. Gender and gender discrimination is another moral question present in Larsson’s book. There are both good and bad male characters in this novel. The good men show a higher level of respect for the females. The bad men in the novel are sadistic and perpetuate discrimination of women in the novel. For instance, they show disrespect for women by using obscene words such as “whore,” “bitch,” and “slut” to refer to women.

Some of the men are responsible for raping women, killing women, and beating them up. “The press would rip him to shreds. A member of the Security Police who exploited teenage prostitutes…If only those fucking cunts hadn't been so young.” (23.29). Gunnar Bjorck views women as sex objects, and does not feel guilty that he abused them, he only fears being exposed. Apart from sadistic men, the media, systems of justice, social, and health institutions also contribute to discrimination of females.

“When it later turned out that Norgren had been convicted for sexual offenses twice before, the prosecutor decided to drop the case. But that did not mean the social welfare report on Salander was set aside.” (21.10). Although Norgeren assaults Salander, he is not punished for it, yet Salander continues to be depicted as a