lore, but still remain in confinement. The idea of a pasture is such that it is a place in which something can grow and develop until its desired goal is reached. For sheep, they graze and eat so as to develop suitable wool. For Francis, her home, her pasture, is a place of struggle. It is a place that confines her true desire. A desire focused on the power of becoming a man.According to Frances, to be a man is the most honorable and greatest power one can posses. Men are smart, cunning, brave, and most of all, powerful. These characteristics are also associated with those of dogs. In order to become a man, Frances must become as dog-like as possible.Francis’s mission in becoming a dog is directly related to territory. All dogs mark their territory by urinating on trees, bunkers, plants, and etc. This gives the dogs a sense of boundary and power. In becoming a dog, Frances adopts their natural instinct. On his island, Frances urinates on his sacrifice poles so that he can gain the same sense of power that is associated with the dog. Frank says, “I didn’t need a pee because I’d been pissing on the Poles during the day, infecting them with my scent and power”(pg.16). This act clearly demonstrates Frances’s view on how powerful it is to become a dog and ultimately to become a man.Within The Wasp Factory it is easy to see the power of gender as it affects the mind and the actions of an individual. More importantly, it is the relationship with animals that relates feelings of inferiority and power with femininity and masculinity. The Wasp Factory is about how an individual views his/herself and how that same individual views other aspects of society, mainly animals. In examining how Frances views his own identity with how he views certain animals, it is easy to conclude that his feelings about sheep and dogs are identical with his feelings about men and women....
