Sister Lilith by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers: Dismissal of Patriarchal Values

Sister Lilith is a short story written by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers that tackles the reconfiguration of the origin of man’s existence on earth. The character of Lilith, the first wife to Adam, functions as the protagonist and narrator of the story. She gives the reader a contemporary and feminist perspective on her life with Adam and how she came to be replaced by Eve. The author positions Lilith as an unconventionally rebellious and very opinionated character that openly questions the authority of her male counterparts and defies the roles they force her to undertake. There are various instances evident throughout the text whereby Lilith displays this dismissal of patriarchal values and the significant and interlinking argument points that will be expanded on in this essay include Lilith’s repudiation of male dominance; her belief and determination to be treated and seen as Adam’s equal, contrary to how the other characters view her; her rejection of being sexualised and forced to embody the role of trophy wife and ultimately her choice of eternal damnation over a subservient life with Adam.

Lilith’s outspoken nature assists her in voicing her unorthodox opinions and standing her ground against male admonishment, while also allowing her to challenge male dominance. It should be noted that Lilith was created by God, as per Adam’s request, for the purpose of subduing Adam’s loneliness and need for companionship. Her society thus views her as Adam’s subordinate and attendant. However, throughout the text, Lilith chooses to defy these ideals expected of her and this is especially evident through how she stands her ground when confronted by Satan and his angels. In her encounter with Satan he states that Adam has expressed to him that he is discontent and that her being more attentive to him would resolve this. He suggests that it would greatly improve their marriage if she cooked “more fancy dishes” for Adam or “listened more attentively” to his stories. However, Lilith refuses to let Satan undermine her nor does she accept that she is solely responsible for fixing her marriage. Satan thinks Lilith’s (and women’s) role to be an obedient and dutiful wife and a soft-spoken woman – a role she openly rejects. She courageously stands up to him and argues that Adam also has his faults - he does not help around the house, he does not pay attention to their child and he does not care to ask Lilith how her day is, nor does he listen to her stories either.

Furthermore, Lilith confronts a male collective alliance (Satan and his angels) as just an individual in comparison and this representation further emphasises how she disregards male dominance and control as a whole. During her dispute with Satan; Lilith also voices contempt towards God and this could be considered an ultimate act of defiance against male authority on her part, since God is her creator and additionally holds the highest power and position in her society. When Satan plays 2 the power card and states that his addressing concerns also “comes straight from the Top, ” Lilith is unbothered by this and responds to him that “it don’t matter Who this come from. The truth is just what it is and you can take that back on up with you when you go. ” By including God Satan’s threats are aimed to keep Lilith in line, but she remains unphased by his attempts to control her. Moreover, her proud attitude when speaking about God shows that she will not silenced by even His authority either, because she is adamant of her views. God may have created Lilith to be Adam’s inferior in a biblical and traditionalist sense, but the language used throughout the text seems to indicate otherwise.

The author has intentionally done this in order for the reader to feel that Lilith’s belief that she is equal to Adam is completely justified, even if it defies social conventions, gender roles and male rationale. The author incorporates certain phrases to promote this ideal and sense of egalitarianism between Adam and Lilith. For example; she describes the two of them as being “twins, born together. ” Similarly, when God announces: “He is Adam, She is Lilith;” the impartiality of the phrase suggests to the reader that Adam and Lilith withheld the same ranking and position upon creation, because they were introduced into the world with no further titles other than their names. Furthermore, Lilith felt “Adam’s heart start to beat at the same time” as hers when they were created. Thus, it is seen that both Adam and Lilith were created in exactly the same way. Although her views can be somewhat subjective because the story is from a narrative perspective; it is indicative that how they were created sets the precedent for her belief that she is Adam’s equal. Lilith consequently overturns the submissive female character common in Christian mythology and this is evident by her commitment to an egalitarian relationship. Lilith’s character contrasts the trophy wife ideal seen in Eve and this shows her opposition to being defined as merely an object of male sexual desire. In Satan’s criticism of her; he comments that her being a more “cooperative mate” would help alleviate some of the tension in her marriage; seeing as men “appreciate enthusiasm in the romance department. ”

It is important to note that Satan openly and brashly reprimands Lilith about her intimate interactions with Adam and her failure to satisfy him in front of the other angels, and this emphasises the sexualisation of female characters by male perception in this narrative. It should also be mentioned that Adam acts quite primitively and assertively in terms of their sexual relationship, and this contributes to how society views Lilith purely as her husband’s 3 source of sexual satisfaction. For example; Lilith proclaims to Satan that Adam does not “even bother to kiss me before he come in jumping all up on me. ” In conjunction, the phrase “he plunk right on top of me” further accentuates the indelicacy of Adam’s sexual proclivity. Lilith thus being replaced by Eve indicates her defiance of male objectification, as well as her non-conformity of being defined and controlled as a trophy wife. Upon her replacement; Lilith ultimately becomes “bleached” (Jeffers, 1) from her society and her choice to fearlessly accept banishment can be seen as her most prominent act of defiance against male authority. According to biblical mythology: Lilith is faced with an order from God to return to Adam or face dire consequences. Lilith bravely chooses to face God’s merciless punishment as she is adamant not to tolerate the tyranny she endured through before. She thus defies God’s orders and foregoes the economic security of the Garden of Eden so as to relinquish her subservient life with Adam. Lilith shows great determination to retain her independence and self-identity by choosing loneliness over subservience.

Conclusively, the reader finds her assertiveness towards male characters inspiring as she is unwilling to surrender in the face of male dominance. The ways in which she opposes male authority - Satan’s implications, Adam’s demands and God’s orders - denote her strength of character. It is immediately seen how significant it is that she perceives herself to be equal to Adam and her consciousness of equality was justified in the fact that it was a natural thought process. Lilith’s objection to being sexualised by her male peers also promotes her fight for egalitarianism, thus she is self-nurturing and self-sustaining. She refuses to be an enabler to her male peers, therefore eliminating the element of altruism present in her society. Lilith essentially embodies all of man’s fears – she represents a threat to their manhood and a loss of a woman’s companionship and emotional support needed in their lives – which is why they wish to control her. It is seen through the text that central aspects of Lilith’s character like her struggle for independence, her courage in taking risks and her commitment to equality aid her in resisting male control. Her most remarkable act of defiance is her choice to forsake the safety of the Garden of Eden and accept loneliness and exclusion from society to retain her independence and dignity. Her courage and inclination to defy male dominance can be praised by modern-day feminists and Lilith is indeed a character that shows an unwavering ability to defy male authority and the limitations by which the males in her society attempt to control and define her by.