Essay Questions

What is the significance of the title ‘The Passion of New Eve’?

The 'Passion of New Eve' title is symbolic of the new beginning. This novel develops a mythical transformation from one gender to the other and the cultural inheritance surrounding gender. The title of this novel is mythical because it borrows from the story of creation in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation story, the believers believe that the woman is behind the fall of humankind. However, the author of this book offers a different trajectory to convince readers that the era of blame game is long gone. Consequently, the primary aim of the author is to advocate for equality across both genders. The 'New Eve' embodies a new beginning in which women are given equal opportunities as men.

What literary device is the author trying to bring out when she narrates Evelyn's conversion to Eve?

The author is strategic in delivering her gender equality in the novel. Evelyn is first depicted as a self-centered man who only puts his interest first and thinking that he belongs to the superior gender. Towards the middle of the novel, Evelyn is transformed into a faultless woman named Eve by the Mother. The alteration of an egoistic character to a faultless woman is a motif that the author uses to advocate for equal treatment of women in society. The narrative also enlightens the reader that the woman is not to blame for the man's fall in modern society. Similarly, the author advocates for feminism rights to ensure that future generations respect both genders and give them equal opportunities.

What is the emblematic meaning of the character ‘Mother’ in the novel?

The character 'Mother' is emblematic to represent a faultless society in which women are treated with respect and equality. Biblically, the woman (Eve) is accused of the man's fall in the Garden of Eden. The author wants to change this narrative in which women are accused of all wrongdoings in society. Mother forces Evelyn to transform into a perfect woman. The reader also finds it ironic that an egoistic man can be a faultless woman, signifying a new begging.