A Feminist Reading of the Five-Forty-Eight was received by men, notably that of Blake, whose oppression constituted a turning point in his life. This generalization is often the subject of feminist criticism. Feminists believe that women should have equal rights with men and seek to “correct or supplement what they see as a predominantly male-dominated critical perspective with feminist consciousness” (Meyer 2014). In this short story, using a feminist consciousness to read the text helps to understand the reasoning behind Miss Dent's need to overcome the idea that men dominate women. Miss Dent, who has been trampled on for so long, finally takes action against Blake who represents all the men in her life who have mistreated her. Miss Dent is an insecure woman who has been abused and mistreated her entire life, especially by Blake. . Literary critic Patrick Meanor says that "Mr. Blake, icy and detached, has absolutely no natural feeling for others, especially for pathetic, wounded souls like Miss Dent, a name that symbolizes his damaged emotional state" (92 ). Critics characterize Blake as the lowest of men because of the inhumane way he treats women. The worst example of Blake's mistreatment of Miss Dent is the scene in which the two sleep together in Miss Dent's apartment. Miss Dent leaves to put on something more comfortable while Blake urges her because “this was, after all, what he had come for” (81). Blake deliberately accompanies Miss Dent to her house just to have sex with her. Feeling like Blake has a real interest in her, Miss Dent allows Blak... middle of paper ... like before when Miss Dent had no self-esteem or self-confidence, she now has some control about his life and is a stronger person for it. In “The Five-Forty-Eight,” Miss Dent triumphed in her attempt to right the wrongs done to her and other women by men like Blake. From a feminist perspective, women have always been considered inferior to men. Blake assumes that because he is a man, he has the right to abuse and take advantage of women. Miss Dent does not let herself become another victim, but she succeeds in taking control of her life. Works Cited Cheever, John. “The Five Forty-Eights” An Introduction to Fiction (7th Edition), ed. XJ Kennedy and Dana Gioia, Longman, 1999Meanor, Patrick. John Cheever revisited. New York: Twayne, 1995. Meyer, Liz. Feminist consciousness and feminist research. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1983.