Bridging the Divide: Exploring the Complexities of Class, Power, and Gender-Based Violence in Thrity Umrigar’s The Space Between Us

Violence against people based on their gender is a widespread and complicating issue, impacting millions around the countries. At its core, this type of violence comes from an unequal distribution of power, societal norms, organizations, and individuals all help continue violence against those who are less privileged, especially women and girls. This study delves into the complexities of gender based violence, examining its causes, consequences and intersections with social, cultural, and economic power. Violence based on gender can manifest in various ways, and based on the nature of the relationship and the kind of power involved. The connections between men and women and their origins and consequences, the various types of stereotypes, and the infringement of gender based violence extend beyond just the issue of violence. However, it is impossible to fully understand the different aspects of social injustice without recognizing this as a significant manifestation of gender-based inequality and imbalance. The issue is not only the disparities between genders but also the prevailing gender system itself. By exploring the complexities of gender, power and violence in Thirty Umrigar’s novel The Space Between Us, the purpose of this paper is to examine the problem lies in the classification of gender as a binary and hierarchical concept. The construction of gender is based on unequal power dynamics, linking masculinity to authority, dominance, and control.