In a world surrounded by war, death, and atrocities, it sometimes seems like there is nowhere positive for Gates' characters to turn to of Ivory by Margaret Drabble. In the haze of these bad images, Drabble juxtaposes a unique view of the world of female reproduction and menstruation that has rarely been revealed in other novels. She shows that menstruation exposes feelings ranging from liberation and empowerment in Alix Bowen, to shame, disgust and grief in Ms. Savet Akrun. Drabble identifies similarities between women on both sides of the world, as well as between reproduction and women fighting the death of world war. Yet, through these difficult times and uncertainties, the women in the novel show their strength and power because they hold the key to keeping humanity alive: reproduction. Alix's outward expressions perfectly illustrate what many of the women in the novel want to be. They want to feel the control Alix has over her body. Unfortunately for Alix, this feeling is not true inside. Alix carries a lot of uncertainty and insecurity within herself. This feeling of inadequacy began in early childhood. Alix feels the need to be a savior, a protector and an activist. She wants to do “important” and “worthy” things, but she can never live up to her own standards. As a child, when her pet turtle died, she was "terrified, and after a few days she found the courage to approach the motionless shell." (194). The idea of ​​not being able to help the turtle, or save it, crushed Alix. She shows how vulnerable she is to failure, questions and doubt. If everything isn't perfect, Alix's sense of control over a situation disappears. The same feelings inhabit Alix in her adult life. She is constantly striving to improve something, especially menstrual protection for women, but she feels confused and scared whenever she even doubts it in the slightest. She says: “I used to claim that if the tampon had been invented a few thousand years earlier, the whole history of womanhood would have been different. Now I’m not so sure” (156). Alix attests that women's rights, like tampons, are "on the march toward progress" and are "the liberators of humanity," but what this progress and liberation will bring leaves Alix perplexed (155; 156). The fact that there is no plan on how exactly to solve the problem scares Alix..