Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from Wild Justice, by Ruth M. Sprague
"This committee, at the last hearing, made several
promises to me and I was fool enough to believe them.
It said that it would issue a decision within a few weeks;
instead, it launched a new investigation of its own without
my knowledge or participation which consumed over half a year.
Second, this committee assured me that I would not be affected by
these charges as I continued my teaching assignments in the department.Go back to work,' you all assured me at the last hearing.<br /> Everything is taken care of.' I went back and was ordered to
move out of my office into a corner of the nutrition teaching lab.
I was denied a telephone and given no help in moving my things.
My name has been removed from the department mail boxes
and department meetings are held when I am teaching classes.
For these many months, while you reopened the investigation
behind my back, I have been a non-person in my department."
Jane shifted in her chair uneasily. She recalled how all
of these promises had been made when the panel had ended the
first hearing. In fact, she had made some of them herself. It
had seemed then, she reflected, that the evidence against Diana
was inconclusive and that the majority of the panel felt this was
so. She had expected that just a simple vote of the panel would
send Diana back to her classroom where she belonged.
"I have served this university for nearly a quarter-century.
Students have consistently reviewed my efforts favorably
and that is a source of much consternation in my department.
The entire central administration is prosecuting me,
angered because I insisted on minimal rights. For example:
I refused to have my job eliminated or my copyrighted manual
used without my consent. They are determined to terminate me
and have spared no resources in support of that goal.
It would appear that some of these efforts violate my rights
under state law, federal law, and the Constitution.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Wild Justice by Ruth M. Sprague
Context of the Source
Wild Justice (1981) by Ruth M. Sprague is a novel that explores themes of academic politics, institutional betrayal, gender discrimination, and the abuse of power within a university setting. The protagonist, Diana, is a long-serving professor facing a hostile administrative investigation, likely due to her refusal to comply with unjust demands (such as the unauthorized use of her copyrighted work or the elimination of her position). The excerpt depicts a hearing where Diana confronts the committee that has systematically undermined her, breaking promises and isolating her professionally.
The novel reflects real-world struggles of women in academia during the late 20th century, where sexism, professional sabotage, and bureaucratic oppression were (and often still are) rampant. Sprague, a sociologist herself, draws from feminist critiques of institutional power structures, making the novel both a work of fiction and a social commentary.
Themes in the Excerpt
Institutional Betrayal & Broken Promises
- The committee actively deceived Diana, promising a swift resolution and protection from professional harm, only to prolong the investigation secretly and strip her of basic workplace dignities.
- The contradiction between words and actions ("Go back to work... Everything is taken care of" vs. her demotion to a lab corner, removal from mailboxes, and exclusion from meetings) highlights hypocrisy in authority.
- This mirrors real-world gaslighting in professional settings, where victims are led to believe they are safe, only to be further victimized.
Professional Ostracism & Erasure
- Diana describes being treated as a "non-person"—a term evoking Orwellian dehumanization (similar to "unperson" in 1984).
- The symbolic removal of her name from mailboxes and scheduling meetings during her classes are deliberate acts of exclusion, designed to silence and marginalize her.
- This reflects workplace mobbing, a form of psychological harassment where an individual is systematically isolated.
Power Struggles & Retaliation
- Diana’s refusal to surrender her rights (e.g., copyright protection, job security) angers the administration, leading to retaliatory actions.
- The line "The entire central administration is prosecuting me" suggests a coordinated effort to destroy her career, not for legitimate reasons, but because she dared to assert her autonomy.
- This aligns with feminist critiques of patriarchal institutions, where women who challenge authority are often punished disproportionately.
Legal & Ethical Violations
- Diana hints that the administration’s actions may violate state, federal, and constitutional laws, implying due process violations, defamation, or employment discrimination.
- The secret reopening of the investigation without her knowledge raises questions about procedural justice—was she given a fair chance to defend herself?
Student Support vs. Administrative Hostility
- Diana mentions that students consistently review her favorably, contrasting with the administration’s hostility. This suggests that her teaching competence is not the issue—the conflict is political and personal.
- The "consternation" in her department implies resentment toward her popularity, possibly because she challenges the status quo.
Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices
Direct Address & Accusatory Tone
- Diana’s speech is filled with second-person accusations ("you all assured me," "you reopened the investigation behind my back"), making the committee complicit in her suffering.
- The repetition of broken promises ("It said..., this committee assured me...") emphasizes systematic deception.
Irony & Sarcasm
- The committee’s hollow reassurances ("Everything is taken care of") are ironic given the subsequent humiliation Diana endures.
- The phrase "I was fool enough to believe them" is self-deprecating but also a rebuke—she trusted the system, and it failed her.
Symbolism of Physical & Social Exclusion
- Moving her to a "corner of the nutrition teaching lab" symbolizes her reduced status—no longer a respected professor but a marginalized figure.
- Denial of a telephone = cutting off communication, reinforcing isolation.
- Removal from mailboxes = erasure of her identity within the institution.
Juxtaposition of Past & Present
- Jane’s internal reflection ("It had seemed then...") contrasts with the current reality, showing how initial good intentions (or naivety) led to complicity in injustice.
- This dramatic irony—where the reader (and Jane) sees the gap between perception and reality—heightens the tragedy of Diana’s situation.
Legal & Bureaucratic Language
- Words like "investigation," "charges," "terminate," "violate my rights" frame the conflict in legal terms, suggesting that Diana is fighting not just individuals, but an oppressive system.
- The formal, almost clinical description of her mistreatment ("consumed over half a year") underscores the cold, impersonal nature of institutional cruelty.
Significance of the Excerpt
A Feminist Critique of Academic Power Structures
- The excerpt exposes how institutions weaponize bureaucracy to silence dissenting voices, particularly women who refuse to be compliant.
- Diana’s lonely struggle reflects the real experiences of women in male-dominated fields who face retaliation for asserting their rights.
The Illusion of Due Process
- The committee’s actions—secret investigations, broken promises, professional sabotage—show how supposedly fair systems can be manipulated to destroy individuals.
- This raises questions about who controls justice in closed institutions like universities.
The Psychological Toll of Workplace Mobbing
- Diana’s isolation, demotion, and erasure are psychologically devastating, illustrating how institutional abuse can break a person’s sense of self-worth.
- The lack of allies (even Jane, who now feels complicit) shows how bystanders enable oppression by failing to intervene.
A Call for Resistance
- Despite the overwhelming odds, Diana continues to fight, making her a symbol of defiance against unjust authority.
- Her legal threats ("violate my rights under state law, federal law, and the Constitution") suggest that systemic change may require external intervention (e.g., lawsuits, public exposure).
Conclusion: Why This Excerpt Matters
This passage is a powerful indictment of institutional corruption, showing how power is abused to crush individuals who refuse to conform. Diana’s anger, betrayal, and resilience make her a compelling figure, representing countless real people who have faced professional persecution for standing up for their rights.
The excerpt also challenges the reader to consider:
- How often do we trust systems that claim to be fair, only to be betrayed?
- What does it mean to be a "non-person" in an institution that should protect you?
- When does compliance with authority become complicity in injustice?
Ultimately, Wild Justice uses Diana’s story to expose the dark side of academia—a world where knowledge and power are not always used for good, but sometimes wielded as weapons against the vulnerable.