"Natural Law" in Maggie

One point I would like to elaborate on further is that of the use of "natural law" in Maggie, one of the options on the last quiz. This natural law emphasizes that women are inherently the weaker sex physically, mentally, and emotionally. As such, it is up to the stronger sex to protect them and care for them. While some may still make this argument today, this mindset was likely much more prevalent in the time in which Maggie was published when women primarily stayed at home to keep house and care for children. In the novel, though, Crane employs this "law" quite ironically, satirizing it in order to make his point. Though Maggie is at times under the care of males, whether they are her family members or her lover, this supervision never seems to do anything more than make her life even worse. When it comes down to it, though Maggie has not necessarily done anything to better her situation, she has has not done anything personally to make it worse. It is these men who by society's standards are supposed to look out for the girl that lead to her demise. They are selfish and uncaring.