violence anytime and anywhere. Women who were alone became the possible targets. The law was also often put aside. According to social chaos theory; when
there are no rules to guide the behavior or lack of guidance of the society in its daily life, society is free to act to ensure its survival in the new surrounding. In
war time, usually the condition of the society is still unorganized and people are free to do some unusual acts http:www.jkm.gov.myjkmindex.php, January 20,
2009. The chaos as the impact of the war made women be in great shortages.
Some irresponsible people thought that they had to do violence to survive. The hunger often caused people to want to do anything to get food. They easily did
violence to women. It was also supported by the free using of many kinds of weapon. Bad people would easily do violence without proper punishments, or
even were not caught by the laws.
4.2.1.2 Social Norm Transgression
The Civil War had made the situation on the South become horrible. This condition led the society life to a great chaos. Women had to face problems and
see the social phenomena that are getting worse from time to time since the beginning of the war. People concerns are broken into many things. For that
reason, they could no longer pay much attention to the social norm transgression done by some irresponsible citizens. Women often became the targets. There were
some norm transgressions faced by women that were done by characters portrayed in this movie. First social norm infraction is done by Veasey. Inman met him
when he held a woman near a gorge. Inman shouted at the man and pointed his gun. Veasey said that he was a preacher.
8 Veasey : Dont pull that trigger. I am a man of God.
Inman : Ive killed several of them. Veasey : I mean I am Gods minister.
52:19 appendix B, datum no. 10
Inman ignored his words for he knew that Veasey was going to throw the woman into the ravine. Then Inman asked him to step back and compelled him to go back
to his house and put the woman who was drugged by Veasey. Veasey wanted to do that because the slave woman was pregnant of his baby. It was the result of his
affair with her. In the chaotic situation, people would be tense. Veasey took advantage of this condition. At that time, slaves especially the women were
considered as inferior to the white people. Killing slaves would not be a strange thing, moreover the women. Many slave women were killed and raped in South
during the Civil War. There were some reasons why this thing happened, such as because they ran away to North or did not want to work in South. The law in
North which did not support slavery made slaves migrate to North. Veasey intended to kill the slave woman and took out of danger. He said to Inman that he
was afraid of his family.
9 Veasey : Shes got my bastard in her belly. Inman : Come on, Back up.
Veasey : Im beggin you, Its better you blow out my brains than return me to this place.
Inman : Youre gonna put her back where she sleeps. 53:34 appendix B, datum no. 11
Not only afraid of his family, Veasey was also afraid of his Members. It would be a shame for him if they knew what he had done to his slave women who worked
in his house. This kind of situation occurs when there are no rules to guide the behavior of the society in its daily life. Therefore, society is free to act to ensure
its survival in the new surrounding. In war time, usually the condition of the society is still unorganized and people are free to do some unusual acts
http:www.jkm.gov.myjkmindex.php, January 20, 2009. 10 Veasey : I do that the Members will lynch me. Consorting with a
nigger, adultery, siring a bastard while serving as their preacher. Were a strict congregation, playing fiddle on
Saturday is forbidden.
53:40 appendix B, datum no. 12 Veasey tried to be calm and acted as if there had nothing happening to him before.
Because of his anger, Inman tied him on a tree near his house and wrote a note. Veasey was very afraid and begged Inman to free him, but Inman ignored his
request. Then he left Veasey there.
Another social norm transgression is a betrayal that was done by Veasey. One day, when Inman and Veasey were on the way of escaping, they met Junior.
After helping to take care of Junior’s dead bull, they were invited to have supper at his house. There, after the meal time, Junior said that he had to go to look after
his trap until dawn. When Junior was gone, Veasey approached the women and tried to tease them. He betrayed his wife who he left. He did that as if it was a
normal behavior to be done just like common behavior. His marriage did not prevent him from having boundaries in having affair with other women. The norm
in the chaotic society could no longer be applied just like ordinary life. The bad
situation of the war made some new requirements of social situations. In the 19
th
Century, women were still bordered by pretty strict norms. Because of the uncertain situation of the war, some people did not run the ordinary social order.
Moreover, the losses of family members and properties which happened to many people made some people become disconsolate.
4.2.1.3 Poverty
