Feminism in Intertwined Lives Marge Piercy is well known for her feminist views and attitudes throughout her novels. Braided Lives is no exception. The novel follows Piercy's model of feminist writing. The characters in the novel are victims of society's crimes against women. The protagonist, Jill, deals with many issues including rape and abortion. Because of his experiences with these problems, it becomes his passion to help others in the same situation. Jill constantly strives to be in control of her life; this struggle is another aspect of the feminist movement. The novel's goal is to "cause its readers to pay more attention to the current attack on legal abortion, and to make them more eager to defend the endangered gains of the women's movement" (Pollitt 378). Jill and her companions encounter many difficult rape situations. At the age of 14, Jill was attacked by her boyfriend Freddie. This comes at a time when Jill is first discovering her sexuality and who she is. This experience has an effect on Jill well into adulthood. In the novel he talks about this experience four years later, when he is preparing to leave for college. Jill remembers this event in vivid detail. I see his hard, angry face and remember the terror that gripped me on the kitchen floor when I realized that this time he wouldn't listen to my loud no's. Terror struck me violently... (30). Jill's cousin and roommate, Donna, is violently raped by a citizen. Donna goes to Jill after the rape occurs. She was beaten both physically and emotionally. Piercy describes rape and the aftermath of rape in great detail. devoting several pages to describing the horrific acts. Jill will not leave Donna's side and will nurse her back to health. Jill takes it upon herself to defend and protect Donna from the man who raped her. This is just one of the many times Jill defends and protects her friends from society in Braided Lives. Fighting for a woman's right to abortion becomes Jill's passion in life. This is the result of his experiences and those of his friends. When Jill is a freshman in college she becomes pregnant by her boyfriend. Neither of them is ready for the responsibility of marriage or a child.