The Issue of Sexism in Burned

         In the book Burned by Ellen Hopkins, the main character Pattyn is very changed by her religion. Her self-esteem plummets because in her extreme Christian religion (Mormonism), men are superior to women. This made Pattyn think she wasn’t even “pretty” nonetheless “beautiful”. This made Pattyn have a lack of confidence. Also, Pattyn feels like she doesn’t belong anywhere: in her church, at home, not even in her own body. These beliefs of Mormonism caused this change because Pattyn doesn’t truly accept all these ideas that her church preaches: “The message came loud and clear: Woman are inferior. And God likes it that way” Pattyn doesn’t feel very comfortable as a woman, and this dynamically changes her.

            First, Pattyn has a slim self-esteem and a low confidence level. In the Mormon beliefs, women are the inferior gender. They are expected to have numerous children, and it’s not for the joy of bringing new life into this world: “Pattyn, she says, it’s a woman’s role” Sexism is very much alive, and Pattyn is forced to become a housewife. So Pattyn is forced to have a limited future, which made her very displeased with herself and her religion.

          Also, Pattyn doesn’t think of herself as “pretty”. She believes that she is rather drab and plain, actually: “Me, beautiful? I’m as plain as cardboard” She pushes beauty off to the side because women aren’t supposed to be so magnificent and gorgeous: Men are. This also plays with Pattyn’s mind a bit, gradually diminishing her self-esteem.

            Second, Pattyn doesn’t feel comfortable and content with herself. She feels like she doesn’t belong or fit in: “I felt I didn’t belong, not in my church, not in my home, not in my skin.” This is caused by her strict Mormon ideas of cold, hard biased sexism. She explores this in the story of Adam and Eve, because God wouldn’t give Eve another chance when the serpent tempted her and she ate the apple. She believes that if Adam and Eve weren’t in love, God would’ve only cast Eve out of the Garden of Eden, because Eve was a woman. Pattyn feels like she doesn’t belong because in her large, Mormon family, she is a woman, with a destiny to keep on bringing more little Mormons into the world. Pattyn sees as conceiving a child to be a miracle, a blessing. Her mother sees it as a job, a profession. These views make Pattyn feel as if she doesn’t belong.

            In conclusion, Pattyn becomes very changed by the opinionated beliefs: Her self-esteem decreases, her confidence is minuscule, and she feels uncomfortable and awkward in her own skin. Pattyn doesn’t accept or agree with the views of her church, and she feels like a woman can do just as much if not better, then a man. Pattyn’s views cause these feelings, and she is a very dynamic character when confronted by her religion.